154,342 Pupils Attended Jewish Schools in New York Last Year

On the eve of the opening of the Jewish school year, the Jewish Education Committee here reported today that a total of 154,342 pupils attended Jewish schools of all types in New York during 1962-1963, This figure marks a new high in Jewish schools enrollment, according to Louis L, Ruffmar, JEC associate director. Commenting on the findings of the annual JEC census, Mr. Ruffman noted that:

1. The only type of schools to increase in all areas and at all levels is the all-day school. In the five boroughs, all-day schools account for 35 percent of elementary school enrollment, and 71 percent of high school enrollment, and for only four percent in suburban schools on both levels.

2. One-day-a week schools absorb 53 percent in the suburbs and only 16 percent in the five boroughs.

3. Almost twice as many boys as girls are receiving a Jewish education.

4. In Greater New York, the largest number of pupils, 44.3 percent are in Orthodox schools, followed by the Conservative group (26.9 percent), and in 22.6 percent the Eeform religious schools. However, the order is reversed in the suburbs where 45.4 percent of the pupils attend Reform religious schools against 10.5 percent in the five boroughs, 40 percent attend Conservative schools against 20.5 percent in the five boroughs, and 11 percent attend Orthodox schools against 62 percent in the five boroughs.

“These data,” said Mr. Rufiman, “point to two interesting developments characterizing Jewish education in New York City. First, it is much more intensive in the boroughs than in the suburban counties and in the country as a whole. Second, there is a much greater proportion of high school pupils in the all-day schools than in other types of schools. This indicates that the more intensive the education offered the better is the record of continuation.”

DATA GATHERED FROM 709 SCHOOLS; SURVEY SHOWS PUPIL RETENTION

A sign of pupil retention has also been revealed by the current census, according to Mr. Ruflman, Pointing to this is the fact that all-day and one-day-a-week schools show a fairly even distribution among the several grades of elementary school. In the afternoon Hebrew school, the proportional distribution of enrollment in the several grades shows that a larger proportion of pupils is continuing in the upper grades than was the case a decade ago. “The weekday afternoon schools definitely retain their pupils for a considerably longer period than was the case a decade ago, ” Mr. Ruffman said.

Additional highlights of Mr.Ruffman’s report indicate that:

1. Total enrollment showed an increase of only 370 over the previous year, or only one-fourth of one percent as compared with a constant rate of increase of a little over one percent ever the previous three years.

2. The great majority of pupils (120,382, or 84 percent) are in elementary grades. There are just over 16,884 (11 percent)in high school grades, and 7,176 (five percent) in pre-school classes.

3. The largest number of students 60,008 (44 percent) is enrolled in weekday afternoon schools; 43,301or 29 percent attend all-day schools; 33,825 or 22 percent attend the one-day-a-week school.

Data was gathered from a total of 709 separate Jewish schools in Greater New York, as against 718 last year. The decrease of nine schools is due to the fact that 32 schools previously listed were discontinued, seven were merged, and 30 new schools were added to the list.