In March, 1958, an American magazine Life published a big article devoted to the crisis of the educational system in the USA. As an example there were chosen two schoolboys – Alexey Kutskov from Moscow and Stephen Lapekas from Chikago. The magazine’s correspondents were chasing the boys everywhere, watching how they were studying, what were interested in, what were reading, how they were spending their time after lessons…

America was shocked by the results of the research. Alexey and Stephen were peers, both aged 16, but Alexey was considerably more educated than Stephen. On the pictures the readers of the article could see how Alexey made experiments at physics and chemistry lessons, played volleyball or chess, read Shakespeare, went sightseeing, was taught music. Nearly all his time he was spending for studies, he thought of entering the institute being convinced that his fate depended on it. Stephen, in his turn, didn’t care much about studying though he was going to enter a college. The list of the subjects he was taught was rather shorter but even at them his progress left a lot to be desired. Lapekas’ parents even had to pay for supportive lessons. But he doesn’t care much about it – he spends his time with his girlfriend, dancing rock-and-roll at never-ending parties.

America did made some conclusions from the experiment. Just after this article the educational system of the USA was seriously reformed – the academic program of schools and institutes was altered, gifted students began to receive grants and wages of teaches became substantially higher. The American school forgot about poverty and it happened thanks largely to Alexey Kutskov, a student of 10B grade of Moscow school №49.

A Soviet schoolboy Alexey Kutskov from Moscow.

Alexey playing chess.

At the physics lesson.

Volleyball.

Lunch with friends.

In the metro with schoolmates.

Walking with a friend.

Shop class.

Doing homework with a friend.

Experiments at a chemistry lesson.

With a friend in the Moscow conservatory.

Another shop class.

A lesson of English.

Chemistry.

And this is an American student Stephen Lapekas from Chikago.

In the classroom.

One of the lessons.

In the swimming-pool.

Dancing class.

Before a lesson.

Stephen is studying in his room.

Another dancing class.

At the blackboard.

With a classmate.

At the cabinet.

Biology lesson.

Stephen is reciting office before the students vestry.

In a coffee-bar with friends.

Dances.

With a girlfriend.

Near school.

In the classroom.

After lessons.

Geometry lesson.

Dancing class.

A juke-box in a coffee-bar.