Rector of St. Petersburg Humanitarian University of trade unions Alexander ZAPESOTSKY told how there were children in the USSR.
Tragedy on the Syamozero, when in stormy weather, killing 14 of the children resonated with the old cadres, who even during Soviet times, “run” camps. One of them is a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, rector of Saint— Petersburg Humanitarian University of trade unions Alexander ZAPESOTSKY.
Why in the Soviet Union this was impossible, we talked to Alexander Sergeyevich.
-You headed the camp?
-At 21, I finished University. Went to work in the State optical Institute, researcher. Two summers went senior sport instructor in a camp for children of employees of GOI. The commander of the camp I was assigned to 24 years.
-As during Soviet times, were selected and prepared by the Directors of the camps?
-These positions are appointed to their sales people who are able to behave responsibly and to combine administrative and teaching skills. Footage was taken mostly with the administrative work of the NGOs and personnel of the camps themselves. Become the commander of the camp was possible, only having passed special training. In the Leningrad region every summer, opened more than 600 camps. Every head in the spring went to school. Even if it was the 20th season of his work.
I remember I was attending in the “Mirror”. 600 chiefs. Most – hardened men. Week from morning to evening – a solid lecture. Every read the largest Leningrad practitioner: Finance, reporting, fire safety, catering, leisure, sports work…
By the end of the first season I was taken out from camp a few books filled with various formal circulars. Under each of the documents was the signature responsible for execution: read, I agree.
One of the lectures was called: “the First 3 days in camp.” It was found that if these days do not upload children’s densely informative and interesting classes, the rest of the change in the camp is a mess. That is, 3 days should be planned minute by minute. And much more revealed. With all due respect to the KGB think that even there, did not prepare the cadets better than us in these courses.
One of the lectures was for me a real shock: “Child injuries”. The lecturer calmly and casually told me that sometimes, when a child throws themselves on a plate with hot soup, when climbs the fence and falls with it. And the screen projected slides: toasted toddlers, open fractures, acute reinforcement of children’s body…
Hall sat in a complete daze. 20 minutes later, I heard the blows of wood on wood. This is Bob seat ustavshih chairs. Some candidates for the chiefs could not withstand the sight and began to leave the room. 10 minutes later came me. In the foyer of the hall was already two dozen strong men, were in a deranged state. No one was talking. Laid-back person, silence. I think there is nothing more to know about the children’s injuries did not require.
By the time I became head of the camp, just know that the worst thing that can happen in life – the death of a child, which I was entrusted.
The camp, which I ran, was focused on adolescents with of my company was called sports. Athletes weren’t there, but engaged in sports very much. Of the 30 staff I scored 25 masters of sports, including archery, motorcycles, horse riding and so on.
At 7 a.m., all but the sick, went on a charge. Next, the whole day was planned to the minute. And after lights out, the counselors sat on a bench opposite the exit from the dormitory building. Everyone knew that our children have reached puberty and may try to produce their own kind.
You were sporting, and cultural work?
– We were taught to hold competitions and festivals. In the summer of 1979, the year I suddenly became one of the pioneers of on the part of the organization just coming into fashion discos. Living in a separate house, listening in the evenings brought with them part of a huge record collection with jazz. The music is slightly rippled through the camp, and the children began to gather under the Windows to listen, then asked. Reached that I in the evening, began to pull out the columns on the porch, hung the lights on the Christmas trees. Children danced among the trees. Ran into a reprimand of his superiors: the sound of music disturbed the residents of several villages, located 10 kilometers from us… the Tension was huge. From 7 am to 11 PM we have been working with children. When they went to sleep, we held a meeting and discussed the past day and plans. Then I was engaged in documentation of accounting matters. Next morning came. In General, after the departure of last change prepared the camp to evacuate, preserving buildings and slept.
– Injury and accidents?
– The worst moment of the entire work was when she broke her hip. Candidate master of sports in dressage, she returned with the coach and children after school. Suddenly, the horse got a hoof in a puddle, and the victim made a sharp jump. To prevent this, no one could, but worried all terrible. Another time the child ran away from camp. Had a fight with someone of the guys nervous. We rushed in all the surrounding forests on motorcycles like crazy until I found out that he landed safely on the bus and went into town.
In General there was order and discipline, but children, in my opinion, camp life was not just interesting. It was perceived as happiness.
