Bookvica

[SCHOOL HANDMADE WALL-NEWSPAPERS] Koliuchka [i.e. Barb]

Item #2783

Two issues. 1940-1950s. 29х40 cm.

1 - Small tears of edges, some stains, otherwise very good. 2 - Very good.

These two satirical wall-newspapers were drawn by students of a Soviet high school.

During the Soviet years, wall newspapers were produced in schools, universities, technical colleges, vocational schools, workplaces, military units, and so on. In industrial settings, wall newspapers reflected the life of the collective, the push for a culture of everyday conduct, and the drive to meet production targets and socialist commitments. Wall newspapers of a critical nature were common, and those who found themselves the subject of criticism often took it quite painfully. Most wall newspapers had unoriginal titles like “Onward to Good Grades!” or “Work Without Defects!”, while in workplaces the title often reflected the specific industry: “Shoemaker”, “Whistle”, “Miner”. Like their factory counterparts, school wall newspapers were often used to criticize individuals within collectives.

Both wall newspapers were titled Koliuchka [Barb] and made fun of the creator's schoolmates and situations that happened with them. The first one features a poem about a student who received a failing grade and went to great lengths to hide it from her parents. She concealed her home phone number from the teacher, and when she was told to bring her mother to school, she brought the housekeeper instead. On the right, they placed a small illustration to accompany the poem, along with a drawing of an endless filmstrip showing scenes of comical situations. The second one contains two poems: one about a failed attempt to substitute homework with a pitiful letter, and another about mischief during breaks between lessons.

Price: $950.00