Soviet Woman, 31 Maret 1965: 'Our Mailbag' (surat pembaca dari Indonesia)

=== [PDF page 1] === Dear Editor, Many thanks to “Soviet Woman” magazine. We consider it our duty to tell you that we get much useful information from it. We do not know of a better socio-political system than in the socialist countries. We Indonesian people greatly respect your peo ples of-many nationalities and highly value the eco nomic aid the Soviet government is giving to our country. This makes us very happy. It is a big sup port in our struggle against imperialism and colo nialism. The peoples of the Soviet Union and Indonesia are waging a mutual struggle to crush imperialism, co lonialist and neo-colonialism. Long live eternal friendship between the USSR and Indonesia! Long live world peace and may new countries, free from imperialism, be bornl Sincerely yours, R. SANTOSO ICHSAN Here she is in the library Symphony orchestra practising In don esia he would pack up paints and easel and set off through woods and meadows to the Baltic. "Even when I was still working, I used to paint in my spare time,” said Victor Zastupin. "Now I have plenty of leisure, I've taken it up seriously. After all, I can't live without work of some kind, and painting means constant and purposeful effort." Victor Zastupin is one of the oldest members of the studio. Many are young people. In two years the studio gives them an excellent grounding, and all who have subsequently decided to take up art professionally have passed their entrance exams to art schools and are doing well. Galina glanced at her watch and quickened her steps. "Excuse me— but they’ll be waiting for me." The dress rehearsal of "Peer Gynt" was to begin at eight. O nly.the stage was lighted, and there I saw the symphony orchestra of the People's Philharmonic, seventy-six of them, all musicians, yet of widely differing professions— A. Smirnov, a scientist; I. Bok, a journalist; V. Stegantseva, a doctor; I. Roginski, an engineer; G. Voronov, a worker; N. Lysakovskaya, a student— and so on. Only the orchestra leader is a professional musician, A. Kogan, Merited Artiste of the RSFSR. Kogan has given seventeen years to building up this orchestra out of what was originally a small amateur musical group. Now orchestra and singers are able to put on such important works as the "Polovets Dances," the opera "Boris Godunov" and Makarov's oratorio "Mighty River/' The Philhar monic includes a ballet group, choir, symphony orchestra, orchestra of folk instruments and a Peo ple's Theatre. Appreciation is the best reward for work, and the "sold out" notices are eloquent testimony to this appreciation. The auditorium seats two thousand two hundred, but even a week before a performance tickets are unavailable. Ticket agencies throughout the city know how often people ask, "What's on at the Vyborg Palace?" ... Now we have the Philharmonic "Peer Gynt." The Introduction, the Wedding March, Ingrid's Lament, Solveig’s Song. And even the most critical of critics holds his breath as Galina acts. I would not like you to think, however, that at the Vyborg Palace of Culture there is only the Peo ple's Philharmonic. People come here to lectures— literature is a vital interest among the members, there are groups studying foreign languages, photog raphy, dress modelling, and there are study groups for those interested in geography, mathematics and machine design. In the labyrinth of study rooms and corridors on the fifth floor I saw a crowd of young men and girls craning their necks to see a list on the big door of the People's Theatre. “Those are new members— or those who want to join," Galina explained. "The theatre has announced a contest for ten free places. There were a hundred applicants and today the results are up.” It was time to go, I sard goodbye to Galina, actress at the People's Theatre, draughtswoman at the Fifth State Design Institute, and thanked her for showing me at least part of the tremendous work done in the Palace of Culture. Dear Editor, I’m one of the thousands of readers of your maga zine from Indonesia. I like your magazine very much because it reports the progress made and the activities of the women of your country. If the wom en all over the world lived like yours I would be very happy. I’m a student of the history department of a teachers’ college. I am studying in my last year and am preparing my diploma work on the theme “The' Emancipation of Indonesian Women.” Yours, RAHADENG HOTOPROJETNO Indonesia Dear Editor, I just had to write and tell you how much I enjoy your monthly magazine “Soviet Woman.” The mag azine throws a true light on the life of women in Russia today. There seems to be such a distance between the Russian and English people that neither really un derstands the other, and 1 am sure that if many other magazines and articles were published about the other's way of life, each would see how alike our two countries are. Since having your magazine delivered every month both my Mother and I have taken an interest in the life of Russian women, and I must add here that we were delighted to know that Russian women are awarded medals for every so many births. I hope to go on enjoying your magazine for years to come and also one day to fulfil my dearest wish and visit your country to see for myself all the things I have read about, and particularly farm life of the Soviet Union. Yours truly, S. BERRY England (Continued on p. 29) 11