Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-05-10
Hebrew Children I'm Public schools.

MEMORIAL RESPECTING CHRISTIAN HOLIDAYS
VIEWS OF TIE IsRAELITE COMMITTEES.
At a meeting OF Hebrews in this city recently
committee was appointed to prepare a paper
to be submitted to the board OF public school
trustees. expressive OF the views OF the Israel
ties In regard to the closing OF the schools on
Christian holidays. and the reading aud singing
or sectaf1an books and songs IL the schools.
This committee was composed as follows:-Mr.
Simon Wolf, chairman; Rev. L. Stern. I. L.
Blout, president OF the congregation; Messra.
Charles Baum, Henry Adler w. Nordlinger,
Lewis Abre ham and A. s. Solomons This COM
nittee met lest evening and adopted a report
EoaTd OF public school trustees to night
The report sets forth that in calling atten-
ton to the matter OF holidays aud the reading
the Schools they are actusted oy by no S other
freedom Of the schools, and In com
SeR Wo every fSe Seer pS 81 sAs country
the bulwork OF our liberty. The public
schools are not the fostering place of creeds or
sec;s and their recognition In tN schools be-
miIiee then say: "fSe broaa c. Catholic S
spirit which uuderlies our liberal institutions
is not properly .,I understood hence falsely In
Jewish, not an infidel country; the govern
ment OF the United States is one, made by all
for all; the laws and their consequences must
fall In equal justice and definition: to do differ
ent Ia to act contrary to the very spirit which
gives life and character to us as nation No
recognition OF any form OF religion or Its
oe'S So unon Of ehursS snd State TneT
fore, while we thus recognize the elements
ard principles OF our republican form OF govern
ment, hai!ing them with the same Joy and fer.
Premise. we regret that you, gentlemen, men
entrusted with the most sacred OF our public
tenefaciloDs. should depart from the letter,
spirit and genius or our constitution and laws.
We Will not refer at any length TO the recent
unjust discrimination made oy your board:
That children, christians, who desire to stay
shall not pe counted absent because that
action is so utterly unjustihaole that we are
satisfied that ere this you have regretted IL, and
repetition thereof will not take place."
We respectfully state:-1. That no days, cele-
brated by any sect, be IL christian or Jewish,
ought to be recognized by the school board 2.
That If holidays for public schools are necessa-
ry, and we fully concede that they are, they
shall be given for national, sanitary, social or
Intellectual reasons, and not on account OF re-
l1gfon or its observance. 3. That IL on q day
belongs, the pupil is absent, let him or her be
marked absent as for any other cause, thus
avoiding. even by Implication, the recognition
on Good Friday is marked absent; the child
absent on the Day OF Atonement is on an equal
footing; any different rule ts unjust unjustin-
oGe of the snd BSe Wsesnsa the os OF SexS
Testament, the singing OF church hymns
In the public schools, is q wide departure
from the intent and scope OF our fathers, and
the further practice thereof viii surely lead to
the destruction OF the whole system. for ft
practically leads TO union OF church ana
state; II recognizes doctrine In prose aud verse
that is the exclusive province OF the individual.
and not OF the state. The reading by a Christ
ian teacher OF the New Testament, the singing
OF hymns or songs, whertn the Christian Sa-
viour is extolled, Is intoxicating sectarian dog
mas In the minds and on the innocent hearts
OF the Jewish children. The exclusive reading
oftbe Old Testament, and the singing OF jew
ish songs, by q Hebrew teacher would bo
equally wrong, and an imposition upon the
good and innocent children OF our Christian
fellow citizens The present rule or practice
hypocrlte, and bars the doors aga ainst coHscl-
entous and able teachers s. Therefore, 70
avoid all complications, all dangers we beg or
you TO seriously consider this our reSpecUful
statement, and reconsider any and all rules
which recognize doctr1nal days as holidays, or
which allow the propagation OF any ooctr1ne
In prose or verse In our SCHOOLS.
The Sabbath schools incident TO each congre-
cation teach doctrine, and are ample and sum-
cient for all spiritual wants The public schools
are created solely for intellectual purposes,
and they cannot be too Zealously guarded, Tor
the mind OF the youthful scholar Is easily I'm.
pressed. We are devoted friends and lovers
OF our hopes and best wishes; we desire its
continued growth In every field OF thouxhc
and science, but above all, we desire IL 70 re-
main socially liberal, morally pure, reiiotouslv
cosnopon dn, recognizing only one textbook
the constitution OF the United States; only one
the public rclools Of the United States must
and shall be kept free and intact from secJa-
rian interference.