"The Man of Steel" Is Everywhere

Stalin still needed to convince the people that he was the best choice as leader of the USSR. To do this, he entered into an intense campaign to have the people recognize him. Huge portraits of Stalin were place all over the country, upon walls of large buildings and on small posters everywhere. Every store had a small statue of him on display, movies were made about his life, poems, and books even plays were written to celebrate his great leadership. His presence was everywhere, but the truths about his atrocities were well hidden.

Religion Under Stalin

Marx had clearly identified organized religion as a threat to the worker because the loyalty of individual workers should be to each other, not to a supreme being. As a result, Stalin took steps to limit the power of religion in the USSR. Churches and mosques were closed and converted into schools or movie theaters. Religious icons were melted down, and meetings were banned throughout the country. Religion was forced to go underground, in order to hide from the prying eyes of Stalin's police.

Education

Education was vital to the success and growth of the new society planned for the USSR. Children were the future of the nation and were easier to influence about the ways of communism. Schools became much more strict and focused on courses necessary to develop skilled workers. Discipline was harsh for students in order to make them disciplined workers for the factories.

The ultimate goal of the education system was to produce a loyal Soviet citizen intensely proud of Russia's histroy, and capable of contributing to Stalin's new system. The enforcement of this educational policy was able to take a backward nation, where few people could read and write, and to push the literacy rate to 86 percent in rural areas.

Eyewitness Account

It is the duty of each school child to acquire knowledge persistently so as to become an educated and cultured citizen and to be of the greatest possible service to his country.

Rule One
The 20 Rules of Student Behaviors
1927-1935