Sketch of Russian way of life Dr. Deon Greer’s Russia with his turned out to be a the Russian way of them. nine month stay in wife and daughter total involvement in life for the three of Dr. Greer, professor of geography and former chairman of the Department of Geology and Geography was a USSR Academy of Science exchangee to study terminal (salt water) lakes of the USSR at the Water Problems Institute in Moscow. He and his family were seven and one half months in Moscow, one month in the Caucasus and two weeks in Siberia. His wife, Janice, took ballet and Russian and traveled daily on crowded | faculty ‘ Virginia) — |-Gorhan) ' Arizona © “We had interesting encounters with Gina Margaret’s teachers,” said Dr. Greer. ‘““‘They badger both parents and children, dictating what students will If a child makes a mistake the teachers says ‘“‘that’s wrong, sit down.” Girls wear personal d I haves» be inexpensive buses across the city for her classes and shopping. Seven-year-old Gina Margaret attended a Russian kindergarten with her studies supplemented at home by her parents to keep her abreast of first grade work in the U. S. She learned Russian quickly. wear and telling them exactly ‘how it is.’ ms are: country,’) ication is onally it) >» Comment October 1978 oun” enjoyed” are not dresses allowed. and Gina bows. also Pants wore ‘“‘prescribed”’ fur coat hat, boots (valenkies) and stockings. a and long ffaoaN £6 IPR f= etown of” 1 like nd _ fruit) ad.”’ grade al” py a Russian. Russian Even associates though thought their for many months they were really spies. Janice, outgoing and friendly, met parents at the school, play ground and park, Friends introduced them to friends. At a farewell in their honor they had 40 Russian friends attend which is unusual. ‘The USSR is extremely conservative. We think of Russia as revolutionary but the people and their life-style is very conservative and tradition. Historically conservative. have Other revolted hide-bound to they have been Europeans long ago. would There is a definite ‘‘privileged class.’’ They have special stores, hospitals and transportation which is exactly opposite from what they preach. This new class has all the privileges the Czar’s once received. The Russian people live very austere lives with few comforts. Dr. Greer pointed out that most families have only one child. ‘‘They would like to have more but cannot afford them. The labor structure demands that everyone work. The children are very tually pampered. Baby unheard of. sitters Parents are eee a vir- think of leaving a child with anyone but another family member.‘* The Greer’s had to rely on other Americans and friends in exchanging care of children. The Russian people survive by learning ‘“‘how to get around the system.”’ most of their income, which is about $225. per month per adult for food and clothing, he said. The quality available uple is very poor. Most Russians Mary,1 ior High save for automobiles and other luxuries. Everything must be paid for with cash. Women carry a fot of ther and o has her money with them in case they run into a sale of quality items, for example, dresses from Finland. They will buy all they have enough aid at times a ember, than in Chicago but the Russians dress Weber# fices inj h 84408.8 MENT | mni of § Wilson.# i sident | i vice tor seph uehl eorge eBoer isaker stewart <er uss Tr for and then sell them again later at a profit. Although it is illegal to purchase from the children very protectively,’ said Dr. foreigners, Greer. He pulled Gina to school each day eager to buy whatever they could from the Greer’s. They expecially wanted jeans, coats, and sweaters. Meat has not been for sale in stores in Siberia for many years. People obtain it by illegal means and as a result constantly live on the border of fear. They never know when they might be cracked down on. on | money a sled. She participated in three programs. In the celebration of the October revolution Gina carried a Russian flag and extolled Stalin. At Christmas (called New Years) she danced with a little boy and in the spring they had a birthday party for Lenin. Through Gina’s enrollment in the Russian School the Greer’s met many more Russian people than would otherwise have been the case. Diplomats, correspondents and businessmen have to live in compounds together. They are guarded and drive to their offices where the only Russians the Russians were very Events sponsored by Office of Cultural Affairs in the Val A. Browning Center for the Performing Arts: Thursday Wednesday Friday Tuesday Wednesday Oct. 26 Harry Truman Show Nov. Harp 1 Quartet Russia (Homecoming) 8 p.r Monday Wednesday Tuesday Wednesday Abrasenic-Yugoslavian Dancers Audubon Film Series America Film Series (2) Nov. Nov. Nov. Nov. Frank Wiens-Pianist Richard Rodgers Show (Young America Film Series (3) America Film Series (3) Tuesday Nov. 28 America: Tuesday Wednesday Nov. 28 Nov. 29 Dr. Clifford Wilson ‘“‘UFO’s” America Film Series (4) Tuesday Wednesday Dec. 5 Dec. 6 Dec. 12 America Film Series (5) America Film Series (5) America Film Series (6) 8 p.m 8 p.n Wednesday Tuesday Dec. 13 Dec. 19 America Film Series (6) America Film Series (7) 8 p.n 8 p.n Monday 13 15 21 22 Nov. 27 Thursday Nov. 30 Tuesday Wednesday Dec. 20 Dr. Clifford Wilson ‘Dead Sea Film Series a is sold in florish in different stores.‘ Cultural events, however, Scrolls” 8 p.m 12 p.m 8 p.n 8 p.n 8 p.n 8 p.n Performers in opera, theater Russia. ‘“‘On any night in Moscow there are 10 or 15 ballets, 5 or 6 operas and many plays to choose from. An especially popular Avante Garde play written by the modern author, Bulgakov, even knocks the system and is sold out months in advance. p.r p.r p.r p.ir 8 p.1r (4) are full-time ballet and ' employees | make a regular Russian salary. “The stars, however, make fantas amounts and are probably the rich people in the country,” Dr. Greer sa In addition to these cultural Buying food is a time-consuming proposition in Russia, with hours spent in long lines. Everything 8 8 8 8 Americans) America Film Series (7) few cases of tomatos and ‘“‘make killing’ at $1 to $1.50 for a tomato. lines. 8 pir 8 p.r 8 p.r Mark Russell-Satirist In the open markets where farmers sell produce official prices are posted but they charge what the traffic will bear. Ambitious salesmen will ride a train 2,000 miles in the winter to sell a longest ‘Drawings by Janice Greer 8 p.ir from Nov. 3 Nov. 7 Nov. 8 “You stand in three lines-one to find out how much an item costs, one to pay for it and another to get the item. Milk was often sour except in stores with the they come in contact with are assigned to work with them and are usually members of the KGB-state security agency. ‘‘Academicians are the only foreigners who can mix freely with the Russian people,” explained Dr. Greer. Eighty per cent of their acquaintances Val A. Browning, Ogden industrialist, and Dan Martino, director of the WSC Office of Cultural Affairs, study program offerings. Mr. Browning’s gift of a $1 million trust fund to build and enrich the cultural arts is bringing ‘‘some prestigious programs without charge and others at admission prices all can afford to the college. A broader and richer selection of cultural programs is made possible through income from the gift,’’ said Mr. Martino. The current season has 35 offerings representing bookings in ten categories — something for everyone. wouldn’t Housing, including utilities, is very inexpensive. Public transportation is cheap but terribly crowded. It takes a| Lh 1:44 were eve! there are 100 theaters with live « tertainment, two circuses, race trac and 20 sports clubs with teams in kinds of sports. They are inexpensi and open to everyone. In his studies on terminal lakes | Greer and his family traveled to visit | lakes. They were guests of powerful m and were often treated like royalty w entourages of 2 or 3 cars and expens: suites. He could usually speak bet Russian than the translators. Dr. Greer is currently writing a b« on the worlds terminal lakes, along w different authors from around the wor He hopes to return to Russia for a sh time to wrap up loose ends on the bo