New Hampshire College Goes to Russia

PresentationFebruary 10, 2000

Presenter: Prof. Lyra Riabov

New Hampshire College Meets Russia in1970

Although I came from Leningrad (St.Petersburg), USSR to the USA and to NHC in 1982, my story and relationship with the college, its faculty and students had begun more than 10 years earlier.

Few people in our college community know about brave endeavors of our faculty, their family members, and students who went to the USSR in 1970s and early 1980s to experience first-hand life in the Communist Russia. They met with their Soviet colleagues, shared their thoughts, had fun, and witnessed up close the Human Rights movement of that time in the USSR.

Internationalization of New Hampshire College

Being encouraged by my HIS315 students and some faculty I would like to share my memories and some stories of those fascinating years that gave hope to many people, and, I believe, started the actual internationalization of New Hampshire College.

The New York Times August 16,1965

“An experiment that may eventually involve an annual exchange of thousands of Americans and Soviet citizens began in the early hours yesterday. A group of 140 Americans representing a cross section of American society took a plane for Moscow to spend three weeks in the Soviet Union with their counterparts in their professions and trades… The Citizens Exchange Corp, a nonprofit foundation was organized by Stephen D. James, a writer from the Bronx, who believed that only through knowing each other could the Americans and Soviet people avoid a disastrous collision.”

The Union Leader August 9,1965

“Over the years, this newspaper made it abundantly clear that we look with skepticism and considerable distaste on so-called cultural exchanges with the Soviet Union…

The tourists will not be permitted to look behind the scenes and the natives cannot be expected to bare their souls to complete strangers. Thus the tourists, who like to think of themselves… as good-will ambassadors – will not be permitted to assess… these unfortunate people.”

The Manchester Area Participants 1. Mervin Weston of Bedford2. Mr./Mrs. Philip Chaplain of

Bedford 3. Miss Sandra Wilcher4. Prof./Mrs. John

Windhausen of St. Anselm College

5. Mr./Mrs. Bill Green and son6. Dr. John W. Parfitt 7. Mr. Gordon of Brookline,

Mass.

“You are about to take part in one of the most meaningful journeys of our lifetime. Those exchangees who follow us will be better prepared by our experiences; however, we will have been the pioneers. As you know, our exchange is unique in that its purpose is to bring people together on a scale so massive that it will promote understanding and in turn improve the climate for disarmament.” July 2 1965, Mr. David Fleischmann, Executive Secretary of Citizens Exchange Corp.

The Pioneers

Following that pioneer trip, Prof. John Windhausen of St. Anselm College in Manchester, NH brought students and educators to the Soviet Union almost every year.

Major Events of the Time• 1961 – Berlin Wall

was built• 1962 – Cuban

Missile Crisis• 1954 – 1975 – Viet

Nam War

Person-to-Person Tours Academic Program

In 1976 NHC and St. Anselm College developed an academic program for Person-to- Person Tours, in conjunction with International Faculty Associates. Participants of those study groups as well as many other Americans visited me in my home in Leningrad, met with my students, exchanged ideas, and built long lasting friendships.

Prof. John Windhausen, American & Russian Friends at Lyra’s Home in Leningrad.

Prof. John Windhausen and the Participants of the First Groups Meet Lyra and her Friends in Leningrad

(1969-1970)

Dr. James Grace, Academic Dean, and NHC Students are Preparing for the First Trip to

Russia (1976)

Flight to Russia (1978)

Lyra, her twin daughters, and her students are waiting for the arrival of the NHC friends

(Leningrad, 1976)

Lyra’s House in Leningrad

Dr. Jim Grace and Rabbi Arthur Star meet in Lyra’s home with her students. During 1970s Lyra Riabov

(Bentsman) taught English to more than 2000 students in her private school at home.

NHC group at Lyra’s Home in Leningrad, 1978

Chris Toy, a Member of the NHC Group, is in Moscow (1976)

NHC group visits a Soviet School

NHC Students and Soviet Pioneers are in a Moscow Street

NHC groups visit Smolny and Battleship Aurora in Leningrad, and Cosmos Pavilion in Moscow.

In 1982 NHC launched its new program American Language and Culture Center. I was one of the first instructors who was hired for this program. My international students joined NHC group, which visited Russia in 1984. In 1988 NHC students had their class in the Superior Court of New Hampshire as I and my daughters became Citizens of the United States.