This historical review describes the expansion of elementary and secondary education in the Soviet Union during the decade of the 1930's under the Stalinist regime. This study explores how teachers participated in shaping the relationship between education and Stalinist political culture by examining how teachers made sense of their position in society and how this understanding shaped their actions and attitudes. By focusing on the identities of Soviet teachers, this study draws on important new approaches to the history of education and the study of Stalinism. To explore the relationship between the lives of teachers and the images constructed in public discourse, particular attention is devoted to Olga Fedorovna Leonova, a Moscow elementary teacher who was a delegate to the 8th All Union Congress of Soviets in 1936. Highlights of the life and career of this teacher and the interweaving of her life with the Stalinist tradition and expectations are described. The history of the decade is recalled with specific incidents from this woman's career, as well as the experiences of other teachers of this time. (EH)