Philadelphia Jewish Pupils Excel in Scholastics

Jewish pupils in the public schools of Philadelphia excel in scholastic records, according to a study by Dr. Julius B. Maller, Director of Educational Research, Union of American Hebew Congregations. The data for the study were supplied by Ben Rosen, of the Associated Talmud Torahs of Philadelphia, and Jack Horden, of the Jewish Education Association in New York City.

The study revealed the following facts:

Jewish pupils constitute 19.8 percent of the total enrollment in the public schools of Philadelphia.

The age distribution of Jewish pupils presents some differences from the total school population. The Jewish group in the elementary schools is slightiy “younger,” having a slightly greater proportion among the five year olds and a smaller proportion among the thirteen-to-fifteen year olds.

Among the Jewish pupils there is a smaller proportion of over-age and a larger proportion of under-age than in the total school child population This indicates a tendency among the Jewish pupils to be accelerated, in a grade higher than expected from the child’s chronological age.

The higher age-grade status of the Jewish child increases from the lower to higher grades. This indicates that the Jewish pupils have a higher rate of progress through the grades.Jewish pupils show a greater percentage of attendance, being absent less frequently than non-Jewish pupils.

The Jewish pupils are less frequently late to school, the proportion of Jewish late-comers being only two-thirds the proportion in the total school population.

The proportion of Jewish students in the high schools of Philadelphia is 33.7 percent. This is about twice as high as their proportion in the elementary schools of Philadelphia.