6 Interesting Facts About September 1st – Knowledge Day

Contents:

• Knowledge Day in Russia will be celebrated for the 40th time in 2024
• September 1 is a holiday not for everyone, but for most
• Schools do not start classes on September 1 everywhere
• There was an idea to introduce a floating start to the school year in the Russian Federation
• The calendar year once began on September 1
• If the ancient Romans wrote dates like we do, September 1 would have been 01.07

September 1st became the all-Russian start of the school year in 1984. Previously, the school year began at different times in different regions of the country, which created certain difficulties. Attitudes towards this holiday vary: for some, it symbolizes the beginning of a new stage in life, for others, it is simply an obligation. In other countries, the school year begins at different times, for example, in most European countries, it begins in August or September. The Russian President has expressed the idea of ​​​​making the start date of classes flexible to take into account climatic conditions and ensure a more flexible approach to the educational process. However, this initiative has not yet been implemented.

Knowledge Day in Russia will be celebrated for the 40th time in 2024

The official start of the school year in Russia was September 1, 1935. That year, the Council of People's Commissars and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) adopted a resolution "On the organization of educational work and internal regulations in primary, incomplete secondary, and secondary schools." The document stated: "To establish the start of school classes in all schools of the USSR on September 1." This decision marked the beginning of a tradition that continues to this day, and September 1st has become a symbol of the beginning of a new school year for millions of pupils and students.

Knowledge Day, celebrated on September 1st, became an official national holiday almost half a century ago—in 1984, according to a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. One of the initiators of this idea is considered to be Fyodor Bryukhovetsky, a renowned Soviet educator and follower of Anton Makarenko. In 2024, we will celebrate the 40th anniversary of this significant event. Knowledge Day symbolizes the beginning of the academic year and unites students, schoolchildren, and teachers, emphasizing the importance of education in society.

Before the Revolution, the academic year in Russia began on August 16th and ended on June 1st for universities, gymnasiums, and city schools. In rural educational institutions, the beginning of the academic year occurred in the fall, but often later than September 1st, as peasants used their children's labor during the harvest season. Therefore, they could not afford for them to go to school during this period. The rural academic year also ended significantly earlier than in cities, in the spring, with the beginning of new agricultural work. Thus, in Russia there was no single date for the start of the school year, which reflected the differences between urban and rural educational systems.

September 1st is not a holiday for everyone, but for most

Russians' attitude to September 1st as a holiday largely depends on the presence of school-age children. Overall, the majority of respondents (57%) view this day as a holiday, but among parents of schoolchildren this figure rises to 66%. This data is provided by a survey conducted by the SuperJob service, which demonstrates the importance of this day for families with children.

Attitudes to September 1st as a holiday vary depending on the age of the respondents. The largest proportion of those who do not perceive this day as a holiday is observed among survey participants under 34 years old - 37%. At the same time, 55% of representatives of this age group still consider September 1st a holiday. Conversely, among respondents over 45, the smallest proportion of those who do not consider this day a holiday is 27%, while 60% of this cohort celebrate it as a holiday. Thus, age differences significantly influence the perception of September 1st, emphasizing its importance for different generations.

In the survey, the researchers explored respondents' attitudes toward September 1st by recalling their own school years. The results showed that among young people under 34, 29% of respondents hated this day rather than looked forward to it. Among older groups, this percentage decreases: among 35-44-year-olds, it is 20%, and among respondents over 45, only 15%. This may indicate that older generations experienced more positive school years, or that over time, unpleasant memories are forgotten, leaving only pleasant moments.

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Retrospective on education: myths about the "golden "times"

There is often a perception in society that education in the past was of higher quality and more effective. Nostalgia for earlier times creates myths that educational institutions of the past provided better knowledge and skills. However, it is worth considering whether this is really true.

Education in the past had its pros and cons. On the one hand, traditional teaching methods, such as lectures and exams, contributed to the formation of deep knowledge. On the other hand, the modern education system offers new approaches, including interactive methods and technologies that make learning more accessible and engaging.

Nostalgia can obscure the real achievements that have occurred in the field of education. Modern educational institutions are introducing innovative methods that take into account the individual needs of students and help develop critical thinking and creativity.

Thus, it is important to remember that each era has its own unique features and achievements. Instead of idealizing the past, it's worth focusing on how to improve modern education, building on the best practices and experiences of previous generations.

Schools don't start on September 1st everywhere

The start date of the school year varies across countries. In most cases, children return to school after summer break in September, although the exact date can vary. For example, in some countries, the school year may start on the first Monday in September. In Bulgaria, classes begin in mid-September, and in Greece, they traditionally begin on September 11th. In the United States, schools generally open in September, but there is no single date for all states and school districts. In Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil, the school year starts in early February, while in Japan it begins in April. In China, as in Russia, the school year begins on September 1st.

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Summer holidays are considered the longest compared to winter ones due to the peculiarities of the educational system. In most countries, the school year begins in the fall and ends in the spring, allowing for significant summer breaks. This is due to the climate, which allows for pleasant weather conducive to outdoor activities, travel, and a variety of summer events.

Furthermore, long summer holidays allow students to recuperate after a busy school year, and parents to organize a family vacation. Unlike winter holidays, which usually last a few weeks, summer holidays can last two months or more, which provides an opportunity to use free time more fully for rest and development.

Thus, summer holidays are an important part of the educational process, allowing both children and parents to spend time together and enjoy summer activities.

There was an idea to introduce a floating start to the school year in the Russian Federation

In 2015, the president proposed that the government consider the possibility of introducing a flexible start to the school year. This would mean that schools could open on different dates between September 1 and 15. The main goal of this initiative was to extend the tourist season, which could have a positive impact on the economy and ensure a more even distribution of occupancy at tourist sites. The implementation of this approach could contribute to improving the quality of the educational process and optimizing the provision of resources to schools.

In a survey conducted by VTsIOM, 68% of respondents expressed a negative attitude toward the introduction of a staggered start date for the school year. The main reasons for rejecting this initiative were a reluctance to disrupt the stability and discipline of the established order, as well as adherence to the tradition of starting the school year on September 1st. Teachers expressed a similar opinion: in a survey conducted by the Ministry of Education and Science, 89% of them also opposed changing the start date. As a result, this idea was not implemented.

LDPR deputies have repeatedly proposed moving Knowledge Day and the start of the school year to October 1st or granting regions the right to independently determine the date. This change could contribute to a more rational use of the warm season for children's recreation and support for domestic tourism in Russia.

The calendar year once began on September 1st

In the year 7000 from the creation of the world, Ivan III issued a decree that established September 1st as the beginning of the New Year. 208 years later, in the year 7208 from the creation of the world, Tsar Peter I issued a decree "On the celebration of the New Year." In this decree, he ordered that the year be indicated in documents not as 7208 from the creation of the world, but as 1700 AD, with the beginning of the year not on September 1st, but on January 1st. These changes were an important step in the history of the calendar and traditions of celebrating the New Year in Russia.

Peter I needed to change the established order in order to synchronize with European standards. Europe used the Julian calendar, and then switched to the Gregorian calendar, according to which the year began on January 1st. In addition, the calendar was calculated from the Nativity of Christ. These changes were an important step for Russia on the path to integrating into European culture and economy.

Grand Prince of Moscow Ivan III needed to issue a decree on the calendar starting from September 1st for important historical reasons. After baptism, Rus', like many other Orthodox countries, used the Byzantine calendar. In this calendar, the calendar was calculated not from the Nativity of Christ, but from the biblical creation of the world, which was based on special calculations. The months in the Byzantine calendar had the same names as the Julian and Gregorian calendars, but the year began in September. This tradition had no sacred significance, but was tied to practical matters, such as paying taxes after the harvest. Thus, Ivan III's decree establishing the calendar from September 1st was an important step in adapting Rus' traditions to new conditions and economic realities.

In Russia, there were two traditions for the beginning of the New Year: the ecclesiastical one, which established it in September, and the secular one, according to which the new year began in March. To resolve this contradiction, Ivan III issued a decree officially establishing September 1 as the date for the beginning of the new year. This decision contributed to the unification of calendar accounting in the country and the strengthening of central authority.

When Peter the Great moved the official civil calendar to January 1, the church calendar continued to celebrate the New Year on September 1. Thus, during the reign of Peter the Great, the secular and ecclesiastical New Years again found themselves at odds. After the revolution in 1918, Russia switched to the Gregorian calendar, which led to the shift of the ecclesiastical New Year to September 14 according to the civil calendar. This change was an important event in the history of the Russian calendar system, reflecting the transition to a new system of chronology and its impact on traditions and customs.

If the ancient Romans wrote dates as we do, September 1 would have been 01.07

The name of the month September comes from the Latin word "septem", which means "seven". Interestingly, "octo" means "eight", and "novem" means "nine". The question arises: why is September called the seventh month if it is the ninth in the modern calendar? This is explained by the fact that in the early Roman calendar, September actually occupied the seventh position. With the transition to a later calendar, which included January and February, September moved to the ninth position. Thus, its name retained its historical connection with the earlier months, despite changes in the calendar system.

The tradition of counting months from March dates back to the ancient Roman calendar, which was used long before the introduction of the Julian calendar. This calendar had only ten months, and the year began in March, which coincided with the beginning of field work. Interestingly, in Russia, there was also a practice of beginning the year in March. As a result, September was considered the seventh month by the ancient Romans. This historical feature reflects the importance of the agricultural cycle for ancient societies and their calendar systems.

Julius Caesar, having reformed the calendar, introduced two new months – January and February. January became the first month of the year, and its name comes from the Latin word "janua", which is associated with the name of the god Janus and symbolizes "beginning" and "door". Thus, September, despite its name, has become the ninth month of the year, which highlights the discrepancy between the name and the actual order of the months.

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