In Russia the first day of school, Sept. 1, is called the “Day of Knowledge.” Do you know how they celebrate that day?
According to the website Russia Beyond the Headlines, rbth.com, “As August comes to a close, Russian school children return from holidays away at summer camps, dachas, or their grandmothers’ homes in the countryside, and families set about preparing for the new academic year.”
In Russia, the school year actually starts with a holiday, when schools invite teachers, students, and their families to come together to sing songs, recite poetry, and listen to inspirational speeches. It’s a tradition for students to give their teachers flowers, and white ribbons are either worn on clothing or braided into girls’ hair.
“At the end of the ceremony, a girl in the first grade will sit atop the shoulders of a boy in his senior year,” the website said. “This little girl is then given a bell, which she will ring loudly as she is carried past the crowd of spectators.”
Join us this Thursday, Sept. 4, and every Passport Thursday in September at 11 a.m. as we learn about back-to-school traditions from around the world!
Throughout the month, we’ll also learn the history behind various American back-to-school traditions, such as:
- Why we give apples to teachers.
- How the tradition of homework started.
- Who made the No. 2 Pencil.
The Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum is at 705 S. McClelland St. in Santa Maria. We are open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
Amy Asman Blasco, program director for the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum, wrote this week’s Discovery Corner, a weekly column in the Sun highlighting events, science activities, and more. Send comments to discoverycorner@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Sep 4-11, 2014.
