HUNGARY: Education of a Patriot

As the school year moved into full swing, Hungarian students of all ages were struggling with the outlandish Cyrillic alphabet, the baffling prodigies of Russian grammar. Last term, when language courses were still optional, 53% of them chose German, 30% English, 29% French, and only 3% Russian. Now, with the study of Russian compulsory in all grades of primary and secondary schools, pupils are required to spend more time learning “the language of socialism” than any other subject except Hungarian language and literature.

Even in kindergarten, the Soviet indoctrination of Magyar moppets is going on apace. The daily Magyar Nemzet reported an interview with one student of dialectical materialism, four-year-old Robert Rev. Robert quickly identified the portraits of Lenin, Stalin and Communist Boss Matyas Rakosi on the classroom walls. Said he: “They are discussing how to prevent war, and planning the construction of more factories, more kindergartens and more shops.”

“More shops?” asked his puzzled interviewer.

“Yes,” retorted the young Marxist happily, “more candy shops.”