Home page The Occident and American Jewish Advocate Jews in the Civil War Jews in the Wild West History of Palestine The Occident Virtual Library

בס"ד

Meeting At Philadelphia In Favour Of Establishing
A General And Hebrew School.

 

In our last we announced briefly under the head of News Items, that a ball had been held for the purpose of aiding to raise a school fund. We were then unable to give any particulars as to the result. But inadvertently we did injustice to Mr. Joseph Levi, in not mentioning his name in the list of managers. We thought that having been at the time in mourning, through the loss of a child, he had not acted as manager; but we learn since, that before the occurrence of the decease of the above he had been very active, and disposed of a considerable number of tickets.

Since that, a meeting of the Israelites of Philadelphia, to hear the report of the managers and to adopt measures for organizing a Hebrew School, was called on March 7th, when, on motion, Mr. Zadok A. Davis was called to the chair, and Mr. Simon A. Klasser appointed secretary. The managers of the School Fund Ball, through their treasurer, Mr. Morris H. De Young, then reported, that the gross receipts had been 688 dollars, and the net proceeds 308.25 dollars, three hundred of which has been deposited in the office of the Pennsylvania Life Insurance Company, bearing interest at 4 per cent. per annum.

Mr. Klasser, on behalf of the managers, then stated that the managers declined proposing any course of action, preferring to leave to the sense of the meeting the adoption of any measures deemed best in the premises.

In order to test the sense of the meeting, a motion was made by Mr. Leeser, that a society be forthwith organized for the purpose of furthering the object of education; without any other regulation than merely collecting funds for the ultimate establishment of a school. It was then moved by Mr. Klasser, seconded by Mr. Joseph Levi, that a committee of five be appointed to draft a preamble and resolutions, which, after having been adopted, was reconsidered on motion of Mr. A. Hart, who stated that about six years ago, a meeting had been held for the purpose of organizing a school, and a subscription had been commenced to pro­mote the object, to go into effect as soon as $2000 should have been subscribed, and that premature action might now defeat the intention of the subscribers, who, he doubted not, would still be willing to continue the aid then promised. He was supported in these views by Mr. Solomon Solis, when it was moved by Mr. Solis, and seconded by Mr. Levi, and adopted as a compromise, that a committee of seven shall be appointed to collect donations and annual contributions for the purpose of organizing an English and Hebrew School. The committee was afterwards appointed by the chair, and consists of Messrs. Abm Hart, Mayer Arnold, Joseph Levi, Moses Nathans, L. Schloss, Simon Elfelt, and Solomon Kayser.

On motion, it was resolved, that four trustees be appointed to take charge of the funds in the Pennsylvania Life Insurance Office, and those which may be collected; and it having been stated that the managers of the ball had already appointed three, to wit, Messrs. M. H. De Young, J. Levi, and M. Nathans, it was resolved to add thereto Mr. Simon Elfelt;

On motion of Mr. John D. Jackson, it was then resolved that the president shall be empowered to call meetings whenever he may deem it requisite.

On motion of Mr. A. Hart, it was resolved, that as soon as $2000 are secured, a meeting of the subscribers shall be called, to organize a society for the promotion of education. It was also resolved, on motion of the same gentleman, to limit the donations, with the exception of the sale of tickets at future balls, to Israelites solely.

It was also farther resolved, that a subscription be opened forthwith; when all the subscribers to the formerly proposed school fund then present renewed their subscriptions, and there were received in addition many more from the meeting.

A list of the persons then present was made out by the secretary, after which the meeting adjourned.

In the above we have given a very brief outline of what was said and done at the meeting; but we have not learned the amount which was subscribed, nor what success has attended the efforts of the collecting committee; but we trust that something good will result from this movement. It was generally conceded that it would be impolitic to commence a school forthwith, at least not until the means were procured to keep it in operation; whilst the necessity of a speedy action was equally acknowledged to exist. We have said so much already on the subject of education, and mean to do so hereafter on every fitting occasion, that we deem it useless to enlarge on it at present; no one can doubt how anxious we are personally, for a triumphant success of the effort about to be made; we hope therefore, that before long we shall be able to report that enough has been obtained to establish a school for Jewish children, on the only basis on which it can stand,—a union of scientific and religious instruction.