History of Jewish Education from 515 Bce to 220 Ce (During the Periods of the Second Commonwealth and the Tannaim)

HISTORY OF JEWISH EDUCATION FROM 515 B. C. E. TO 220 CE- During the Periods of the Second Commonwealth and the Tannaim by NATHAN DRAZIN. Originally published in1940. PREFACE: The aim and description of this study are set forth in the first few pages of the introductory chapter. Professor Swifts claim that his volume on Education in Ancient Israel to 70 A. D. is the first attempt in English to give education in Ancient Israel any such broad treatment as has long been accorded to that of other ancient peoples stands undisputed. Since the publication of that treatise, another study of considerable merit entitled, The Jewish School from the Earliest Times to the Year 500 of the Present Era, has been offered by Nathan Morris. Both authors, however, undertook too long a period of Jewish history for exhaustive treatment. This study is limited to the periods of the Second Com monwealth and the Tannaim, by which time the Jewish school was fully evolved and tested. It is the first attempt to give a full and comprehensive account of this ancient school system of the Jews. Problems not directly affecting Jewish education of the said periods are avoided. For this reason, such topics as the canonization of the Bible, the origin of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and similar controversial subjects have been omitted. This study was originally prepared and submitted to the Board of University Studies of the Johns Hopkins Uni versity in 1937 as a doctorate dissertation. Since then a careful revision of the entire manuscript has been made. The author gratefully acknowledges his indebtedness to Professor Florence E. Bamberger, and Doctors E. Earle Franklin, Sidney B. Hoenig and Samuel Rosenblatt for their constructive criticisms and helpful suggestions in the preparation of this volume. To his wife, Celia H. Dmin, the author acknowledges a deep debt of gratitude for her gentle encouragement at all times a true help meet 1 Special thanks are also due Misses Ida Friedman and Edythe Herman. In conclusion, the author sincerely thanks the Shaarei Tfiloh Congregation of Baltimore, of which he has been the spiritual leader for the last seven years, for their splendid cooperation and indulgence without which this volume would not be possible. N. D. October, 1940. TContents include: INTRODUCTION 1 1. The Study and its Purpose 1 2. Historical Setting of the Period .... 4 II. PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION 11 1. The Essential Character of Jewish Education. 11 2. Educational Ideals and Goals 15 3. The Good Life 23 4. The Importance of Jewish Education ... 27 III. EVOLUTION OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM .... 35 1. The Educational Setting of the Time ... 35 2. The Development of the School System . . 37 3. The Growth of the Colleges 49 IV. ADMINISTRATION 57 1. The School Buildings and the Classes. . . 57 2. The Support and Maintenance of the Schools. 64 3. The Supervisors and Administrators ... 66 4. The Classes in Operation 67 5. The Qualifications and the Position of the Teachers 72 6. Adult Education. . . 74 V. CONTENT OF EDUCATION 81 1. The Content of Elementary Education. . . 81 2. The Content of Secondary Education ... 87 3. The Content of Higher Education .... 93 4. Educational Activities outside the School System 99 VI. PEDAGOGICAL METHODS AND PRINCIPLES ... 105 1. Psychological Principles of Education . . . 105 2. Methods of Teaching 109 ix X CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE VII. EDUCATION OF GIRLS AND WOMEN 117 1. The Position of Women 119 2. The Education of Girls 128 3...