The sergeant is the father of the generals
There is a house in Moscow where the widow of the front-line soldier Zudin - Alexandra Stepanovna lived. One morning a telegram was brought here to the eldest son of Zudin, who had come from the North on a holiday to his mother. Boris Grigorievich was informed that he was awarded the rank of Major-General. Two days earlier, the second son, Valentin Grigorievich, who had served in the Southern Group of Forces, phoned Alexandra Stepanovna. Congratulating on the upcoming holidays, having consulted about the health of the mother, about the affairs, he shared the pleasant news - he became a major-general.
How could she, a semi-literate peasant woman, manage to give her children a thirst to learn, the ability to work tirelessly, to be true patriots of the Motherland? What is the secret of her subtle pedagogical gift? Widowed early. On their hands - children. Maybe she knew the word magic? I knew. A word from those letters that the husband sent from the front. But about them later.
It was not possible for Alexandra Stepanovna even to go to school, she worked as a girl. Then, after the revolution, she returned to the village.
Since then, the whole life of a woman has been associated with the field. And plowed, and sowed - how much land I missed through my hands! Every inch of the salted water she drank. From dawn till dusk - in the field. In the 1930s, Alexandra Stepanovna, already the mother of four children, was elected chairman of the kolkhoz. My husband and I lived together. Only wars separated them. Gregory fought in the civil, defended the power of the Soviets. He went to the front and the Great Patriotic War. They left drafts cut from the tree to their sons, same guns, punished - to protect and protect their mother, sisters.
No matter how the neighbors look, Zudin's children do not sit around idly. Then they go to the woods for firewood, dig up the garden, carry fertilizers, wash the floors, and cook. Do not shy away. And in their studies, they are diligent and capable. Before school - four kilometers. Not close. They walked in a crowd - even in the dark. Blizzard groans, the wind whips into the face, the elders in front, the kids cover. And when they return home, the mother will say:
- This is what! The field goes - and the school is near. In life, everything will meet, the path will be more difficult.
Alexandra Stepanovna had a special approach to the education of children. I never praised them. Any help was taken for granted. Do one thing - for the other must be taken. The bread itself will not fall into your mouth. The hut itself will not be clean. Finished knowledge in the head will not prove to be. All the hard work and perseverance is achieved.
He remembers his mother, like Valentine, still quite a kid, ran to the meadow, where she mowed: .
- Mom, lunch brought you!
She immediately sat down under a bush and unfolded a white bundle of food. And the little boy immediately took up his braid. Still ineptly, but the series passed, the other. And the boy's face glowed with joy - he was trusted to mow. So until evening with my mother and stayed in the meadow. The proud man returned: let everyone know that he had already learned how to mow."Mama! Write to the father! "-" Well, son, I'll write. .. "
The elder, Boris, was particularly stressed. How to lead father to the front, a fifteen-year-old boy took all the man's work on himself. And fix the fence and fire wood.
In his letters, the father asked about the collective farm, about the harvest, about the successes of the children. Restrainedly praised them. I punished my mother. Grow strong, courageous defenders of the Motherland, so as not to be afraid of any fascists. And in the distance he continued to educate the children. Mother read them aloud to these news, talked to them about her father. I kept small front triangles as a family relic. And if for a long time I did not receive letters, I carefully re-developed those old ones that my husband wrote in January 1943.
"Hello, dear family - Shura's wife, children Borya, Masha, Valentine, Zhenya, Lida and Kostya. I send you my Red Army greetings. .. I am happy with my children's studies. .. Not long is the time when our Russian freedom-loving people will sing after the defeat of the fascist invaders: "The red heroes were traveling. .."
I remain with the greetings - front-line soldier, Shura, your friend, to the children of the father. .. "
One day, a friend of her husband reported that Grigory was seriously wounded, is nearby - in Kaluga. While Alexandra Stepanovna got to the hospital, her husband passed away. Grief did not break her. Again and again I read to the children front-line letters - about the red heroes, about how they will live after the Victory. ..
Father's instructions were not forgotten - to take care of the Motherland, take care of the mother. Three of the four sons of Sergeant Zudin became military men. Two of the three are generals. Alexandra Stepanovna managed to instill in them a selfless love for the Fatherland, which led the sergeant into battle. And every time, if the children deserved praise, she said: "How happy your father would be to your successes!" If they were guilty of something, did not cough, did not scold - only sighed: "My father would never do that."Such a reproach was stronger than the most severe punishment.
Piously cherish in the house a family relic - front-line letters. The memory of the deceased father inspires sons. Valentin was awarded with the Certificate of Honor of the Central Committee of the Komsomol, the surname Zudin is written in the Book of Honor of the Central Committee of the Komsomol.