"Only those who love labor are called Octoberites!" The words of this simple song, dedicated to schoolchildren of the lower grades of the Soviet era, are known, probably, by many who wore a five-pointed asterisk with pride in childhood. And who had no idea at the same time that he was part of a mass political organization. But it is unlikely that they all remember just as well who and how they received them in October and handed the badge with a portrait of young Lenin.
In October - in November
The first perplexed question that a foreign researcher of the history of the political and youth movements of the Soviet Union could ask is: "Why the October People?" And a certain logic is present in this. After all, the ceremonial presentation of stars usually coincided with the festive Soviet date on November 7, the day of the October Revolution.
The answer to the foreigner lies precisely in the mentioned title of the Russian revolution of the 1917 model. November 7, when the famous shot from the gun of the cruiser Aurora sounded in Petrograd, the old style was October 25. And precisely for this "calendar" reason, the revolution began to be called the "October". And the younger schoolchildren of Soviet schools, so that they did not forget about the most important event for the country, from 1923-1924 they began to call them "October". It is curious that at first in the October administration only the most worthy children born in 1917 were accepted. But in the last years of the existence of the USSR, all who studied in the first grade were recorded in them without exception.
Ruby star
The current generation of young schoolchildren can probably envy a little in a good way to their “colleagues” from the past. After all, the acceptance ceremony in October was really a grand holiday for seven-eight-year-olds. They began to prepare for it and their future entry into pioneers in advance, from the first school days they studied poetry and the rules of conduct and laws approved by the head of the school organizations of the Komsomol Central Committee. Such, for example, as “The October Revolution - truthful and courageous, clever and skillful”; "The October Revolution - friendly guys, read and draw, play and sing, live merrily"; "The October Revolutionaries strive to become young pioneers" and others.
The procedure for obtaining the symbols of the October movement — beautiful five-pointed stars of ruby color — which was usually held in the school’s sports or assembly hall, was unusual for Soviet children. From the center of which the curly boy Volodya Ulyanov carefully watched the children and the world. He is the future leader of the October Revolution, Vladimir Lenin. Badges, first certificates in life and red flags were handed over to the Oktyabrs, and at the same time they were warned, pioneers and Komsomol members who became their counselors. By the way, the first Soviet October stars were made of fabric and were sewn on the left side of the shirt.
