Tserendorj
Basic information
Interviewee ID: 990040
Name: Tserendorj
Parent's name: [blank]
Ovog: [blank]
Sex: m
Year of Birth: 1936
Ethnicity: Halh
Additional Information
Education: elementary
Notes on education:
Work: retired
Belief: none
Born in: Bayanjargal sum, Töv aimag
Lives in: Sühbaatar hot sum (or part of UB), Selenge aimag
Mother's profession: Worked in city organization
Father's profession: worked in city organization
Themes for this interview are:
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education / cultural production
work
childhood
democracy
privatization
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Summary of Interview 080806A with Tserendorj
Tserendorj enrolled in secondary school No 5 of Ulaanbaatar in 1947 and graduated the fourth grade and also graduated the drivers’ course at Modot mining in Hentii Aimag. After graduating the driver’s course, he joined the Fire Department, which was under the Ministry of Public Security. At that time, mostly Chinese half-breeds (erliiz) studied at school No 5. However, no one discriminated against them. When he was at the primary school books were rare. Children were very-well disciplined. They respected old people. School also organized many activities aimed at improving education and the discipline of children. They watched drama at the puppet theatre. At first, separate schools for boys and girls were established, but later this was stopped.
As he was a member of the Youth League, he started teaching script to people in 1960. The cultural campaign required households to be clean. Also, the state paid a lot of attention to people’s literacy and education.
During socialism, religion was more limited than now. Households hide their Buddhas and state and religion were separate. However, Gandan temple was open for everyone.
Members of the Youth League were considered as the successors of the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party. Also, an age limit was established for membership. Joining the party was not easy and there were many criteria.
It was war-time when Tserendorj came to the city and it was not allowed to have lights in the evenings. The city was small, and the Central theatre was near the Government building.
During socialism, people were appointed to different places to work. Recruitment to a Ministry required a lot of inspections and examination among candidates. People did not often change their work and worked permanently at one agency unless they went to courses or had training. Workers were active and responsible and the salary was quite high.
Tserendorj thinks that democracy did not bring good things in people’s life. Privatization was carried out without any policy and in the wrong way. Tserendorj was already retired in 1987, so he was not able to participate in privatization.
