History and Culture

Grab your #2 pencils, AJHS is headed back to school!

August 28, 2024

by Megan Scauri

There is something in the air this time of year that brings back memories of sharpened pencils, chalk, cracking the spine of a new textbook…and maybe for the younger generations, firing up your new Chromebook. There is a frisson of excitement in the air, as summer adventures come to a close and we gear up for a new year – whether we are still in school or not – especially with Rosh Hashanah around the corner. Schools and students have certainly changed over the years, but there are through lines that connect us with the past. At least for me, the waning of August and the cooler September air always feels like a new beginning!

Across the archives, we have many images of students (of all ages!) – whether they are new to the country and learning English, learning a trade at one of the Baron de Hirsch schools, receiving specialized instruction at the Lexington School for the Deaf, or having fun with friends during their down time. Here are some of my favorites:

Science class, circa 1960. National Jewish Welfare Board, Records (I-337)

Science class at Jewish Center, circa 1960. National Jewish Welfare Board, Records (I-337)

English class for immigrant students, 1929. National Jewish Welfare Board, Records (I-337)

Class of girls walking. United Jewish Appeal-Federation of New York collection (I-433)

Anna Elman teaching a Russian bilingual class at South Shore High School in Brooklyn, 1978. United Jewish Appeal-Federation of New York collection (I-433)

Group of school children in New York City, 1933. J. B. Lightman photograph, Graduate School for Jewish Social Work (New York, N.Y.) Records (I-7)

Hartford YWHA, gymnasium class, 1922-1923, Burr School gym. National Jewish Welfare Board, Records (I-337)

In the classroom, Woodbine School, NJ, undated (c. 1900). Baron de Hirsch Fund Records (I-80)

Hebrew school, undated. Baron de Hirsch Fund Records (I-80)

Children returning from school at Broome and Clinton Streets, New York, 1933. J. B. Lightman photograph, Graduate School for Jewish Social Work (New York, N.Y.) Records (I-7)

Children’s classroom at the Lexington School for the Deaf. United Jewish Appeal-Federation of New York collection (I-433)

HIAS Shelter School, approximately 1940s-1950s. Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) collection (I-363)

East Side Hebrew school located on the corner of Broome and Attorney Street, New York, 1933. J. B. Lightman photograph, Graduate School for Jewish Social Work (New York, N.Y.) Records (I-7)

Megan Scauri

Megan has extensive experience working with rare books and special collections in academic libraries, as well as in the rare book trade and auction houses. Her professional focus has been primarily in rare Americana, while her academic background includes research on Italian linguistics and dialectology. In August 2021, Megan joined AJHS, where she oversees our library’s rare and general collections, as well as assisting patrons with reference and photoduplication requests.