Dorothy Kraus Memoir - A Yiddish School for Girls

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Dorothy Kraus Memoir

A Yiddish School for Girls
It was due to these visitors that the idea of forming a Yiddish school for us, the female children, originated. A teacher was found, who was satisfied with whatever he was paid, which couldn't have been very much. We used the same room where the boys studied with the rabbi. The religious Jews didn't like that but they didn't consider it important. As long as they had control over the boys --who were not allowed to attend our school-- they were willing to make this concession to the free thinkers.

A new interest came into my life -- going to school. One had to be washed, combed and made to look nice, a procedure which I still hated. Mother used to cut off a bit of her dress lining and make ribbons for my hair. Despite the bother, it did look pretty!

The teacher had one book which was passed around but we had neither paper nor pencils. We used to go outside and write in the sand with a stick. We were taught grammatical Yiddish, though our teacher was not always sure of its usages. We learned many Yiddish songs, some of which I already knew. A few songs we didn't understand and were told never to sing them outside the classroom. Our school only lasted through spring and summer but when winter came, due to the cold, we were forced to abandon it.

This was a great disappointment especially to my mother who decided to do something on her own about my education. Since I knew the Yiddish alphabet and could compose sentences, mother put me to the task of writing short letters to father. There wasn't much to them but at least I got some practice in writing Yiddish that way.

Editor's Notes: School attendance must have been particulary difficult in the bitterly cold winters of the region. Never to sing them... Almost certainly refers to songs with political messages.

This material is from Original Page 27 and Original Page 28.

Page Last Updated: 23-Oct-2012