Shershev
Yzkor Book Chapter 4
Section
4
Ten
Years of the "Yavne" School in Shershev
The Khanukes-Habayis
(house warming)
After hard work and extraordinary
efforts on the part of the building committee, we at last were able to
celebrate the khanukes-habayis holiday. Whoever did not see the joy spread out
on the faces of the members of the building committee has never seen any really
happy people in his life! This was especially noticeable in the case of
chairman Mr. Yekhezkhel Krugman, who had devoted his life and soul to this
effort. He had reason to rejoice, seeing the fruit of his hard work. (Those who
sow in tears, shall reap in joy).
On the Sabbath (Parshat Balak),
1926, the building committee, together with all the sympathizers, celebrated
the khanukes-habayis. The teacher of the "Tarbut" school in Pruzhene,
Mr. Tinski, was invited. There was an intention to engage him as the official
principal of the school. On the Sabbath, after prayers, came the guests who had
been invited with the Rabbi Noyekh Liverant at their head. We celebrated in a
very elevated mood, expressing our good wishes, and also our appreciation of
the worthy members of the building committee. Special thanks were unanimously
given to the tireless congregational worker for the good of the community, the
chairman of the building committee, Mr. Yekhezkhel Krugman, and to the American
aid-committee, which had helped to build the school. After eating sweet things
and drinking a glass of shnaps, the celebrants departed in a happy mood.
With the
Khanukes-habayis, the noble, inestimable first task of the never to be
forgotten worthy members of the building committee came to an end. Now a second
task appeared: to organize the school for the new school year, 1926-1927. The
task consisted of organizing the teaching staff and bearing material
responsibility for the school. On the same Sabbath (Parshatg Balak) 1926, in
the evening, a general meeting of the parents’ committee was held in the big
bes midrash (Prayer and study house). The young people also participated. The
guest, Mr. Tiniski, lectured on the topic, "The Hebrew school and its
importance for the revival of the national spirit". Following this
informative lecture there was a secret ballot to elect members of the parent’s
committee The following were elected:
|
1. Mr. Yekhezkhel Krugman, Chairman 2. Mr.
Shloyme Averbuch |
6. Mr.
Yankev-Meyer Kabizetski, Secretary 9. Mr.
Peysakh Maleyski |
Also the
following were unanimously elected as honorary members:
The Chief Rabbi and the apothecary, Mr. Elyohy
Boymriter, of blessed memory.
The Khanukes-Habayis
(house warming) Part II
After hard work and extraordinary
efforts on the part of the building committee, we at last were able to
celebrate the khanukes-habayis holiday. Whoever did not see the joy spread out
on the faces of the members of the building committee has never seen any really
happy people in his life! This was especially noticeable in the case of
chairman Mr. Yekhezkhel Krugman, who had devoted his life and soul to this
effort. He had reason to rejoice, seeing the fruit of his hard work. (Those who
sow in tears, shall reap in joy).
On the Sabbath (Parshat Balak),
1926, the building committee, together with all the sympathizers, celebrated
the khanukes-habayis. The teacher of the "Tarbut" school in Pruzhene,
Mr. Tinski, was invited. There was an intention to engage him as the official
principal of the school. On the Sabbath, after prayers, came the guests who had
been invited with the Rabbi Noyekh Liverant at their head. We celebrated in a
very elevated mood, expressing our good wishes, and also our appreciation of
the worthy members of the building committee. Special thanks were unanimously
given to the tireless congregational worker for the good of the community, the
chairman of the building committee, Mr. Yekhezkhel Krugman, and to the American
aid-committee, which had helped to build the school. After eating sweet things
and drinking a glass of shnaps, the celebrants departed in a happy mood.
The
teaching Staff in 1926-1927 were:
1. Shteyn (principal)
2. Diamant
3. Yoyel Waldshan
4. Rabinovitsh
5. Gurevitsh, B.
The year in question in its main pedagogic work can be characterized as
a year of unceasing struggle with the deeply rooted bad tendencies of the
children, and of searching for means to alleviate the material situation. The
question of discipline was never taken off the day’s agenda. Psychological
descriptions of the students’ characters were carried out, and the methods
appropriate to each kind of juvenile character were adopted, in order to
improve it. From the programmatic, didactic point of view the work was not satisfactory.
There were various reasons for this. Many of them had nothing to do with the
teaching staff. The causes were that the Tarbut school network in Poland was
not yet fully organized, and the, as yet, incomplete school inventory and the
lack of necessary teaching materials.
The methodological aspect of the work went in the direction of and
followed instructions of the modern pedagogic handbooks. The work of the
teachers was very much disturbed by the mood of apathy which got the better of
them on account of irregular pension payments and the economic dispute between
the teachers and the school committee, especially about wages for the two
months of vacation. The "Vaad" (council) wanted to recognize only six
weeks of vacation. The issue even led to a teacher’s strike lasting two days.
The teachers got involved in no cultural activities except the school.
The Year 1927-1928
The Teachers:
1.
Broyman – acting chair of the teachers’ council.
2.
Mushe Goldberg
3.
Yoyel Waldshan
4.
Borekh Gurevitsh
5.
Modrikamen
During this year the teachers
introduced no novelty or changes into their pedagogic work. It followed step by
step the achievements of the previous year. There was even a perceptible
decline in some respects. There was no mutual understanding among the teachers
with regard to their methodological and didactic practices. To a certain extent
there was a spirit of "anything goes."
There was no school principal to
take responsibility for the pedagogic work of the school. Mr. Broyman was appointed acting chair of the
teachers’ council. Except for the work of the school, no cultural activities
for young people were organized.
The Year 1928-1929
The teachers:
1. Yankev Shnayder,
principal
2. Sh. Buzhinski
3. Shimen Broymen
4. Dovel Grober
5. Yoyel Walsshan
6. Modrikamen
This year brought with it many
positive changes in all particulars. It could therefore be called a year of
achievements. From the programmatic, didactic point of view, a tremendous
change occurred. There was a normal, stable program; the teachers worked on the
material in advance, according to a plan. They divided it into the months of a
whole year. There was system and a sense of responsibility in the work. The
topic of Erets-Yisroel was used by the teachers at every opportunity and the
work of the KKL (Keren Kayemet Liyisrael - The Founding fund for Eretz Yisrael)
among the children was very lively and interesting. Apart from this, cultural
work was also carried on among the young people in the form of lectures on the
following subjects: history, literature, and political economy.
The Year 1929-1930
1. Yankel Shnayder –
principal
2. Sh. Buzhinski
3. Dovel Grober
4. Yoyel Waldshan
The work of this year was a continuation of the previous year, together
with improvements. A warm, friendly environment was created around the school.
The authority of the teacher grew in the eyes of the population of the town. In
this year the first graduation of the seventh class took place (not a normal
graduation as the children had not attended the school from the first class
on). This year also, an impressive exhibition of the children’s work was
arranged, reflecting all areas of study.
The teaching staff:
1. M. Kutshinski –
principal
2. Dvoyre Kutshinska
3. Taybl Trunska
4. Yoel Waldshan
This year, the pedagogic work was
like an imitation of what went before. There were no innovations. There was no
corresponding sense of responsibility and appropriate dedication on the part of
the teachers. In general, this year can be designated as one of decline. Cultural work, apart from the school was
expressed in the organization of the graduating students under the name, The
School Alumni Committee.
The Year 1931-1932
The teaching staff:
1. Yankev-Simkhe Peker –
principal
2. Yoel Waldshan
3. Yisroel Nitsberg
4. Dvoyre Hokhberg
This year was correctly named "the year of organization"
Excellent, disciplined work was carried out by the teaching staff. The
administrative work will serve as a particular example. The school archive was organized this year.
Until then it had been in a state of chaos.
The Year 1932-1933
The teaching staff:
1.
Yankev-Simkhe Peker – principal
2.
Yoel Waldshan
3.
Yankev Yudelevski
4.
Dvoyre Hokhberg
The value of the pedagogic work of the teaching staff was expressed in a
written evaluation in the inspection book of the inspector of the central
"Tarbut", Mr. A. Eynshteyn. The literal translation of the Hebrew
text reads:
"Three years have passed since my last visit to our ‘Yavneh’ school
of the Snif Tarbut here in Shershev. I emphasize with pleasure the progress of
this teaching establishment. This time I found good organization and pedagogic
initiative, a sense of responsibility for the educational work of the school
based on a complete Hebrew education. I emphasize in particular that in spite
of the difficult material conditions of the institution, the teachers
(especially the diligent principal, Mr. Yankev-Simche Pekar) displayed great
devotion to the cause of pedagogic completeness, and I say to them, “More
strength be to you! May their devoted work be an example to all our activists
in the field of Hebrew education",
Shershev, 7/1/1932.
The Inspector of the Hebrew Tarbut Schools in Poland A. Eynshteyn
This year saw the second normal graduation of the seventh class.
The Year 1932-1933
The teaching staff:
1. Yoel Waldshan –
principal
2. Osher Lifkind
3. Yankev Yudelevski
4. Sheyne Skubelska
During this year, the school changed over to a cooperative basis. The
school committee bore no material responsibility for the teachers’ salaries
(except for an obligation to pay a few hundreds zlotys). The new economic
arrangement, to which the teachers were unaccustomed, provoked
misunderstandings which resulted in a worsening of the work, although the
organizational and also the pedagogic part of the work was on an appropriate
level. Taking into account the abnormal conditions, the government inspector
who visited the school on February 21, 1934 acknowledged the great progress
made by the children.
The Year 1934-1935
The teaching staff:
1. Yoel Waldshan –
principal
2. Yankev Yudelevski
3. Sheyne Skubelska
4. Lea Pomeraniets
5. Yankev Zundovitsh
This year brought a deeper pedagogic and methodological involvement and
innovation in the work. The teaching staff fulfilled their task with full
responsibility. The administrative and economic side of the work was worthy and
could serve as a model example. There was unbroken contact between teachers and
parents. There was harmonious cooperation with the school inspector: A constant
correspondence with the government inspector, and with the central Tarbut on
the subject of pedagogic problems in the work of the school. A colossal amount
of repair was carried out in the school, thanks to which the school acquired
the appropriate aesthetic appearance. For the higher classes a club for reading
and entertainment was organized and also an orchestra of ten children. Cultural
work (apart from the school) was carried on in the form of lectures on the
subjects of literature and hygiene. This year can rightly be called a year of
reform in the school. The following letter, dated October 10, 1934, from
headquarters will serve as an evaluation of the organization of the school
during the year.
This is the letter:
"To the pedagogic
leadership of the Yavneh school in Shershev.
A reply to your letter
of October 25 number 218/34 from the account protocols of the pedagogic
council. During the friendly reception,
we have been able to look at your efforts in the direction of deepening
the basis of teaching in the department and bringing system and order into the
daily work.”
Signed: Grinvald, Moyshe Rabinov,
Borekh