“Behind are left the former school, teachers-favourite and so-so (although the teacher’s cult in our family was at the highest level and beyond), friends whom the relations were interrupted with, with the others they were steady and lasted for the whole life. As for instance, with Svetlana Stolyarova (Neveleva) we were in the most close, sincere relationship for more than 60 years up to her sad passed away in October of the last year. That was a bright, kind and caring, loyal to our friendship person, and her death from the hard sickness is the loss, irrecoverable for me. I am mourning, mourning, mourning…
Nonetheless let’s return to the school years. It was difficult for me to study at the new school: I had to change the French studies, which I was involved at school #3, for English studies; adapt to the new teachers and students, and yet we lived pretty far from the school. Besides that, I kept on studying at the music school without having my own musical instrument at home, which I graduated from not badly in 1954. With great gratitude I recollect my music teacher, quiet, kind and intelligent, and all the pedagogical staff. With what a care, gentleness they related to us, especially as we were their first after-war graduates. My relationships with teachers and students became good, by nature I am pretty much a conflict-less person, so in my memory about the years spent at the First Bryansk school there are good and kind reminiscences.
The most difficult for me subjects were – mathematics and physics, and there was the valuable help from Kira Silayeva, a clever and very intelligent girl, always ready to help and support. I often did seek the help from Nellya Gopina, a very capable student in those subjects, she also never denied me in that. To ask for help from my parents I did not dare, as at that time in the family the relations between the parents were very complicated, so we, children, preferred to render our questions rather to our class-mates than to the parents. By my capabilities I was more humanitarian – studied well but not with all A-marks. I got new friends. My closer friend became Lyudochka Bocharova, cheerful, joyful girl regardless her hard sickness heart disease, from which she died surpassing not more than 40 years. She possessed not strong, but very pleasant soprano, so she very often participated at school parties, singing under my accompaniment. As I close my eyes I see her singing beautifully “The Blue Danube” waltz by I.Shtrauss in English. The party was organized by English teacher Valentina Vladimirovna Kostina.”
As a tribute to Emma’s friends one can see here and there the photos of her classmates. We have our friend Lyudmila Goldschmidt who is visiting at the present time Jerusalem, Israel and who kindly agreed to put into the Jerusalem Wail Western Wall between the bricks our prayers for Emma’s parents, friends and Svetlana Stolyarova and Ludochka Bocharova who timelessly was gone from us in such a young age. Eternal memory to them, let the earth be like a feather for them.
Listen:15 year old Julie Andrews – The Blue Danube
“At Grade 8 we started to study together with the boys. And, of course, began the first loves My first love was Valentin Glushenkov from the parallel class, he became a really fallen in love with me, a true knight. I never forget those bouquets of lilac which he used to give to me: they contained so many hues and shades of lilac as the nature itself could present!
When the season of apples began, he would choose the best one for me from all the rest which there existed at their huge garden! Since now then from all the fruits in the world I prefer apples, especially schtreifel and white autumn”.
One can see the photos of apples in the post.
For Emma there is a special music tone:Lilac Music – Pianochocolate (Album Promotion)