Expect Solution of Quebec Jewish School Question Shortly

The possibility that the Quebec Legislative will make a definite decision in regard to the Montreal Jewish School question, before the close of the sessions, is again in the foreground with a letter addressed to H. M. Caiserman, chairman of the separate Jewish schools’ committee, by Premier L. A. Taschereau.

The letter from the Premier is in reply to a protest forwarded by the Jewish committee against the clause of the Protestant school bill now before the Quebec Legislative, which provides for an increase to $75.00 in the per capita payment from the neutral panel to Protestant schools in Montreal. The protest asked that the question should be left in abeyance until the status of Jewish citizens in Montreal as regards education is definitely decided. In his reply, the Premier stated that the whole matter will be given the closest attention at the earliest possible moment.

The Jewish committee in their protest stated: “We have just learned from press reports that the Protestant School Committee has urged the Provincial Government to increase the amount paid per capita to the Protestant Board from the neutral panel for the education of non-Protestaut and non-Catholic children, thereby claiming that it cost the Protestants $75.00 per annum to educate each non-Protestant and non-Catholic child. Furthermore, the Protestants ask that this question be settled immediately, leaving the legal status of the Jewish citizens as regards education unsettled for the time being.

“We submit that our Committee is strongly opposed to any settlement of a financial nature for the present. We consider all phases of the school question closely allied and no financial settling of the status of Jewish citizens as regards educations would do justice to the Jewish community of the city of Montreal and of the province of Quebec. As regards this settlement, we have advised you previously that in our opinion, the sole solution of the school problem lies in the establishment of separate Jewish schools.

“Concerning the financial aspect of the question, if a bill has been introduced in the interval, we respectfully request that a public hearing be instituted in committee and that our representatives be given an opportunity to express their views and submit important information which would throw some light on the Protestant claims with regard to the cost of educating our children.”

Several thousand Jewish boy scouts in Greater New York are taking part in the Purim festival this Sunday, arranged by the Boy Scout Extension Bureau of the New York Branch of the United Synagogue of America with the cooperation of the Boy Scout Councils of Greater New York. Boy Scout Troops of Brooklyn will assemble in Brooklyn. Manhattan, and Richmond Hill to observe the festival.