Federal Aid to Religious Schools Favored at Parent-teacher Parley

The results of a survey of principals and directors of Hebrew day schools throughout the country on the issue of Federal aid to religion-sponsored schools were reported here today at the 15th annual convention of the National Association of Hebrew Day School Parent Teacher Associations.

Dr. Joseph Kaminetsky, national director of Torah Umesorah, the National Society for Hebrew Day Schools, told the educators that 86 percent of the school heads expressing a view on the issue said that they did not feel that such aid might lead to Government interference.

Noting that 102 of the schools in 54 cities responded to the questionnaire, Dr. Kaminetsky said that “more than half of those who felt that Federal aid might result in interference by the Government, favored such aid nevertheless.” Ninety percent of those responding, to the general question of Federal aid to day schools, he stressed, “expressed a preference for such aid for the secular portion of the curriculum,” and 87 percent also favored Federal aid for the development and expansion needs of the schools.

The purpose of the survey, he declared, “was to determine the views of the leading Jewish day school educators on issues vital to their daily tasks and mounting responsibilities.” In this connection, he noted, nearly 90 percent of those who responded expressed the view that Federal aid would make an intensive Jewish education available to many more than the 50, 000 currently enrolled in the 275 Jewish day schools in this country.

The 400 delegates attending the two-day conclave represent some 200 Hebrew day schools in 75 cities throughout the United States and include school administrators, principals, teachers and parents in the Hebrew day school movement. An affiliate of Torah Umesorah, the National Association of Hebrew Day School PTA’s was created 15 years ago to strengthen parent groups and to develop closer liaison between the Hebrew day school and the homes of its pupils.