In a Class by Herself by James L. Choron School 86 is one of the oldest public schools in Russia a part of Lenins original “Five Year Plan” to modernize Russia in the aftermath of the four years of Revolution, Counter-Revolution and Civil War. It stands on a hill overlooking the conjuncture of the Kazanka and the great Volga River in the city of Kazan, the Capital of the Autonomous Republic of Tataristan. Before Lenin, there were no public schools in Russia. All schools were private, and… very expensive. Aside from free education for the masses, Lenin introduced yet another innovation. All schools founded after the Revolution of 1917 were co-educational. Both boys and girls were now allowed, encouraged, in fact to get an education. Nadia Kozlova is literally in a class by herself. Undoubtedly, she is the brightest student ever to attend School 86. A senior, in her eleventh year of public school, her overall grade point average is 4.9957 one of the highest in all of Russia. In her entire scholastic career, Nadia Kozlova has never missed a single day of classes. Not one. She could easily claim the gold medal for first place in academics. Every teacher that has ever seen her work would recommend her, and literally dozens of teachers have seen it. Theres just one problem. No one at School 86 has ever seen Nadia. Each day, her work is turned in. Each day, it is in the same neat, precise longhand that is one of the trademarks of this intelligent girl. No one knows quite how it is turned it. No one seems to see her, or anyone else place the old-fashioned brown manila folder on the teachers desk at the end of each school day. In fact, no one, in living memory, has ever seen Nadia at all. Thats the problem Nadia Kozlova is a ghost. In 1926, just less than four years after School 86 opened its doors, it closed them again, quite suddenly, at least it would have closed them if there had been any doors left to close. Early one morning in late February, an explosion ripped through the building. Coal dust, in the bunker, underneath the school, filled only to half capscity, ignited, most likely from a spark given off by the nearby furnace, and the resulting blast demolished the entire building. At exactly 7:43 am., according to the wall clock that was later found in the charred rubble, School 86 ceased to exist. Only a large, black, smoking crater remained. The school day in Russia does not begin until 9:00am. Fortunately, there were few people in the building at the time of the explosion The Schools Director, three teachers, the Librarian, the janitor, and Nadia Kozlova… and all of them disappeared without a trace. Nadia, who was at that time in her final year of school, and vying for the gold medal for excellence, had come to school early that day, to do a little extra work in the library. She wanted desperately to go on to University, and for a girl from a poor family, the stipend that went along with the gold medal was the only way in which that would be possible. Even though all education was (and still is) free, as long as the student could pass the examinations, her room and board represented a fantastic sum for her family. Nadia had a dream. Nadias dream cost her her life. Ever since that time, every graduating class at School 86 has had an extra, unofficial student… Nadia Kozlova. No one has ever seen her. No photograph of her exists, only her name on a tiny brass plate affixed to the front hallway of school. Yet, she is there. She has still, has never missed a day. There is a small wooden cabinet in the Office of the Director. That cabinet contains eighty-eighty years worth of Nadias completed work. It is there for all to see and every single piece is almost letter perfect. Over the years, hundreds of teachers and administrators have seen the work as it appears on their desks each morning. Is it a hoax? Is it a ‘prank’ or ‘school tradition’? Handwriting analysts from four different universities including Moscow State University have all determined that the handwriting in all of the work is identical. The paper and inks used as well as the type of pen used have not been manufactured – anywhere in the world – for commercial purposes nor sold on the market since the early 1930s. The folders and copybooks used have not been produced since before the Second World War. Questions dealing with incidents, individuals and events that took place or were prominent after 1926 are simply left unanswered or answered in theoretical terms. Professional historians who have examined the work all agree that the social studies, history grammar and literature work could only have been done by someone with first-hand knowledge of events and a singular, first-hand perspective on those topics and the time period dating before and during the lifetime of Nadia Koslova. Is it a hoax? Is it a ‘prank’ or ‘school tradition’? That is up to the individual to judge, But – Nadia’s amazing GPA doesnt simply span four years. It spans over three-quarters of a century. And – that amazing overall grade point average of 4.9957 is still one of the highest in all of Russia. © 2013 by Dr.J. Lee Choron: all rights reserved unless specifically granted by the author in writing. James L. Choron Author of Footprints in the Snow;Tales of Haunted Russia ISBN: 978-1-934135-06-8 Available NOW from Amazon ($14.19 through Amazon while the special introductory offer lasts) or by special order from any fine bookseller for $14.95 256 pages
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 09:33:00 +0000
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