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We Tell Rostov Children about Traditions of Don Cossacks

In mid-November a series of classes and master classes was held in Rostov-on-Don, conducted by the staff of the National Sholokhov Museum-Reserve. Museum classes were designed for a wide audience. They were attended by pupils of senior and preparatory groups of kindergartens No. 74, No. 96 and students of schools No. 81, No. 91, No. 96.

Kids with interest attended museum classes on the life and traditions of the Don Cossacks. Here, preschool children learned about the device of the Cossack house, the history of the Don toy, made a virtual trip to the Cossack fair, painted souvenirs made of wood and clay, knitted dolls from bast.

The program for schoolchildren was also diverse. The children learned to draw sandriks - window carvings, got acquainted with the traditions of painting a wooden spoon on the Don, worked in the technique of jute filigree. In the “Post Office” class, they wrote pen and ink letters to their relatives and friends.

A lecture hall was prepared for high school students. At the lecture “A Word on Books that Pierced the Ages,” schoolchildren learned about how Sholokhov’s books helped soldiers to win during the Great Patriotic War. “Raising boys in a Cossack family” gave an idea of ??how the Cossacks prepared for military service in the Fatherland: they trained to shoot accurately, hack with a saber, and master the skills of horse riding, tempering the character of a teenager. Also from an early age they were accustomed to male labor. Ten-year-old boys took responsibility for the house, for younger children and women, and from 17-18 years of age, young people began basic preparation for the service.

At school number 91 named after Mikhail Sholokhov museum staff was told about many years of work to create a school museum dedicated to the great fellow countryman. The head of the museum L. Chekaldina talked about how Mikhail Sholokhov’s work is popularized in this school. A tour of the museum was conducted by a 6th grade student Irina Pirogova.

During the visiting session about 1,400 young Rostov children attended 54 museum classes and a master class. 

Olga Kargina
Svetlana Usova