Yeshiva College Offer Course in Teaching Central Methods of Hebrew (Vol. 1, Issue 1)

Following a recent ruling of the Board of Education of New York City prescribing Hebrew as a regular language in all secondary schools, Yeshiva College has announced that it will offer a new course this term, to be called General Methods of Teaching Hebrew in Secondary Schools. 

The course is to be given at the request of the Board of Education which feels that it has neither the experience nor the facilities for such a course. It is for this reason, according to reliable sources, that the leading theological seminaries of the city have been chosen to blaze the new. educational trail, which eventually will be taken over by the city. 

Course Prerequisite

All candidates for licenses as Hebrew teachers in New York City secondary schools must have this new course as a prerequisite, in addition to the other required subjects.

Since the first examinations for licenses as Hebrew teachers will be given this coming March, those candidates taking the new course will not be exempted. In the future, however, no applicants will be considered for a license unless… has already been taken. 

Latest information… administration indicates that...will extend over the term… from 4:00 P.M. until 6: P.M unless there is a change in the schedule. Efforts by the administration are being made to secure Mr. Samuel Rachowitz, head of the French and Hebrew departments of Abraham Lincoln High School, to present the course. All will depend, however, on the registration. 

Already over thirty applications have been received for registration in the course, and a much lesser group is expected to join before the course officially opens. 

If registration continues at the present rate which has been quite surprising for such a specialized field, the opening class will contain well over fifty prospective Hebrew teachers. 

Center to be Used 

Although it had originally been understood that the course would take place in the Yeshiva College Building, latest plans indicate that the facilities of the Jewish Center of 96th Street will be used since the Center is more centrally located and is much more easily accessible to students from all parts of the city.

The presentation of a course in General Methods of teaching Hebrew in the Secondary Schools represents the successful culmination of a struggle of many years’ duration by leading religious and militant Hebraist forces to establish Hebrew as a fully accredited language in New York City public high schools. 

A few years ago, trial courses were instituted in high schools situated in strategic sections of the city. The success of this venture and the marked attendance these courses in Elementary Hebrew received were a prime factor in determining the new policy of the Board of Education.