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The Southern Israelite
Paae 1 1
Conference on Jewish Education
Steps Taken to Establish Centralized
Educational Association
,1 ti. The Southern Israelite)
ar< 1 of the United Hebrew
i that Jewish education is
tal to the future of Jewish
life in America, and that
i .uu e should be the concern
lcuish person in Atlanta,
< !it in Jewry must participate
:\ition of a policy, the develop-
-canization, and the necessary
'iipport.
i.aril felt the time ripe for such
•\ planning, and that Atlanta
t.i take its place of leadership
education in the Southeast,
representatives of all the
mils and organizations were
participate in a conference
i education, at the Jewish
it.d Alliance, in order to Con
ner,il problems of Jewish edu-
\tlanta.
'reani/ation of a board of Jewish
■ . representing every element
e i 'iiunuiuty.
continuance of the United
School under the control and
oim of such a board.
i st conference met March 23rd.
' nry A. Alexander was unani-
• lected as permanent chairman
inference, representing twenty-
c.uii/.ations, including all of the
nations, kite initial conference
marked the first time in the
t Atlanta that all congrega-
nd organizations have joined
: r a permanent movement. Dr.
1-eth-l.ahmy, the Executive Sec-
i> ported that out of 2,500 Jewish
of elementary school age in
1< ss than 40 per cent were re-
1 - wish education, and concluded
i ugh centralized effort a con-
' larger portion could be given
’i m Jewish subjects.
\h\ander appointed an Advis-
unnittee. which met on March
unanimously adopted the fol-
■'commendations, proposed by
A ard M. Kahn:
*t an Executive Commission be
1 d by the conference, which
mdertake details of the reorgan-
f the L nited Hebrew School.
it on this commission be of-
fepresented the United Hebrew
with four members.
'at this commission go into
Removal of the school from the
>th Achim Congregation base-
to different quarters.
Centralizing administrative and
ational control.
Auditing the books and records
he school.
d. Install modern system of office,
routine, records, file, and books.
4. That this commission consider the
raising of funds necessary to continue
the school.
HENRY a. ALEXANDER
5. That during the period of tempo
rary supervision, to work out details of
forming a Hoard of Jewish Education,
to which shall be transferred the ad
ministration of the United Hebrew
School. In the meantime, the Confer
ence on Jewish Education will continue
to function as the final body of au
thority in development of this plan.
In order to consider and act upon
these recommendations, a second ses
sion of the conference was called April
6th. The second session, as the previous
one, was very well represented, and the
following resolution was unanimously
adopted by the conference:
“The conference favors the appoint
ment, by its chairman, of an Executive
Commission, which shall represent the
conference and the Hoard of the United
Hebrew School, and be charged with
the duty of surveying the needs and
problems of the United Hebrew School
and of Jewish education in the com
munity, and take steps in assisting the
present Board of the United Hebrew
School in carrying on its work.”
The Executive Commission met April
9th at the Jewish Educational Alliance.
The members of the Executive Com
mission were appointed and requested to
act by the permanent chairman of the
conference, Mr. Henry A. Alexander.
The Executive Commission elected
unanimous Dr. David Beth-Eahmy as
an Executive Director, who would be
given full authority to administer the
affairs of the school, subject to the
control and direction of the Executive
Commission, and the representatives of
the United Hebrew School Board.
It was also decided, upon motion
made by the representatives of the
United Hebrew School, to remove the
school from the premises of Ahavath
Achim Congregation and request the
hoard of the federation, that facilities
of the Alliance be placed at the services
of the school, and that if same is
granted, that the United Hebrew
School be moved to the Alliance.
Mr. Alexander appointed immediately
a committee on ways and means, to
formulate plans of raising funds.
"Ibis committee met April 13th and
formulated plans in detail, to be pre
sented to the next meeting of the
Executive Commission. The plan calls
for establishing a scholarship fund;
scholarships to be solicited from dif
ferent organizations, clubs, as well as
individuals; formation of a womans di
vision of the conference, following the
example of the “Ivriah" of the Jewish
■ -
DR. DAVID BETH LAHMY
Educational Association of New York,
and arranging an Annual Jewish Edu
cation Dinner, with a prominent per
sonality in the Jewish educational field
as a speaker.
This concludes the formation of an
organization well worth recognizing.
The public high schools of Saint
Louis, Mo., offer a course in Hebrew.
Hebrew, like the Greek and the Latin,
is a language of culture. It is a langu
age in which some of the world’s most
enduring literature has been produced.
To understand fully the history of civil
ization, to appreciate adequately the
sources of present-day ethical and so
cial standards, and to interpret properly
the literature of ancient nations, a
study of tlu> languages in which the
culture of the past has been expressed
is highly important. From this stand
point, the study of Hebrew deserves a
place in the curriculum of academic
pursuits. The offering of Hebrew as
an elective study in the high schools
of Saint Louis, therefore, gives to the
youth of Saint Louis an added oppor
tunity for the study of all vital elements
pertaining to their social heritage. The
young people of Saint Louis avail
themselves of this new course.
The following are the facts, as sent
in by Henry J. Gerling, Superintendent
of Public Schools in Saint Louis:
In accordance with the action of the
Hoard of Education in the meeting of
July H, 1930, Pr. Pr. Vol. XXXVII, p.
145, Hebrew is offered in the high
school on the same basis as the other
languages.
1. Two years credit in Hebrew will
be the minimum allowance for gradua
tion, as in the case of other languages.
2. Pupils who have had previous
work in Hebrew may be examined for
advanced standing and given work in
accordance with previous preparation,
as in the case of the other languages.
Credit by examination will depend upon
the continuation of the subject.
3. It is suggested that pupils whose
programs have already been established
include Hebrew as an extra subject, to
be assigned and retained upon the ad
vice of the principal.
4. As there is only one instructor in
Hebrew, the tentative division of his
time is as follows, subject to change as
circumstances may require.
Ncxv York
The Board of Education of New
York City has been experimenting since
last September with the teaching of
Hebrew in the city high schools as
one of the foreign languages. Two
high schools are carrying on the ex
periment, with a total of about 200
students.
The work so far has been very suc
cessful. . . . We also expect the Regents
of the state of New York to recoginze
and give Regents credit for Hebrew.
We also hope to have the colleges in
New York City recognize Hebrew’ as
one of the subjects for college entrance.