Memorandum on Jewish Question - 2

number of the students of this race might be mentioned that it has seriously affected the status of Phi Beta Kappa; the pre-medical courses have been made unattractive to students of American birth; and the function of Dwight Hall and of Byers Memorial Hall have been quite changed from those purposes by the founders. But the chief objections urged to permitting free ingress to members of this race are that many, if not most of its representatives graduate from college as alien in morals and manners as they were upon admission. This is especially true of the local representatives.

(3) Limitation of the number of scholarships awarded to Jews.

The carrying of so large a proportion of Jews upon the scholarship lists makes a heavy tax upon University funds and a tax out of all proportion to their relative number in college. In view of the unassimilable characteristics of many of this race it would be better to grant funds to those whose heritage promises more for themselves, for society, and for the University.

No college or school seems to have discovered or devised any general criteria which will operate to exclude the undesirable and uneducatable members of this race. All which have been successful in their purpose have had to avail themselves of some agency or means of discrimination based on certain non-intellectual requirements.

YALE UNIVERSITY
NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT

BOARD OF ADMISSIONS
ROBERT NELSON CORWIN, CHAIRMAN

May 26, 1922

Memorandum on Jewish Representation in Yale

Upon the chance that you may desire to bring this matter to the attention of the Prudential Committee on Saturday I am sending you with this (1) statements and figures from the offices of the three Undergraduate Deans bearing on the proportion of Jewish students appearing in the whole number of delinquents; (2) the proportion of Jewish students coming under the operations of the New Plan (1920, 1921); (3) the proportion of Jewish students among those transferring from other colleges to the Freshman class and to advanced standing in Yale College and the Sheffield Scientific School (1920, 1921).

The reports from the three Undergraduate Deans show that boys of this race conform in general to the routine regulations of college. Most of them live at home and are therefore rarely involved in any campus disturbances or like breaches of discipline. All administrative officers, however, agree that students of this race are in most frequent conflict with the honor system where this obtains and that the ethical code of a large proportion of the individuals of this race differs from that of the average student especially in matters of student honor and financial honesty.

No very definite inferences may be drawn from the data dealing with transfers and with admissions under the New Plan except perhaps that the number of Jews availing themselves of this Plan seems to be increasing.

The following tentative proposals are again submitted for consideration: -

(1) A limitation of the total number admitted to the Freshman class at least to a point which will make patent to all the necessity for urging selection. This selection should be based chiefly upon the examination record, the school record, and the testimony of the school principal or headmaster, and also in some measure at least upon the evidence of such personal characteristics as give promise that the candidate will profit by the opportunities and advantages offered at Yale and will be a credit to the institution.

(2) Restriction of the number of Jews admitted to a proportion not out of all relation to that which the whole number of Jews in the country bears to the total number of inhabitants.

There seems to be no question that the University as a whole has about all of this race that it can well handle, that the number of applicants for admission is increasing and seems likely to increase still further. Many feel that the saturation point has already been passed. As indication of some of the effects of the increase in the

Memorandum on Jewish Problem

1. Resolution adopted by the Corporation's Committee on Educational Policy.

2. Does the Corporation desire a restriction of numbers by the exclusion of low class Jews and their like so that the total quota of this type of student shall not exclude 6% or 8% or 10%?

3. Does the Corporation desire to have the matter discussed in the three Undergraduate Faculties or by the Board of Admissions?

4. Does the Corporation prefer to state the general terms of restriction or should it prefer to instruct or empower the Board of Admissions to exercise such powers of restriction as expediency and experience shall dictate.

5. The tentative proposals for restriction discussed with the Corporation's Committee on Educational Policy were as follows:

(a) Restriction of the number admitted to the Freshman class, if not to a definite figure, - 800, 850, 900, - at least to a point which would make a selection necessary and logical among those satisfying the scholastic requirements.

(b) Restriction of the number of Jews admitted to something below 10% of the total number if possible, by refusing transfers and by eliminating through the New Plan of examination those who would presumably remain an alien element in our student body.

(The means of restriction now in force: - Columbia - Psychological tests; Princeton - undergraduate sentiment; Harvard - New Plan examinations, refusal of transfers and registration data; Dartmouth and Williams - dormitories and general restriction of numbers.)

(c) The restriction of scholarship grants.

(d) Psychological tests and personal inspection of local candidates.