"Only those who love work are called October!" The words of this simple song, dedicated to schoolchildren of the elementary grades of the Soviet era, are probably known to many who in childhood proudly wore a five-pointed star. And who had no idea that he was part of a mass political organization. But hardly all of them remember as well who and how received them in October and presented them with a badge with a portrait of young Lenin.
October - November
The first bewildered question that a foreign researcher of the history of children's and youth political movements in the Soviet Union could ask is: "Why the Octobrists?" And there is a certain logic in this. After all, the solemn presentation of stars was usually timed to coincide with the festive Soviet date on November 7, the day of the October Revolution.
The answer to the foreigner lies precisely in the aforementioned name of the Russian revolution of the 1917 model. November 7, when the famous Aurora cannon shot was fired in Petrograd, it was October 25 by the old style. And it was for this “calendar” reason that the revolution began to be called “October”. And junior schoolchildren of Soviet schools, so that they would not forget about the most important event for the country, from 1923-1924 began to be called "October". It is curious that at first in October, only the most worthy children born in 1917 were accepted. But in the last years of the existence of the USSR, everyone who studied in the first grade was enrolled in them.
Ruby star
The current generation of young schoolchildren can, perhaps, envy their “colleagues” from the past in an amicable way. After all, the acceptance ceremony in October was a truly grandiose holiday for seven-eight-year-olds. They began to prepare for it and for the future entry into the pioneers in advance, from the first school days they learned poetry and the rules of conduct and laws approved by the leaders of the school organizations of the Komsomol Central Committee. Such, for example, as "October - truthful and courageous, dexterous and skillful"; “The October Revolutionaries are friendly guys, they read and draw, play and sing, live merrily”; “The Octoberists strive to become young pioneers” and others.
Extraordinary for Soviet children was the procedure, which took place, as a rule, in the sports or assembly hall of the school, to receive symbols of the movement of the Octobrists - beautiful five-pointed ruby-colored stars. From the center of which a curly-haired boy Volodya Ulyanov was attentively looking at the children and the world. He is also the future leader of the October Revolution, Vladimir Lenin. Badges, first-in-life certificates and red flags were handed over to the Octobrists, and at the same time they were instructed by the pioneers and Komsomol members who became their leaders. By the way, the first Soviet Octobrists had stars made of fabric and sewn on the left side of the shirt.
Under the sign of the hammer and sickle
The day after the reception, the newly minted october, their class teacher and counselors held the first meeting, at which the so-called "stars" or "fives" were formed. In other words, groups of schoolchildren of five people, each of whom had his own position and responsibilities - a commander, a librarian, a nurse, a sportsman, a florist. The leader of the group and his assistant, who helped the sponsored not only in preparing for joining the pioneers, but also in organizing all public events, were named after the national emblem of the country "sickle" and "hammer". The All-Union week, which preceded Lenin's birthday (April 22), was considered the main one for the Octobrists. It was necessary to meet her with excellent grades in her studies and behavior and active participation in the Lenin Readings, which took place on the 22nd of each month.
