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Boston University
SCHOOL OFSOCIAL WORK
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BOSTON UNIVERSITYSCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
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A STUDY OF THE LEISURE TIME ACTIVITIES OFJEWISH HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH IN
BROOKLINE, BRIGHTON, AND NEWTON
A Thesis
t
Submitted by
Edward William Davidson
(B.S. in B.A.
,
Boston University, 1947)
and
Earnest Siegel
(B.A., Northeastern University, 1947)
In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for
the Degree of Master of Science in Social Service
1949
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORKIIRPAPV
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TABLE OP CONTENTS
PAGEPREFACE I
CHAPTERI INTRODUCTION 1
Definition of Leisure ......... 1What is Done with Leisure 1
Purpose of Study 2
Aims of Study 3Scope of Study 5Sources of Data •••• 7
Method of Procedure 7
Value of Study 9
II A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMUNITIESINVOLVED 11
Introduction 11Population. 11Housing 13Education 15Occupation. • 16Public Relief 16Recreation 17Summary 18
III THE YOUTH STUDIED 20Population 20Sample 21Problems of Youth 22Problems of Jewish Youth 23Summary 27
IV AMOUNT OF LEISURE 28Leisure Reported 28Factors Affecting this Leisure Time . • 30
V ANALYSIS OF LEISURE 37
VI YOUTH SERVING AGENCIES 52Jewish Community Center • 52Brookline Recreation Commission • • • • 54Young Men’s Christian Association ... 55West Newton Community Recreation Center 56Synagogues and Temples ..... ... 57High School Extra-Curricular Activities 61B’nai B’rith 63
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED)
CHAPTERVII
VIII
IX
APPENDIX
PAGEUNMET LEISURE TIME NEEDS 74
FACTORS AFFECTING PARTICIPATION INLEISURE TIME ACTIVITY 82
Attitudes Toward Affiliation .... 82Attitudes Toward Leadership 86Factor of Meeting Space ....... 87Factors of Belonging 88
CONCLUSIONS 91
•99-110
BIBLIOGRAPHY 111-112
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TABLES
TABLE PAGE
1. General and Jewish PopulationBrookline, Brighton, and Newton • . . 11
2. Housing-Rents and Owner-OccupationBrookline, Brighton, and Newton - 1940 13
3. Median School Years CompletedBrookline, Brighton, and Newton- 1940 15
4, Public ReliefBrookline, Brighton, and NewtonMarch, 1944 16
5. Estimated Population of Jewish Malesand Females between the Ages of 10-14Residing in Brookline, Brighton, andNewton - 1945 21
6. Distribution of SamplePopulation - 1948 - 49 22
7. Distribution of 102 Boys Accordingto Their Approximate Hours of LeisureTime Per Day 29
8. Distribution of 98 Girls Accordingto Their Approximate Hours ofLeisure Time Per Day • 31
9. Distribution of 200 Boys and GirlsAccording to Their Approximate Hoursof Homework Per Day Exclusive ofSchool Hours 32
10. Frequency of Participation in VariousLeisure Time Activities by 56 BoysResiding in Brookline, , 38
11. Frequency of Participation in VariousLeisure Time Activities by 23 BoysResiding in Brighton ... 39
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TABLES (CONTINUED)
TABLE PAGE
12. Frequency of Participation in VariousLeisure Time Activities by 23 BoysResiding in Newton 40
13. Frequency of Participation in VariousLeisure Time Activities by 50 GirlsResiding in Brookline 41
14. Frequency of Participation in VariousLeisure Time Activities by 18 GirlsResiding in Brighton 42
15. Frequency of Participation in VariousLeisure Time Activities by 30 GirlsResiding in Newton 43
16. Number of Youths Studied Affiliatedwith Jewish Community Center,Brookline 54
17. Number of High School YouthsBelonging to Temple Sponsored Groupsand Frequency of Meetings . 61
18. Number of Extra-Curricular ActivitiesParticipated in by Boys studied inBrookline, Brighton, Newton 62
19. Number of Extra-Curricular ActivitiesParticipated in by Girls Studied inBrookline, Brighton, Newton 62
20. Number of Youth Affiliated with AZAand BBG in Brookline, Brighton, andNewton 65
21. Number of Youth Affiliated with YoungJudaea in Brookline, Brighton, Newton • 67
22. Number of Youth Affiliated with BoyScouts in Brookline, Brighton, andNewton 69
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TABLES (CONTINUED)
TABLE PAGE
23. Extent of Group and Agency Affiliationof Boys Studied in Brookline, Brightonand Newton 71
24* Extent of Group and Agency Affiliationof Girls Studied in Brookline, Brighton,and Newton • 72
25. Group and Agency Memberships of HighSchool Youth in Brookline, Brightonand Newton 73
26. First Choice of RecreationalActivities of 102 Boys • 76
27. First Choice of RecreationalActivities of 98 Girls 77
28. Extent to Which Sample ThoughtAdditional Recreational Opportunitiesare Needed 77
29.
Recreational Needs of Area as Statedby Youth Believing Sueh. Needs Exist ... 80
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PREFACE
The authors wish to thank all those high school boys
and girls interviewed in the collection of the material for
this study, without whose cooperation this thesis could not
have been written. The writers would also like to acknow-
ledge the assistance given them by the professional and lay
leaders in the collection and analysis of the data. Finally,
the authors would like to express their most sincere apprecia-9
tion to their wives, not only for their aid, but also for
their patience, understanding, and encouragement.
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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
DEFINITION OF LEISURE :
Leisure time may be defined as free time. It is an
increasing segment of life. Youth today seems to have more
leisure time to deal with than had youth of yesterday, and
it seems that with the progress of time youth will have more
and more leisure time with which to deal.
WHAT IS DONE WITH LEISURE :
How youth will use this leisure time should be of great
concern to everyone, for, depending on the use made of it,1
leisure can degrade or elevate people." This concern
should be especially related to youth, for It is within this
formative and responsive period of life that youth must ad-
just himself to many changes, that he must integrate the
development of his mind and his body.
The city child, released from school in mid-afternoon
on week-days and with long week-ends and a three-month sum-
mur vacation, may use his leisure unwisely. He may join
the gang which gathers un the street corner and plots petty
thefts and other criminal activity. Also, the so-called
1. Eugene T. Lies, The New Leisure challenges the schools .
(New York, National Recreation Association, 1933;, p. 26
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innocent pranks that are in themselves perfectly harmless
might he called delinquency. On the other hand, leisure
may he a blessing, a chance to rest the mind and body and
cultivate hobbies, artistic talents, or sports.
This, of course, determines the type of citizen and
results in the kind of a community that a well-developed
person will nelp build.
This thinking relates very closely to social group
work. It is needless to say that people who try to make
t he leisure time of youth serve the constructive purpose
of recreation be professionally trained. It is obvious
that a great deal of recreation participation takes place
in groups and because the requirements of group work and
those of recreation leadership coincide through so many
areas, many of the dividends which proper recreation in-
evitably plays are enhanced by the skillful use of group
work techniques orientated to the recreation philosophy
—
which is only a part of the total group work philosophy.
Group work can be a very fruitful method, a useful tool in
recreation leadership.
PURPOSE OF STUDY :
There has been and there continues to be a growing con-
cern as to youth 1 s uses of his leisure. The writers are in-
terested in how youth uses his leisure, but they do not in-
tend to use this interest as a basis for prescribing the
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manner in which youth should use it. Instead, the writers
seek to study these leisure time activities for the purpose
of determining whether or not these leisure time experiences
are of a kind that are generally agreed to be both enriching
to the personality and valuable to society; but, as Joshua
Lieberman says.
it is a difficult concept to grasp that the mosteffective results in child and youth developmentare obtained not through verbal or specific in-struction, but rather within a favorable environ-ment containing the right living relationshipsand opportunities for the practice of those quali-ties we consider essential to fine personalityand good citizenship.
2
And as further defined by S. R. Slavson,
recreation can serve a number of purposes to suitone's mood, to utilize available excess energy, orto drain off emotional pressure. Some of the ser-vices of recreation to the individual may be clas-sified as those that serve as complementary exper-iences, as having compensatory value, as servingto discharge aggression, as pattern for regression,as escapes from reality, as satisfying social hun-ger, and as a reservoir for solitude.
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It seems that leisure time offers such opportunities.
AIMS OF STUD! :
This study will emphasize leisure in its recreational
aspects, for most of our youth use their free time in
2. Joshua Lieberman, Group Work Aims and Progressive Education in «ew Trends in Group Work, (New York, AssociationPress, 1938, p. 62.
3. S. R. Slavson, Recreation and the Total Personality ,
(New York, Association Press , 1946), p. 10.
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recreational ways, though the authors firmly believe that a
proper portion ought to he given to other ways, such as re-
ligion, social and civic service. Further, the authors will
seek to discover what a selected sample of our youth like to
do in their leisure hours. They would like to know what re-
sources are greatly in demand and what existing facilities
are utilized. This information will aid the writers in de-
termining the extent to which youth has responded to organized
opportunities for the use of leisure; for, as was mentioned
earlier, leisure time is free time, and
any attempt at enforced organization in the in-terest of constructive use of leisure would notonly destroy the essential quality of freedom,hut would roh it of what may he called its ther-apeutic value—-the release from strain and thestabilizing influence which follows the spontane-ous pursuit of genuine interest. 4
in effect, the writers seek to discover whether or not there
exists among this selected sample some unmet leisure time needs.
However,
this whole issue—use of leisure—is amatter of tastes, interest, attitudes,backgrounds, loyalties, it mirrors theinfluence or individual and group exam-ples or issues from promptings to actionin the home and in the community, . . •
It reveals possession or absence ofcertain skills and of ideas as to whatis worthwhile in life, it points back
4. u.S. National necovery Administration, A«ew York Com-mittee on the Use of Leisure Time . (New rork. Van Rees Fress,1934), p. 15
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to education in all its forms, includingschool education. And it tells much aboutthe existence or absence of appeal ing op-portunities for use of free time.5
Consequently , the authors would like to determine whether or
not, as shown oy a selected sample, there are factors that
are aiding or retarding the meeting of the leisure time needs.
SCOPE OF STUPE :
This study concerns the leisure time activities of Jew-
ish high school youth in Brookline, Brighton, and Newton.
As a result, this study will be limited by several factors.
First, this study will be limited to the leisure time activi-
ties of youth of the Jewish faith. Secondly, these youth
(which include both boys and girls) will be limited to those
in full-time attendance at high school. The authors consider
high school to encompass that period from the ninth grade
through a year of post-graduate work. This definition applies
to public high schools as v/ell as to the high school equivalent
in the private school system. Then, this study will be limited
to those of the above youth who are residing in Brookline,
Brighton, and Newton.
According to the noston Jewish Population Count, May,6
1945, there were approximately 1990 boys and girls between
5. Lies, op. cit ., p. 28.6. Prepared for Associated Jewish Philanthropies of Great-
er Boston by S. C. Kohs. (Assisted by May Carlin and J.Shuchter •
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the ages of ten to fourteen living in Brookline, Brighton,
and Newton, It is this age group that composes, for all
intents and purposes, the high scnool age group of today.
Because of the minimum mobility by the population during the
past few years and today, the writers feel that a population
change affecting any age group would also be of a minimum
nature. As a result, the writers are assuming that the
present day high school group in this area approximates
1990 boys and girls.
Since the socio-economic environment of these youth
tends to be similar, the writers feel that a ten percent
sampling should provide reliable data from which valid
generalizations and conclusions could be drawn. The writers
realize that there may be exceptions to their assumption re-
garding the universality of similar socio-economic environ-
ments, but they feel that these deviations are not enough to
warrant any undue fears relative to the reliability of the
data to be collected.
The study will also consider a brief examination of
those agencies specifically established to meet the leisure
time needs of these youth in order to estimate the degree
to which they are affecting the leisure time activities of
the Jewish high school youth in this area.
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SOURCES OF DATA :
At different times since the turn of the century and in
various communities in the country, there have been several
studies of the leisure time activities of various segments
of the population. To the writers’ knowledge, such a study
was never made in the Brookline, Brighton, and Newton area.
This study appears to be the first of its kind in this
area, especially in so far as it is limited to the leisure
time activities of Jewish youth in high school. As a result
of this situation, the writers’ had no source material avail-
able; therefore, the thesis may be considered as a primary
source study. The most Important source of data was the
interviews held with the youth themselves. Another important
source was the interviews with various community and agency
leaders.
Much information was gained from various reports made
available to the authors by the New England office of the
Jewish Welfare Board, the national office of the Jewish Wel-
fare Board, the Associated Jewish Philanthropies of Greater
Boston, the Greater Boston Community Council, and several
books and magazine articles on leisure time needs and activi-
ties.
mETHQD OF PROCEDURE :
As was mentioned previously, it was felt that a ten per-
cent sampling of the high school ^outh population of this area
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would provide the writers with reliable data from which valid
generalizations and conclusions could be drawn. To gather
this data, the writers developed a questionnaire of twenty-
eight questions for individuals and a questionnaire of twenty-
four questions for club presidents and/or leaders.
The individual questionnaires were completed during group
and individual interviews supervised by the writers. Some of
the group interviews were held at meetings of various clubs,
affiliated and unaffiliated, which may be said to contain
membership representative of the youth of the community. Some
of the questionnaires, those answered individually, were com-
pleted by youth who were and were not club members. These
youth, those questioned individually, were selected at random
from youth participating in activities at the Jewish Community
center serving this area. Attempts were made to have indivi-
duals in daily Hebrew schools and Sunday schools complete this
questionnaire.
The club presidents and/or leaders completed the^r
questionnaires individually under the supervision of one of
the writers.
community and agexxcy leaders were personally interviewed
by the authors.
Because of this method of sampling, the writers feel that
the information received may be considered as reliable for the
purposes of this study.
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VALUE OF STUDY:
Every community has "become aware of its ^outn as never
before. And tne provision for the leisure of these youth has
become a pressing community problem.
This study consisted of interviews with approximately
two hundred Jewish high school youth representing a ten percent
sample of the Jewish high school youth in Brookline, Brighton,
and Newton. The emphasis throughout this study was on normal
youth in normal life situations. This study is neither so
precise nor so comprehensive in scope as would have been pos-
sible in one that was made under more favorable conditions,
especially in regard to time. This study, rather, will pre-
sent a survey or over-view of the leisure time activities and
needs of the Jewish high school youth in Brookline, Brighton,
and Newton.
It must be realized that when the study of a group is
made, an understanding of the composition of the group is
necessary in order to obtain a clearer picture of the effects
that these components will have on the activities and behavior
of the group. In this study, the authors shall consider how
the Jewishness of these youth affects their use of leisure
time •
Naturally, this study will be only on a superficial level
but it is hoped that this aspect of the investigation may serve
as a stimulus for further investigation on these effects
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regarding either a minority group or the Jewish group in par-
ticular.
This study, it is hoped, will present guide posts which
will be of some assistance in better meeting the leisure time
needs of these youth by the community in general, by respon-
sible public officials, by the Jewish community, and by those
organizations which serve them.
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CHAPTER II
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMUNITIES INVOLVED
INTRODUCTION ;
The leisure time activities of a people are necessarily
conditioned by the physical conditions under wnich they live,
by the demographic characteristics of the people themselves,
and by their social and economic organization. Before pro-
ceeding with a consideration of their mam subject, the
authors would like to consider briefly the general charac-
teristics of the area and its people,
POPULATION :
TABLE 1; GENERAL AND JEWISH POPULATIONBROOKLINE, BRIGHTON, AND NEWTON
1545“
Community
aGeneral
Population
bJewish
Population
cJewish Population
between Ages of 10-14
Brookline 56,940 18,000 1,060Brighton 67,567 10,180 404Newton 77,257 6,000 526
a-Adapted from General Study #5, Index of Social Needin 69 Communities , Unpublished material prepared by Walter I,Wardwell for Greater Boston Community Survey, January, 1948,Chart II.
b-Adapted from a table showing Jewish population in thisarea, appearing in the Jewish Centers Association Survey , 1946.
c -Adapted from Boston Jewish Population Count . May, 1945prepared by S. C. Robs’! (Assisted by May Carlin and JeromeShuchter)
.
The town of Brookline is almost entirely a residential
suburb with a population in 1945 of approximately 57,000
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persons of whom about 18,000 were Jewish. Of the Jewish popu-
lation, more than 1,000 were between the ages of ten to four-
teen. Further, it can be noted that the Jewish population
did not tend to concentrate in any one area. Rather, it
tended to distribute itself throughout the community.
Brighton, on the other hand, is an outlying residential
section of Boston. Its population in 1945 approximated
67,000 persons of whom slightly more than 10,000 were Jewish.
Of this Jewish population, approximately four hundred persons
were between the ages of ten to fourteen. The distribution of
Brighton* s Jewish population does not follow the Brookline
pattern. Rather, the bulk of it resides in two of orighton*
s
six neighborhoods—Aberdeen and commonwealth. Consequently,
for the purposes of this study, consideration will be given
only to the neighborhoods of Aberdeen and Commonwealth, in so
far as Brighton is concerned.
The city of Newton is one of the most attractive residen-
tial suburban areas in metropolitan Boston. It adjoins Brook-
line and Brighton on their western boundaries.
In 1945, Newton had a general population of over 77,000
persons of whom about 6,000 were Jewish. There were slightly
more than five hundred Jewish boys and girls between the ages
of ten to fourteen. In Newton, as in Brookline, the Jewish
population tended to be dispersed throughout the community.
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HOUSING
:
TABLE 2: HOUSING-RENTS AND OVvNER-QCCUPATIONBROOKLINE, BRIGHTON, AND NEWTON- - -1940
Community Median RentPercent OwnerOccupied Homes
a cBrookline 65.59 29.9
a c
Brighton 38.79 15.8b b
Aberdeen 46.25 9.7b b
Commonwealth 39.94 2.4a c
Newton 57.08 57.2
a-Adapted from General Survey #3, op. clt . , uhart I.b-Adapted from Study of brighton Health and Welfare Area .
June, 1944, Greater Boston community Council, p. 30, (Unpub-lished material)*
c-Adapted from General Survey #3, op. cit ., Chart II.
Of the three communities, Brookline had the highest med-
ian rent in 1940-— $65*59. "Brookline is definitely both
varied and variable in the character of its development, rang-
ing from generally urban in the northeast section of the town
where it juts into the city of Boston to a community of large
rural estates in the southwest. . . * The entire township is
distinctly ' spotty*
*
A block or two of expensive single family
home 8 may be flanked on one side by modern multi-family build-
ings, and on the other perhaps by a row of old wooden
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'3-flats ,n. The percentage of owner-occupied homes in 1940
was 29.9.
Aberdeen and Commonwealth show the highest rentals in
Brighton. In 1940, the median monthly rent in Brighton was
$38.79, whereas in Aberdeen it was $46.25 and in Commonwealth
it was $39.94. Though these rentals are high for Brighton,
they tend to be between twenty to thirty per cent smaller than
the median rents for Brookline and Newton.
Aberdeen is an extensive residential district of well-
kept one-ana two-family houses and large apartment buildings.
Home ownership tends to be low. In 1940, the percentage of
owner-occupied homes in this area was 9.7 compared to 15.8 for
the whole of Brighton and 29.9 and 57.2 for Brookline and
Newton respectively.
Commonwealth is principally characterized by small apart
ments. The percentage of owner-occupied homes in this neigh-
borhood is practically negligible— 2.4 per cent. Commonwealth
is also Brighton's busiest commercial section.
Though the population of Newton is regarded as made up
in the main of wealthy residents, the median rent tended to be
about ten per cent smaller than in Brookline— 57.08. However,
Newton is noted for its beautiful estates and private homes;
7. Long Range Recreation Plan, Brookline. Massachusetts ,
(New York, National Recreation Association, 1944;, p. 43.
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and despite the fact that its population was larger than that
of Brookline and Brighton (individually speaking), it tends to
be more sparsely settled than either of them. The large apart-
ment is almost unknown here. This may explain the fact that in
1940 the percentage of owner-occupied homes in this area was
57.2—almost doubling that of Brookline, about six times
greater than the percentage of owner-occupied homes in Aberdeen,
and about twenty-five times greater than the same percentage
in commonwealth.
EDUCATION :
TABLE 3: MEDIAN SCHOOL lEARS COMPLETEDBROOKLINE, BRIGHTON, AND NEWTON
1940
Community Median SchoolYears Completed
Brookline a-12.2Brighton a-11.2
Aberdeexx b-12.2Commonwealth b-12.0
Newton a-12.3
a-Adapted from general Study #3, op. cit .. Chart II.b-Adapted from Study of Brighton Health and Welfare Area,
June, 1944, op. cit. , p. 34.
The median educational level tends to be high in each of
these areas. In Brighton as a whole, this median is slightly
more than eleven years. In Commonwealth, it is twelve years;
while in Aberdeen and Brookline, it is slightly more than
twelve years. Newton* s median educational level is slightly
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higher than that of Aberdeen and Brookline, In these three
areas, the median educational level signifies some college
training,
OCCUPATION :
In Brookline and aewton, the professional people, pro-
prietors, and managers make up tne largest segment of the pop-
ulation; and "although clerical workers predominate in the
occupational groups in ooth neighborhoods ( Aberdeen and com-
monwealth), there is a very high oercentage of professional8
workers in Aberdeen,
”
PUBLIC RELIEF :
aTABLE 4: PUBLIC RELIEFBROOKLINE, BRIGHTON, AND NEWTON
MARCH, 1944
CommunityOld Age Assistance RateCases /1000 pop 65*
Aid to Dependent ChildrenCases /1000 Households
Brookline 132 4, bBrighton 189 4,oNewton 114 7.1
a-Adapted from ueneral Study #3, op, cit .. Chart I.
Each of these communities tends to appear as a normal
social area without evidence of unusual social disorder or
social breakdown. The proportion of public relief in each of
these areas tends to be low in all categories, commonwealth
8. Greater Boston Community council, Stud:/ of BrightonHealth and welfare Area , June, 1944, p. 33. (Unpublishedmaterial)
.
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appears to provide more Old Age Assistance and Newton, more
Aid to Dependent Children.
RECREATION :
In this entire area there is a definite lack of private
agencies concerned with recreation. The YMCA has a building
in Newton, but none in Brookline and Brighton. In the latter
areas, the YMCA offers some extension services, but it does
not tend to serve many Jewish youth.
The YWCA, the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs maintain no build-
ings and offer no extension services in these areas.
The Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Camp Fire Girls have
started to flourish here, but of the three organizations, it is
the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts which tend to reach more of the
Jewish youth. The synagogues and temples have been quite
instrumental in the development of these programs.
Brighton and Newton have a few private agencies concerned
with leisure time activities, but they have little effect on
the Jewish population.
Other than the Jewish Community Center, Brookline has no
private group-work agency. This Center has been In operation
since. May, 1946. It was established by the Associated Jewish
Philanthropies to serve the Jewish Communities in Brookline,
Brighton, and Newton--approximately 34,000 persons.
9. Ibid. p. 33.
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Some national Jewish organizations have been developing
youth serving programs through this area. This is especially
true of the Zionist Youth Commission and the B’nai B’rith
xouth Organization.
as far as tne public agencies are concerned, the hign
schools in each community have developed fine extra-curricular
programs, the playgrounds have extended their services, and
many grammar and junior high schools are used for after-school
recreation periods. Brookline, especially, through its recrea-
tion commission, has developed an all-inclusive year-round
recreation program.
Other community resources, as the synogogues and temples,
have been trying to develop programs to meet some of the lei-
sure time needs of the Jewish youth of these communities.
Finally, there is the entire gamut of commercial recrea-
tion—movies, bowling, billiards, etc.,—in great abundance
throughout this whole area.
SUMMARY :
In general, it may be said that the area as a whole is
comprised of persons who are fairly-well off economically,
educationally, socially, and recreationally speaking. All of
these factors influence the character of the leisure as well
as the variety and kinds of individual activities.
"We know that children are experiencing all the time as
a result of all their environmental contacts and stimuli—in
the home, in the neighborhood, in the community. But what will
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take hold and do something to them?
"The point is that this leisure time of the cnild can be
uncontrolled or controlled. If uncontrolled, anything can
happen. If controlled, something constructively worthwhile
may happen. The potential controllers are in the home and in
the community. They may be people or they may be in the form
of inviting facilities or both. The movies, the 'hangouts’,
the unsavory poolrooms are wide open and beckon youth to enter.
The big question is: are there also enough of wholesome oppor-10
tunities beckoning them?"
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CHAPTER III
THE YOUTH STUDIED
POPULATION :
The authors consider the population of the Jewish high
school youth in this area to he approximately 1990 hoys and
girls, because in 1945, when the present high school age level
was ten to fourteen, the population of that age group was
estimated to he 1990 persons hy the Boston Jewish Population
Count of May, 1945. The authors further feel that, although
the age level has changed to high school age, the population
figures have not changed to any meaningful degree.
That this population change might he negligible may he
due to the fact of decreased internal migration resulting from
the housing shortage of these past few years. It may he due to
the decrease in immigration from foreign countries, or it may
he due to the fact that the annual excess of births over
deaths has declined considerably; consequently, a decline in
the proportion of the ten to fourteen year age group could he
expected. Whatever the causes behind the stability of popu-
lation movement, the authors will consider the high school
youth to number approximately 1990 hoys and girls as shown in
Table 5. They further believe that a difference of one hundred
or so to this or that side of the 1990 mark can make little
difference in the results of the study.
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TABLE 5i ESTIMATED POPULATION OF JEWISH MALES MDFEMALES BETWEEN THE AGES OF 10-14 RESIDING
IN BR60KLINE, BRIGHTON, AND NEWTON1945*
Both Sexes Males FemalesNum- Percent- Num- Percent- Num- Percent-
Community her age ber age ber age
Total. .
.
100,0 1009 51.0 981 49.0Brookline 1060 53.0 555 55.0 505 51.0Brighton 404 21.0 231 23.0 173 18.0Newton 526 26.0 223 22.0 303 31.0
Total 1990 100.0 1009 100.0 981 100.0
^Adapted from Boston Jewish Population Count. May, 1945,prepared By s. C. Kohs (Assisted by May Carlin and JeromeShuchter)
•
An examination of Table 5 will show that the high school
population is almost equally divided between boys and girls,
with a slight preponderance of boys,
SAMPLE:
Because of the similarity in the socio-economic condi-
tions of this area, the writers feel that a ten per cent sam-
pling would provide representative and reliable data from
which valid conclusions might be drawn, further, this sam-
pling was to be proportionate to the male and female distribu-
tion as shown in Table 5. Table 6 shows the distribution
used in the sample.
. T .. 5
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TABLE 6: DISTRIBUTION OF SAMPLE POPULATION, 1948-49
Both Sexes Males FemalesJMum- Percent- Num-• Percent- iMum- Percent-
Community ber age ber age ber age
Total 100.0 102 51.0 98 49.0Brookline 106 53.0 56 55.0 50 51. uBrighton 41 21.0 24 23.0 18 18.0Newton 53 26.0 22 22.0 30 31.0
Total 200 100.0 102 100.0 98 100.0
PROBLEMS OF' YOUTH:
These youth are In the formative and responsive period of
their lives. They are faced with conflicts in attitudes and
ideas. They are attempting to progress from dependence upon
adult protection toward personal decision-making and freedom
of behavior. And in this transition, they need the company
of their own age group to attain the necessary security, feel-
ing of belonging, attention, social approval, status, and
recognition which they cannot find in either children’s or
adult's groups. They are, as Dr. Nathan E. Cohen says, margi-„ 11
nal persons, "marginal to both adult and pre-adult groups."
Since the youth studied are Jewish high scnool youth,
consideration must also be given to the problem facing them
11. Nathan E. Cohen, "The Needs of Jewish Youth", Pro-ceedings of the National Association of Jewish C enter WorkersAtlantic City, 1948, p. 10.
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as Jews, in addition to their problems described above. They
face many problems which result specifically from the fact
that they are Jewish.
PROBLEMS OF JEWISH YOUTH :
These youth are often involved in a cultural conflict of
severe proportions. Is Jewish culture to be supplementary to
general culture, supplying needs which are specifically Jewish,
or should it be an all-embracing development? Should the Jews
be bilingual? Hence, should the Hebrew school take up their
leisure time? And if so, how much of it? How much meaning
has this additional burden had in their reaction to their
leisure time activities?
The cultural problem also includes the question of mores.
To what extent should these Jewish youth maintain and cultivate
their own customs? The continuance of Jewish mores is not
possible without the existence of a Jewish community with a
well-rounded group and cultural life in which the Jewish .youth
will find these mores satisfying. They cannot exist outside
of a common life. The cultural problem also embraces the
question of the importance and role of the Jewish religion in
the daily lives of these youth. Again, the leisure time acti-
vities are guided by the degree of adherence to the religious
code of their parents, their friends, and finally their own
conscience.
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The group to which the individual belongs is the ground
on which he stands; it is the ground which gives or denies
him social status and security. The firmness or weakness of
this ground may not be consciously perceived, just as the
firmness or weakness of the physical ground on which we tread
is given much thought. Dynamically, however, this ground
determines what the individual wishes to do, what he can do,
and how he will do it. There is plenty of evidence to show
that stability or instability of the surroundings—of this
social ground-makes for stability or instability in the grow-
ing child. As the child grows up, his feelings of belonging
to certain groups become an ever more important constituent of
his expanding world and determines his aims and ambitions, his
concepts of right and wrong.
Thus, from incidents like being called a "dirty ^ew" and
from not securing employment because he is Jewish, he will find
the road of life hard, doubly hard, because he is traveling on
Jewish feet. He will learn that the number of Jewish students
is limited by university regulations ana that non-Jewish frater-
nities exclude Jews. He will begin to find some barrier is
set up against his normal progress, hy this time, he has
fully discovered that, although he is an American by birth,
he is also a Jew.
How the Jewish youth reacts to this mental shock, what
he feels towards non-Jews, will be problems for him to solve
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25
not only as a Jew, but also as an individual* What will he
do? Will he develop a natural, balanced behavior, or will he
begin to show social maladjustments, characterized by such
symptoms as loudness, over-aggressiveness, excessive hard work,
and extreme tension?
This situation may produce those who will desire to es-
cape from the group that produces or causes their discomfort*
Thus, we have the development of assimilation; or it may pro-
duce the self-hating Jew, he who dislikes things Jewish, but
who cannot feel free to assimilate. Then there may be those
who overemphasize their Jewishness. All of these possibilities
face the Jewish youth, in addition to his other problems.
Thus, in this community we have the stress and strain of
the marginal Jewish youth who, because of his higher economic
status, does not as yet feel the sting of anti-Semitism as
keenly as does the Jewish youth of lower economic status. He
will try to maintain an aloofness to those elements which are
Jewish because of the examples set by his parents who tend to
be "social half-Jews*', those who neither fully belong to the
Jewish group nor to the non-Jewish group.
Thus, how much leisure time the Jewish youth will have
and how constructively he will be able to use it appear to be
of more importance to him than these major problems confronting
him.
The significance of group work with children and youth
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stems from the growing role of voluntary associations in modern
society. To them, as to adults, the clubs and the playtime
are nornal, essential, forms of social living, satisfying such
primary needs as companionship, belonging, and recreation.
But whether they know it or not, the club is also a training
ground—a method of preparation, in a direct manner—for par-
ticipation in the work of society and healthful living. Since
the democratic society functions to such a large extent through
the voluntary associations, children and youth must develop
for effective participation in these associations. The best
method for such preparation has been often suggested by the
constructive social organisation found in properly guided re-
creation and club life. The club is intended to help the
youth acquire common interests and social purposes, to develop
his personality, and to learn the art of living and working
together.with fellow men.
The Jewish club is intended for this and more, for all
Jewish group activity is carried on through voluntary associa-
tions. This, of course, infers that the aforementioned factors
in Jewish life and especially in this community do exist. Be-
longing to a Jewish organization has become one concrete means
of identification with the organized Jewish community. With
the decline of the home, as in all groups, and with the secula-
rization of Jewish life, the voluntary association is beginning
to serve even larger numbers of youth as an agency or form
nt»Jb>' i aao.' I2 oo 3 bb ^us^nx/Xov ' o vIoi £6 - *0,
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for Jewish living. Even holidays and customs ere observed
through the club.
SUMMARY :
These Jewish teen-age boys and girls face not only those
problems evolving from their own age level; but they also face
problems that are specifically related to their being Jewish.
Opportunities for a wise use of leisure time should be
available to these youth, for In them they may be able to sat-
isfy basic personality needs and urges that are frustrated
or inadequately satisfied by other kinds of experiences.
To these youth, the Jewish Olub and proper recreation can
serve as a normal, essential form for self-expression and acti-
vity as Jews.
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* a!. 8J V j : V
CHAPTER IV
AMOUNT OF LEISURE
LEISURE REPORTED:•
Trying to find out how much leisure time one has during
any specific period is like trying to find out how many vehi-
cles there are in a specific area at a specific time. As a
rule, the answers to these are difficult to determine, because
one is not quite certain as to what is meant by "leisure time"
in the one case and "vehicle" in the other.
In their questionnaires to the individual youths of the
sample, the authors defined leisure time as the time other
than that spent sleeping, eating, travelling to and from
school, and in full-time attendance at school. By virtue of
this definition and the fact that the persons studied were
Jewish high school youth residing in an area of similar socio-
economic make-up, it seems only logical to assume that the
amount of leisure time would tend to be approximately the same
for each of these youth. This assumption appears to be veri-
fied by Tables 7 and 8 which show the approximate hours of
leisure time per day as reported by two hundred boys and girls.
These tables are broken down into the areas involved in
the study rather than into age levels because, while the
total high school youth population for these combined areas
has been estimated, there has been no population estimate of
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TABLE 7: DISTRIBUTION OF 102 BOYS ACCORDING TO THEIRAPPROXIMATE HOURS OP ' LEI SURE" T IME Per daY
BROOKLINE- 56
Hours of Leisure TimeDay 4.0-5 .9 6.0-7 .9 8. 0-9. 9 10. 0-11 .9 12.0-13.9 14.0-15.9
Sunday 0 0 2 17 21 16MondayTues-
17 26 13 0 0 0
dayWednes-
17 26 13 0 0 0
dayThurs-
18 21 17 0 0 0
day 18 21 17 0 0 0FridaySatur-
15 18 20 3 0 0
day 0 0 0 15 28 13
BRIGHTON—23SundayMonday g iS 9 3 *8 8Tues-day
Wednes-6 11 6 0 0 0
dayThurs-
5 11 7 0 0 0
day 6 11 6 0 0 0FridaySatur-
4 12 5 2 0 0
day 0 0 0 5 13 5
NEWTON--S3Sunday 0 0 0 13 8 2MondayTues-
8 12 3 0 0 0
dayWednes-
10 10 3 0 0 0
day 10 10 3 0 o oThurs- V
day 10 10 3 0 o oFriday 7 12 4 0 o
Vo
Satur- V
day 0 0 0 8 15 0
i;
any of the specific age levels that make up this total group.
Since proportionate groups were questioned from each area, the
authors felt that an areal breakdown would be more valid and
that the information gained would be more adaptable to inter-
pretation.
An examination of Table 7 will show that in each area
from Monday through Friday the most frequent amount of leisure
seems to be between 6.0-7,9 hours per day, with a definite
increase in this time in the latter segment of the school
week—especially on Friday, With no school on Saturday and
Sunday, most of the boys appear to have between 12.0-13,9 hours
of leisure time.
From Table 8 it can be noted that the same trend in the
amount of leisure time seems to hold true for the girls in this
area.
FACTORS AFFECTING THIS LEISURE TIME ?
However, there are certain factors which cause the auth-
ors' original definition of leisure time to be broadened,
Such factors as homework done outside of school hours, regular
part-time work, and regular duties around the house have an
important reducing effect on the amount of leisure time. They
will not only reduce the total leisure, but they will also act
as a limiting force as to the part of the day, as well as what
day, in which these youth can take advantage of their leisure
time. Consequently, the authors would like to redefine their
,• *ii . 3 o'i p • •«.
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TABLE 8: DISTRIBUTION OF 98 GIRLS ACCORDING TO THEIRAPPROXIMATE HOURS OF LEISURE TIME PER DAY
BROOKLINE:-50
Hours of Leisure TimeDay 4.0-5. 9 6.0-7 » 9 8 . 0—9
.
9 10.0-11 .9 12.0-13 .9 14.0-15.9
Sunday 0 0 0 15 23 12MondayTues-
12 23 12 3 0 0
dayWednes-
12 23 13 2 0 0
dayThurs-
12 21 14 3 0 0
day 8 25 15 2 0 0FridaySatur-
9 16 22 3 0 0
day 0 0 2 17 21 10
BRIGHTON—18suncrsy
—
Or- cr CT“ 3 13 2
MondayTues-
7 9 2 0 0 0
dayWednes-
7 9 2 0 0 0
dayThurs-
7 9 2 0 0 0
day 6 10 2 0 0 0FridaySatur-
3 10 5 0 0 0
day 0 0 0 3 12 3
NEWTON—30
Sunday 0 0 0 15 12 3MondayTues-
12 15 3 0 0 0
dayWednes-
12 15 3 0 0 0
dayThurs-
10 17 3 0 0 0
day 8 17 5 0v
0 0FridaySatur-
5 IS 10 0 0 0
day 0 0 0 10 15 5
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32
definition of leisure time to be that time in which one is free
to do as he pleases. It is his free time.
TABLE 9: DISTRIBUTION OF 200 BOYS AND GIRLS ACCORDINGTO THEIR APPROXIMATE HOURS OF HOMEWORK PER DAY
EXCLUSIVE OF SCHOOL HOURS
BOYS-10
2
Hours A
0-
0.9 13
1-
1.9 8
2-
2.9 L8
3-
3.9 10
4-
4.9 3
5-
5.9 2
6-
6.9 2
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday SaturdayBCABCABCABCABC ABCABC8 10 13 4 0 136 3 8 2 6 87 3 18 10 3 201 3 10 6 10 80 2 3 1 2 30 0 2 0 2 2
1 2 2 0 0 2
5 0 13 2 0 13 24 5 8 5 6 8 58 8 18 10 7 18 115 8 13 4 7 10 41 2 0 2 3 3 10 0 2 0 0 2 00 0 2 0 0 2 ©
0 38 10 10 41 17 188 3 7 10 8 3 06 10 5 0 3 1 36 5 1 3 2 2 03 0 0 0 2 0 20 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 O' 0
U-U.9 16
1-
1.9 2
2-
2.9 13
3-
3.9 15
4-
4.9 2
5-
5.9 0
6-
6.9 2
"7 8TTT3 3 106 12 132 5 80 0 60 2 20 0 0
2 3 69 7 123 12 1115 610 20 0 0
2 3 119 7 83 12 1315 610 00 0 0
TTTTT2 3 109 9 103 10 1115 610 20 0 0
A-Brookline.
3 3 34 it* Iz 44 15 203342721 78 12 8362232921320013202000100000000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B-Brighton.C-Newton.
In order to approximate the amount of free time, it is
necessary to approximate the amount of time spent at tasks which
result from varying circumstances surrounding the individual
and deduct it from the modal amounts noted in Tables 7 and 8.
From Table 9, it can be noted that for the boys of Brookline
and Brighton, the modal range of hours tends to be 2. 0-2. 9 from
Sunday through Thursday. In Newton, on the other hand, there
is a tendency to spend slightly more than three hours daily
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during this same part of the week. Sunday, however, tends to
follow a different pattern in Newton also. It seems that in this
entire area, the modal range of time spent studying is at a
minimum on Friday and Saturday.
So, the daily leisure time now for Monday through Thurs-
day seems to he approximately 4. 0-5.9 hours; while Friday,
Saturday, and Sunday seem to remain steady in all the areas.
However, in Brookline and Brighton, the amount of leisure on
Sunday should he considered as being 10.0-11.9 hours rather
than 12.0-13.9 hours. Attention should also he given to the
somewhat large percentage of youth who do little or no home-
work outside of school hours. This results in this segment
having a hit more free time to use as it wishes.
An examination of the amount of homework done outside of
school hy the girls of this area seems to follow the same
pattern as set hy the hoys. But comparatively speaking, it
appears that a greater percentage of girle spend more time
with their home work than do the hoys. However, it should he
noted that in the female high school population in Brookline
there appears to he a somewhat large segment which tend to do
little or no homework outside of school hours. As a result,
this group will tend to have more free time to use as it wishes.
About fifty per cent of the hoys reported that they had
regular duties about the house. These duties average about a
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34
half-hour per day throughout the week. The percentage of
girls having regular duties around the house was twenty-five
per cent higher than that of the hoys, and the daily time con-
sumed for these duties ranged from one-half hour for the youn-
ger girls (fourteen and fifteen years of age) to one hour for
the sixteen and seventeen year old girls.
As far as the limiting effect of regular part-time em-
ployment on the amount of leisure time available to these
youth is concerned, it can be said to be at a minimum, for all
intents and purposes, as slightly more than twenty-five per
cent have regular part-time employment. The bulk of this em-
ployment occurs, generally, over the week-end—Friday after
school through Sunday. And then, the time varies from 2.0-15.0
hours. This appears to be true for both boys and girls.
Since all the youth studied are beyond the age of con-
firmation, the percentage attending daily Hebrew school or
Sunday school is almost negligible. Consequently, the modal
amount of leisure time, free time, per day may be determined
as follows: a. boys:
Modal amount of leisure time—first definition.Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
12.0-
13.9 6. 0-7.9 6. 0-7.9 6. 0-7. 9 6. 0-7. 9 6# 0-7.9 12.0-13.9LESS :
Cl) Modal amount of time spent doing homework.2. 0-0. 5 2. 0-2. 9 2. 0-2. 9 2. 0-2. 9 2. 0-2. 9 0.0-0. 9 0.0- 0.9
(2) Modal amount of time spent doing work around the house.0.0- 0.5 0.0-0. 5 0.0-0. 5 0.0-0. 5 0.0-0. 5 0.0-0. 5 0.0- 0.5
Modal amount of leisure time--free time.
10.0-
10.5 4.0-4. 5 4.0-4. 5 4. 0-4. 5 4. 0-4. 5 6. 0-6. 5 12.0-12.5
.
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35
b. girls:
Modal amount of leisure time—first definition.Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
12.0-
13.9 6. 0-7. 9 6. 0-7. 9 6. 0-7. 9 6.0-7. 9 6.0-7. 9 12.0-13.9LESS :
Cl) Modal amount of time spent doing homework.2.0- 2.9 2. 0-2. 9 2.0-2. 9 2.0-2. 9 2.0-2. 9 0.0-0. 9 0.0- 0.9
(2) Modal amount of time spent doing work around the house.1.0- 1.5 0. 5-1.0 0. 5-1.0 0.5-1. 0 0. 5-1.0 0. 5-1.0 1.0- 1.5
Modal amount of leisure time—free time.9.0- 9.5 3. 5-4.0 3. 5-4.0 3. 5-4.0 3. 5-4.0 5.5-6. 0 11.0-11.5
Thus, it can be noted that most of the boys tend to have
from 4.0-4. 5 hours of free time during the weekdays and from
6.0-
12.5 hours per day on the week-ends, or between 44.0-47.5
hours of free time per week. The girls tend to have less daily
free time than boys, as they (the girls) tend to have from
3. 5-4.0 hours during the weekdays and from 5.5-11.5 hours per
day during the week-end periods, or between 39.5-43.0 hours of
free time per week.
Also to be considered, should be the time of day in
which this free time occurs. It appears th<?t about fifty per
cent of these youth do their homework between 3-6 P.M. in the
afternoon and that the other fifty percent do it between 7-10
P.M. at night. The regular household duties generally take
place before and after the various mealtimes. This same pat-
tern may be applicable to Sunday, while Saturday may be said to
be free in its entirety to most of these youth. Consequently,
both the afternoons and evenings cover the free time of these
youth and thus permit for a variety of leisure time activities.
_=_===—
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It may also be pointed out that time, especially an
uninterrupted stretch of time, is important if leisure is to
be used constructively. Though it is not known to what degree
the free time of these yo th is uninterrupted, it may be
assuned to be of approximately three hours durstion-occuring
in the afternoon for some and in the evening for others. This
is true, the writers believe, because the make-up of their
(the youths’) day is such that this assumption seems most
probable. Consequently, it seems thet organized recreation
groups serving these youth should gear their programs to this
situation. In Order to do this, though, these agencies must
have an idea of how these youth use their leisure time.
J
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• V
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37
CHAPTER V
ANALYSIS OF LEISURE
There is probably no one answer to the problem concerning
the use of leisure. How one person will use his leisure is
dependent upon various internal and external factors related
to that particular person's immediate situation. In an effort
to get an idea of how the Jewish high school youth residing in
Brookline, Brighton, and Newton spend their leisure time, the
authors listed in their questionnaires to these youth, thirty-
odd activities in which they, the youth, might norms lly parti-
cipate throughout the year. This list, however, by no means
exhausts the possibilities of activities in which these youth
might engage. Lack of sufficient time and facilities caused
the authors to arbitrarily limit the length of this list.
However, this list shows a wide range of possible varia-
tions in the ways of spending leisure time. People tend to
differ almost as much in the way they take their recreation as
they do in their facial features. Consequently, it is difficult
to develop any average, typical, or representative classifica-
tions of the ways in which leisure time is spent. Further, it
must also be understood that the choice of any youth's activity
will, of necessity, be influenced and limited by the recreation-
al opportunities and facilities available in his community.
The activities listed in Tables 10-15 are ranked according
ecu XXlw noaUg
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TABLE 10: FREQUENCY OF PARTICIPATION IN VARIOUSLEISURE "TIME ACTIVITIES B^~56 BOYS
HESEmrifl BRWtlN^
Rank ActivityOnce or MoreEvery Week
Once EveryTwo or Three
Weeks
Seldomor
Never
1 Football 46" 8 22 Baseball & Softball 46 8 23 Telephoning 46 2 84 Reading 43 10 35 Basketball 35 8 136 Moving Pictures 33 18 57 Auto Riding 33 10 138 Swimming 31 15 109 Running (Track) 28 10 18
10 Working on Hobby 23 20 1311 Cards 23 18 1512 lee Skating 21 10 2513 Playing Musical
Instrument 18 0 3814 Parties (House) 16 20 2015 Dates 15 28 1316 Bicycling 15 13 2817 Boating 15 10 3118 Dancing 13 23 2019 Ping Pong 13 15 2819 Synagogue or Temple 13 15 2821 Fishing 13 13 3021 Bowling 13 13 3023 Hiking 13 2 4124 Tennis 10 15 3125 Chess 5 10 4126 Checkers 5 8 4327 Horseback Riding 5 3 4828 Roller Skating 3 5 4829 Photography 2 15 3930 Gardening 2 10 4430 Concerts 2 10 4432 Choir 2 R 46
5033 Picnics 2 4
to the frequency of participation in them "once a week or
more" b* the youth sampled in Brookline, Brighton, and Newton.
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TABLE 11: FREQUENCY OF PARTICIPATION IN VARIOUSLEISURE TIME ACTIVITIES BY 23 BOYS
RESIDING IN BRIGHTON
Rank ActivityOnce or MoreEvery Week
Once EveryTwo or Three
Weeks
Seldomor
Never
1 Telephoning 18 3 22 Football 17 2 43 Moving Pictures 16 6 14 Reading 15 3 55 Baseball & Softball 14 5 45 Swimming 14 5 47 Cards 14 4 58 Basketball 13 2 89 Bowling 12 3 89 Ping Pong 12 3 8
11 Bicycling 11 7 512 Auto Riding 11 5 713 Ice Skating 11 4 814 Working on Hobby 10 6 715 Running (Track) 10 5 816 Fishing 10 3 1017 Playing Musical
Instrument 10 0 1318 Dates 9 8 619 Synagogue or Temple 6 8 920 Tennis 6 6 1120 Dane ing 6 6 1122 Photography 6 5 1223 Parties (House) 5 7 1124 Boating 4 8 1125 Hiking 2 7 1426 Checkers 2 5 1627 Chess 2 4 1727 Choir 2 4 1729 Roller Skating 1 5 1730 Horseback Riding 1 4 1831 Picnics 1 3 1932 Concerts 0 4 3933 Gardening 0 3 20
In those cases where the frequencies on this basis were the
same, the rank was determined by the frequency of participa-
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TABLE 12: FREQUENCY OF PARTICIPATION IN VARIOUSLEISURE TIME ACTIVITIES BY 25 BOYS
RESIDING" IN NEWTON
Rank ActivityOnce or MoreEvery Week
Once EveryTwo or Three
Weeks
Seldomor
Never
1 Telephoning 16 4 31 Football 16 4 33 Baseball & Softball 13 7 34 Basketball 13 3 75 Moving Pictures 11 10 26 Reading 11 6 67 Bicycling 11 2 108 Swimming 10 10 39 Auto Riding 10 7 6
10 Working on Hobby 10 5 811 Cards 8 8 712 Dane ing 6 6 1113 Photography 5 10 814 Bowling 5 8 1015 Dates 5 7 1116 Tennis 5 3 1516 Gardening 5 3 1518 Parties (House) 3 10 1018 Playing Musical
Instrument 3 10 1020 Synagogue or Temple 3 8 1221 Checkers 3 7 1322 Boating 3 5 1522 Picnics 3 5 1524 Ice Skating 3 4 1625 Running (Track) 3 3 1726 Ping Pong 2 8 1326 Hiking 2 8 1328 Chess 2 6 1529 Horseback Riding 1 3 1930 Fishing 0 10 1331 Concerts 0 5 1832 Roller Skating 0 4 1933 Choir 0 2 21
tion "once every two or three weeks".
An examination of Tables 10, 11, and 12 will show that
:
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TABLE 13: FREQUENCY OF PARTICIPATION IN VARIOUSLEISURE TIME ACTIVITIES BY 50 GIRLS
RESIDING IN BROOKLINE
Once Every SeldomOnce or More Two or Three or
Rank Activity Every Week Weeks Never
1 Telephoning 48 22 Reading 39 63 Moving Pictures 33 133 Dancing 33 135 Auto Riding 33 86 Dates 31 127 Swimming 25 48 Playing Musical
Instrument 21 29 Working on Hobby 15 610 Boating 15 211 Parties (House) 14 2312 Cards 13 1913 Tennis 13 814 Basketball 11 815 Hiking 9 916 Synagogue or Temple 8 1517 Bowling 8 1218 Choir 8 419 Baseball & Softball 7 1020 Bicycling 6 2321 Concert 6 1022 Ice Skating 6 223 Ping Pong 4 624 Football 4 425 Horseback Riding 2 1026 Fishing 2 827 Picnics 0 828 Photography 0 629 Roller Skating 0 429 Running (track) 0 431 Checkers 0 232 Chess 0 032 Gardening 0 n
054497
21
2729331318293132273038332134424042384042444646485050
the ten leading activities in each of the areas tend to he the
same. That is, in Brookline, the first ten ranking activities
:
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TABLE 14: FREQUENCY OF PARTICIPATION IN VARIOUSLEISURE TIME ACTIVITES'feY 18 GIRLS
RESIDING IN BRIGHTON
Rank ActivityOnce or MoreEvery Week
Once EveryTwo or Three
Weeks
Seldomor
Never
1 Telephoning 16 1 11 Reading 16 1 13 Moving Pictures 13 4 14 Auto Riding 12 3 35 Dane ing 10 7 16 Cards 9 5 47 Dates 8 6 48 Swimming 7 3 89 Playing Musical
Instrument 7 0 1110 Tennis 6 2 1011 Bowling 5 10 312 Checkers 5 3 913 Working on Hobby 5 2 1113 Bicycling 5 2 1115 Photography 3 6 916 Boating 3 4 1117 Synagogue or Temple 3 2 1317 Basketball 3 2 1319 Horseback Riding 3 1 1420 Choir 3 0 1521 Ice Skating 2 6 1022 Baseball & Softball 2 5 1123 Ping Pong 2 3 1323 Hiking 2 3 1325 Roller Skating 2 2 1426 Fishing 2 1 1527 Parties (House) 1 15 228 Picnics 1 5 1229 Gardening 1 2 1529 Concerts 1 2 1531 Running (Track) 1 1 1632 Chess 1 0 1733 Football 0 2 16
are football, baseball and softball, telephoning, reading.
basketball, moving pictures, auto riding, swimming, running
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TABLE 15: FREQUENCY OF PARTICIPATION IN VARIOUSLEISURE TIME ACTIVITIES BY 30 GIRLS
RESIDING IN NEWTON
Once Every SeldomOnce or More Two or Three or
Rank Activity Every Week Weeks Never
1 Telephoning2 Reading3 Auto Riding4 Dates5 Moving Pictures6 Dane ing7 Working on Hobby8 Swimming9 Parties (House)
10 Boating11 Playing Musical
Instrument12 Bicycling13 Fishing14 Basketball15 Ping Pong16 Concerts17 Tennis18 Baseball & Softball19 Bowling20 Synagogue or Temple21 Photography22 Hiking23 Horseback Riding23 C ards25 Picnics26 Ice Skating26 Gardening28 Checkers28 Roller Skaing28 Running (Track)31 Football31 Chess33 Choir
25 4 125 2 324 4 218 5 716 11 316 5 915 2 1314 9 711 13 610 8 12
10 0 208 10 128 4 187 12 117 8 155 4 214 16 104 5 213 7 203 6 213 2 252 8 202 5 232 5 230 8 220 6 240 6 240 3 270 30 30 20 20 _0_
(track), and working on a hobby. In Brighton, these same
activities were most frequently participated in except for
2727282830
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auto riding, running (track), and working on a hobby. These
were replaced by cards, bowling, and ping pong. The boys in
Newton also listed the same activities as the boys in Brook-
line, except that bicycling replaced running (track). It
might also be noted that while at least fifty per cent of the
boys participated once a week or more in nine activities in
Brookline, the same percentage of boys participated with the
same degree of frequency in the ten leading activities in
Brighton. In Newton, however, this same percentage of boys
participated in only four activities once a week or more.
A further scrutinization of these activities will point
out the fact that seven out of the ten leading activities in
each area tend to be individual in character, while the re-
maining three tend to be of a group or social nature. Con-
sequently, it might be concluded that most of the activities
participated in most frequently tend to be individual in
character. However, it should also be noted that a greater
percentage of the boys tend to participate more frequently in
the activities that are of a group or social nature.
An examination of Tables 13, 14, and 15 will indicate
that in the three areas considered, the ten leading activities
of the girls tend to be approximately the same. Telephoning,
reading, moving pictures, dancing, auto riding, dates, swim-
ming, playing a musical instrument, working on a hobby, and
boating are the leaders in Brookline. The girls in Newton
:p . i . ti: c: ,I!JJ. . I>ur ... • i otiu.t
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45
favor the same activities, but house parties tend to be a more
integral part cf their leisure time than in the leisure time
of the girls of Brookline and Brighton. In Brighton, the
same activities hold prime positions except that cards and
tennis seem to hold more interest for these girls than does
working on a hobby or boating.
With the girls, the same as the boys, it might be said
that most of the activities participated in most frequently
tend to be individual in character. Why is there this emphasis
on individual activities? Is it because these youth prefer
them or is it because these activities are so often the only
things to do?
The authors do not contend that this trend is an unde-
sirable one, for it is up to the individual himself to choose
the ways in which he will use his leisure time; because, after
after all, the chief value of any activity is the degree of
satisfaction derived from it by the individual or individuals
participating in it. The fact that these areas are urban in
nature may have some bearing on this situation. It has been
frequently stated that the leisure time of city people tends
to be more passive, more vicarious in nature than it is active.
The reasons cited to uphold this statement tend to be factors
inherent in urban communities—the great stadia permitting for
large assemblies of spectators to view various events, the
considerable number of commercial recreation areas - (radio.
o I/O t r. J» .w 0. :J5'• I V •
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theater, howling, and the like.) - inviting increased indivi-
dual activity, and the limited number of adequate recreational
facilities for a wide range of group activities. This latter
situation, it is said, is the resultant of the physical set-
up of the city. As a result, it is necessary for these youth
to try to satisfy their needs through those activities which
only will tend to satisfy their needs but which can also be
effectively handled by the existing facilities in the community.
A further examination of these tables will show a more
pronounced participation in sports and outdoor activities
among the boys than the girls, who, on the other hand, tend to
participate more in dancing, dating, and house parties than
do the boys.
It is also quite interesting to note the oroportion of
boys and girls who seldom or never engage in many of the acti-
vities. In Brookline, for example, not only had three-fourths
of the boys seldome attended religious services. Further, the
number who participate in such well-recognized forms of recrea-
tion as picnicing, checkers, and gardening is almost negligible.
The girls, on the other hand, tend to frequent concerts more
than the boys, but still, almost seventy per cent of them
seldom attend religious services. The activities which receive
almost negligible participation tend to be the same for girls
as for boys. This same situation exists among the boys and
;v r>**- L •’
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girls of Brighton and Newton too.
Thus, it can be seen that even though these youth parti-
cipate in a wide variety of activities, the number of activi-
ties participated in by the majority ofthese ,outh tends to
be small in comparison to the total picture. Some of these
activities are individual in nature and some are group or
social in character. Several activities atrract considerable
patronage, while others are seldom attended. As a result, it
cannot be said that the youth of this area participate only
in activities that are peculiar to this area.
This is not intended to be an evaluation of the activi-
ties in which these youth do or do not participate, rather,
it is merely a statement of what actually appears to exist.
The <|uestion is, however, is this situation one that finds
these youth participating in activities which, combined,
present a satisfactory leisure program?
There is probably no one answer to this question, if
only because of psychological values involved in satisfaction*
And it would be quite difficult to arrive at an evaluation
from the kind of data gathered in this study. Nothing could
be known of the quality, very little (and that only of a gene-
ral nature) as to the frequency of the different activities,
nothing as to the psychological results of group relationships
established. Because assumptions based on inadequate data can
be easily challenged, the authors will not attempt to evaluate
. •, •»!'ri\u
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J
the satisfactoriness of the leisure time program of these
youth.
However, some generalizations as to what such a program
might include can be made. Some out-of-door or at least some
form of physical exercise more active than walking the city
streets should be included. Most people would agree that it
ought to contain some degree of social life, some mixed parties,
and some festive occasions. And nearly all would agree that it
should contain some activities of an intellectual or cultural
nature. Then, if they are to have real value as recreation,
these forms of enjoyment should be more than occasional.
As was pointed out in an earlier chapter, the youth
studied not only had to face problems resulting from their
status as youth, but they also had to face problems resulting
from their status as Jews. Does this situation affect the
manner in which they willuse their leisure time?
First, an examination was made of the part the synagogue
and temple played in the use of their leisure time. It was
found that about twenty per cent of the boys stated that they
participated in synagogue or temple activities at least once
or more a week. A smaller percentage of girls, fourteen, stated
that they attended weekly synagogue or temple services.
Almost fifty per cent of the boys seldom or never attended,
while approximately sixty-five per cent of the girls remarked
that their attendance at these religious activities was seldom
'
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or never. Further, it can he pointed out that nearly all the
youth said that they attended synagogue or temple services
either with their parents, their friends, or alone. Conse-
quently, it appears that for most of these youth, their syna-
gogue or temple attendance is limited to the high holiday s--
Rosh Hashonah and Yom Kippur. Thus, for all intents and pur-
poses, one may say that the use of leisure time is little
affected hy synagogue or temple activities.
Another factor that should b noted is that ninety-four
per cent of the boys and ninety per cent of the girls indica-
ted that some Jewish customs and traditions were observed in
their homes. The majority of this group mentioned lighting
candles on Friday night and observing Rosh Hashonah and Yom
Kippur; but there was also a sizeable groupthat remarked that
even though their parents did observe some customs, laws, and
holidays, they (the youth) did not know much about them. This
seems to be related to the fact that these customs had some
meaning to about seventy-eight per cent of the boys and only
sixty-eight per cent of the girls. However, even though these
youth said that these customs did have some meaning to them,
it appears to the authors that this meaning was merely an
acceptance of the fact that some of their parents practiced
these customs, and consequently, they (the youth) were to be
respectful 4>f them. That these youth seemed to have a little
or a vague knowledge of the Jewish religion and culture apoears
,
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--ri IX c£ ri^ld a - ' e t jqj.I I » u.9 *r> o»i > j t.< n o
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io sen ©d:t X ,aoeog
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r,.> - n j_ a rBr *Xf> - ff. r" o * dJl/cr^
.. f ’ cl. i 3&-l~ - IC. .11/^ i f:
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ais&CQii o tL: lvo bn noXsXIa'i d .l . G orct to egfcelv/cird ®**at b io
to be verified by the "Jewish things" they discussed at home.
About ninety per cent of the boys and seventy-five per cent
of the girls mentioned that Jewish things were discussed in
their homes, but it was only a small percentage of this group
that considered matters related to the Jewish religion, its
customs, holidays, and history. Most of the discussions were
concerned with Israel and Zionism, with anti-Semitism and ra-
cial and religious prejudices in general, and with local temple
and philanthropic activities.
Thus, it appears that these youth have, in general, a
passive negative feeling regarding their being Jews, since
there seems to be little interest in their religious life,
cultural life, and in their creative Jewish feelings. The
discussions at home plus the desire for further formal Jewish
education reveals that for a limited group there exists a sin-
cere desire to fully appreciate, know, and understand them-
selves as Jews.
For another group, the realization of their being Jewish
lies only in the occasional home discussion of "Jewish things"
brought about by publication of items of a spectacular nature
concerning anti-Semitism and/or Israel. This group tends to
be the least active in groups whose activities are directed
along a positive Jewish approach*
Then, there are the remaining youth who relate their
home discussions of "Jewish things" and certain of their acti-
r; 3. f ,'l -7 J
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51
vities by participating in groups which seek to develop in
these youth a more positive understanding of themselves as
Jews and of Jewish life.
According to Eedley S. Dimock, "some of the interests
of the persons diould he primarily social and others essentially12
individual." A closer scrutiny of these tables will show
that even though two-thirds of the most frequently partici-
pated in activities are individual in nature, those activities
that are group or social in character tend to affect a greater
percentage of these youth. This may be due, in part, to the
need to get together which is so strong in youth. It is this
need for shared recreation that has, to a great extent, led to
the development in urban areas for some kind of ,/outh serving
organizations.
The following chapter will describe the various organi-
zations which seek to serve the leisure time needs of boys
and girls in this area.
12. Hedley S. Dimock, Rediscovering the Adolescent .
(New York: Association Press, 1937), p. 58.
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORKI inn a r\\j
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.
CHAPTER VI
YOUTH SERVING AGENCIES
JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER :
In Brookline at 310 Harvard Street the Jewish Community
Center offers its services to three communities: Brookline,
Brighton and Newton. The building has one floor above some
stores which are on the first floor. The Center has seven
rooms. They are: a small canteen, an arts ahd crafts room,
a game room, an auditorium, four small meeting rooms, a check-
ing room, and an office. Since there is no gymnasium in the
building, a school gymnasium is made available by the Brookline
Recreation Commission. The building also lacks a swimming pool,
a real library, end a lounge. The rooms are not rent-free to
outside groups. This is in contrast to the policy of various
temples which offer rent-free meeting space for high school
groups •
The Community Center has provisional membership with
the National Jewish Welfare Board. A small, professionally
trained, full-time staff and about fifteen part-time workers
attend to the various services th&t are offered at the Center.
The aim of the Jewish Community Center is to provide an oppor-
tunity for group experience and for the creative expression
of the cultural, religious, educational, social, physical,
and communal interests and needs of the individual.
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For the Jewish group it provides a programfor individual participation in JewishCommunal life. It provides opportunitiesfor broadening interests in an understandingof the Jewish heritage and contemporaryproblems. It provides services to thevarious cultural, religious, educational,philanthropic, and social groups in Jewishlife for the enrichment of their program.It envisages an integrated and comprehensiveJewish Communal life by bringing togetherthe various Jewish groups. It is deeplyconcerned with the lot of world Jewry andthe role of Israel. 15
For a teen age program there is in the process of forma-
tion three clubs, which will have a total membership of about
forty-five boys and girls—two boys clubs and one co-ed club.
There is an athletic league which serves about one hundred
seventy members, of whom about thirty are non-Jews. The
membership comes from various clubs that do not have any affi-
liation with any larger organization. The membership that
these boys have is only an athletic one. Also, the Community
Center offers a variety of classes and indo r games for high
school youth.
This is the program that the Jewish Community Center
offers to the high school .youth. Further, it should be added
that the Center is non-sectarian in its policy towards member-
ship.
13. National Jewish Welfare Board, Organization of theJewish Community Center , p. 1.
.
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Before presenting a description of the other agencies,
the writers wish to emphasize that at no time should these
descriptions be construed to be evaluations of either aims,
programs, or facilities.
TABLE 16: NUMBER OF YOUTHS STUDIED AFFILIATED WITHJEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER, BROOKLINE
Sex Brookline Brighton Newton
7
4
Male 14 10
Female 10 3
BROOKLINE RECREATION COMMISSION :
The town of Brookline has under its direction three
buildings: The Eliot Recreation Center on Eliot Street, Chest-
nut Hill Recreation Center on Heath Street, and Brookline Ave-
nue Recreation Center. The facilities in these centers are
limited. Typical of these centers is the Brookline Avenue
Center which has a pool room with two pool tables, three ping
pong tables, a card room, and a reading room. The activities
are generally on an individual basis. There is no membership
requirement; it is open to all ages. The purpose is to provide
some facilities of an indoor nature with very little attempt
at organization. The exact figure of Jewish high school youth
served were not available, but it was estimated at a very low
.
*’
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figure in most cases.
These figures are also applicable to the participation
of the Jewish youth in the various other recreational pro-
grams that are sponsored by this Commission, after school
hours, in the high school and several of the grammar schools.
These activities differ from the extra-curricular activities
sponsored by the schools, and they tend to emphasize the ath-
letic-type of activity as swimming, basketball, and the like.
These activities are open to all residents of Brookline re-
gardless of age.
fOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
The Boston Young Men’s Christian Association carries on
an extension program in Allston and Brighton. It does not
have a "Y" building in this area: but uses, as meeting places,
homes, churches, schools, public libraries, parks, and play-
grounds. The program is under the direction of the Y Boy
Associates. The program has a wide variety of leisure-time
activities. These activities include athletics, socials, and
clubs. Such facilities of several of the "Y" buildings in
other communities, as swimming pools, basketball courts, and
others are often used. Most of the programming is now being
done in Brighton under the direction of a part-time worker
and four associates. The Parish House of the Faneuil Congre-
gational Church is used as the center for club meetings. In
the high school age level no Jewish youths have membership
.
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in or have used the facilities of this program.
The Young Men’s Christian Association in Newton is loca-
ted at 176 Church Street, in Newton Corner. The building is
a large structure. It contains sleeping quarters, a swimming
pool, a gymnasium a squash court, a crafts room, a lounge,
six meeting rooms for high school youth, and a library. The
rooms are not really rent free since a donation is asked for
if rooms are used by outside groups. There is no specific
program for high school youths other than a few clubs, a
basketball league and the use of the facilities by individuals
As regards membership by Jewish high school youth, it was esti
mated to have fourteen such members; this does not include
the provisional membership that the Temple Emmanual 15-Up
Club has by belonging to the "Y M *s high school age basketball
league. Since the general aims of the "Y" program were given
above, it is not necessary to repeat them for the Newton
branch.
WEST NEWTON COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTER :
In West Newton the only facilities offered to youth is
the non-building program of the West Newton Community Recrea-
tion Center which uses school buildings and playgrounds. Only
one Jewish youth was involved. This is probably due to the
close programming of the Waltham Jewish Community Center which
attracts most of the Jewish youth from around West Newton.
The exact membership from West Newton participating in the
.
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Waltham Jewish Community Center was not available, hut it was
estimated that about twenty boys and girls had memberships.
The professional staff is non-existent since the executive
director left in January of 1949. This community center in
Waltham uses the limited facilities of the temple. The temple
has a few rooms thst can be used by the youth groups for
meeting purposes. The athletic program is carried on in a
public school gymnasium.
The aims of the center is thrt of the other Jewish Com-
munity Centers, but its goal is limited by the existing con-
ditions. The youth groups make up a large part of the temple's
junior congregation and also participate in the activities and
celebrations of various Jewish holidays.
SYNAGOGUES AMD TEMPLES :
Each temple in the Brookline, Brighton, and Newton area
sponsors a youth group which is centered around the religious
theme and the social and cultural aspects of Jewish group life
of high school age. In most cases the temple groups are made
up of both boys and girls who have reached the confirmation
age, since up to that age both boys and girls do attend either
s daily Hebrew School or a Sunday School. After the Bar-Mitz-
vah and Bas-Mitzvah (confirmation) ceremony, these youth stop
their formal education. Therefore, these temple groups attempt
in an informal manner, to continue Jewish education as well as
to create a group that will appreciate Jewish religious life
-
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and that will he a source of continuing spirit.
Another aspect to the temple youth groups is the fact
that since there are only a few reform temples in the general
Boston area, these reform temples will have a youth membership
from various communities not necessarily limited to the Brook-
line, Brighton, and Newton areas. Thus, from Temple Israel,
which has a membership of seventy in its youth group, we know
that many of the youths are from communities other than from
the general area of the temple on 606 Commonwealth Avenue,
Boston, or at the school house on 270 Riverway, Brookline.
The school building has fifteen classrooms and about five
meeting rooms. The rabbi is the leader of the group which
meets twice a month. The membership fee is a nominal amount
per year.
Temple Ohabei Shalom, 1187 Beacon Street, Brookline,
has a youth group of fifty-five members, whose leader, an adult,
is a member of the temple and the youth committee. The group
has the same general program as described above and it meets
about twice a month. The group is also co-ed and does have
a small membership fee. The facilities of the building offer
four meeting rooms. Its program offers a general religious,
cultural, and social type of activity.
Temple Sinai on 50 Sewall Avenue, Brookline, has a high
school group of thirty-five boys and. girls. The leader is an
adult member of the congregation and a member of the youth
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t o *x 'dmexa a btt® ;;« i - x cos arfJ lo •fit
committee. The advisor has a good background of youth work
and is quite familiar with the general community. This group
meets once a month and participates in the same program men-
tioned above. There are, besides the classrooms, some four
meeting rooms and an auditorium which is a feature of most
of the temples. The auditorium serves as a place for many of
the group's social activities and as a meeting room.
The conservative temples tend to draw on their local
community for the membership of their youth groups. Temple
Kehillath Israel, 384 Harvard Street, Brookline, is not far
from the Brookline Jewish Community Center. The temple has
a Junior Brotherhood and a Junior Sisterhood group of fifty
boys and thirty-five girls, respectively. The membership fee
is about the same as that of the other temples - #1.00 per yearl
The boys have been meeting once a month and the girls meet
twice a month. There are about seven class rooms besides a
large auditorium, a lounge, four meeting rooms, and a library.
The leader is a Hebrew school teacher.
Temple Emeth, 194 Grove Street, Brookline, has a Junior
Congregation of fifty-five boys end girls. Its main activity
is attending religious services. The president calls the
meetings from time to time to have the group plan other acti-
vities. The membership is loose and there is a very small
membership fee. As in most temple groups, the membership fee
is not a strict or a very serious matter in determining member-
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-locfiom gal/ilaneler .1 iel^ 1 at/ci •: ,iev •, "..o .'tolTd & lor .1
ship; hut rather, attendance to the various activities is the
more determining factor. The program at Temple Emeth is aided
by an adult leader who is a member of the congregation and its
youth committee. The building offers a very fine auditorium
and game room; the class rooms serve as meeting rooms. These
class rooms as in many other temples are used extensively for
group meetings as well as for Sunday and daily Hebrew school
classes - of course not serving both functions at the same
hours
•
Temple B’nai Moshe, which at the present is erecting a
new building, is located at 96 Chestnut Hill Avenue, Brighton,
There is a temple high school group which is co-ed and which
has a membership of thirty-five. It meets every Sunday. The
group has a small membership fee. It has an adult leader.
There are at the present time, two meeting rooms, an auditor-
ium, and four class rooms.
Temple Emmanuel, 385 Ward Street, Newton, has a member-
ship of sixty boys and girls of high school age. Besides the
regular activities common to all the temple groups, this group
is represented in the Newton Y.M.C.A. basketball league. The
leader of the group is one of the rabbis. There are four class
rooms, two meeting rooms, and an auditorium. The group meets
once a month to listen to a speaker, participate in social
dancing, to see movies, or to participate in activities of a
similar nature. There is also a small membership fee; but
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again, this is not the deciding factor in determining member-
ship.
TABLE 17: NUMBER OF HIGH SCHOOL YOUTHS BELONGINGTO TEMPLE SPONSORED GROUPS AND
FREQUENCY OF MEETINGS
Temple Number of Youths Frequency of Meeting
Temple Israel 70 2/monthTemple Ohabei Shalom 55 2/monthTemple Sinai 35 l/monthTemple Emeth 55 not regularTemple Kehillath Israel 85 2/monthTemple B'nai Moshe 35 4/monthTemple Emmanuel 60 l/month
Total 365
HIGH SCHOOL EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:
Another important area in youth serving agencies is
the high schools in the communities. The wide variety of
extra-curricular activities in which both boys and girls parti-
cipate is quite impressive. These activities include various
language clubs, sports activities, newspapers, music and glee
clubs. In general, the groups meet about once a week and are
supervised by a teacher. The exact figures of Jewish youth
belonging to the clubs were not available to the writers. But
from Tables 18 and 19, one can determine the degree of parti-
cipation in these school activities.
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TABLE 18: NUMBER OF EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIESPARTICIPATED IN BY BOYS STUDIEDIN BROOKLINE, BRIGHTON, NEWTON
Number ofExtra-Curricular
ActivitiesBrookline Brighton Newton
Participating in - 0 6 5 6Participating in - 1 8 10 2
Participating in - 2 10 5 8Participating in - 3 13 3 2Participating in - 4 10 1 4Participating in - 5 6 0 0Participating in - 6 3 0 0
TABLE 19: NUMBER OF EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIESPARTICIPATED BY GIRLS STUDIEDIN BROOKLINE, BRIGHTON, NEWTON
Number ofExt ra-Curricular
ActivitiesBrookline Brighton Newton
Participating in - © 4 4 5Participating in - 1 6 0 5Participating in - 2 9 9 10Participating in - 3 4 2 6Participating in - 4 17 1 0Participating in - 5 6 2 2Participating in - 6 4 0 2
An examination of Table 18 shows that a large number of
boys in Brookline are active in at least three activities at
school. The girls had a larger number participating in four
extra-curricular activities as shown by Table 19. The majori-
ty of Brighton boys appear to limit their activities to only
two extra-curricular activities, while the Brighton girls also
participated in only two extra-curricular activities. The Newton
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boys participated in two extra-curricular activities; the
Newton girls participated in three extra-curricular activi-
ties.
The schools for the most part have adequate facilities
as well as proper guidance in their activities. In general,
the activities do not require a fee; but if there is one, it
is very nominal.
B f NAI B'RITH :
The B'nai B'rith, a Jewish adult fraternal organization,
sponsors a youth program which is divided into four youth
organizations. The national youth organizations involving
Jewish high school youth are: Aleph Zadek Aleph (AZA) and
the B'nai B'rith Girls (BBG). The aim of their program is:
To create in young people a synthesis ofthe best in the Jewish and American heritage.As Jews, they should be trained to becomeinformed, self-reliant and socially res-ponsible. As Americans, they should beencouraged to share fully in the privilegesand responsibility of democratic living.Such objectives may be best achievedthrough a program of cultural, religious,interfaith, community service, socialand athletic activities on an equal basis,planned and executed by the young peoplethemselves, under the guidance of trainedcounsellors who are equally at home in Jewishand American experience. 14
The B'nai B'rith Lodge in Brookline sponsors two AZA
chapters and two BBG chapters. There are similar local
14. Syllabus Indoctrination Course BBYQ Youth Chaimen .
Part I - Purpose of BBYO, p. 1. (Unpublished)”
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on n? ' uoZ*irv9’-itV$x9 eMdi fil bei c U l Jnaq alnts nodwuf!
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chapters of these youth organizations in all parts of this
country as well as in other countries. The youth groups are
self-supporting, raising money for their activities through
dues payment to their national headquarters of $1.50 per
member per year, in addition to their local chapter dues.
Chapters are eligible for affiliation after being organized
for six months, provided they have maintained a minimum mem-
bership of twelve registered members. Membership is open only
to Jewish youth. Each chapter of AZA and BBG has an adult
leader.
The New England Regional staff consists of two full time
professional people: the Regional Director and the Director
of Girls* Work, who are under the supervision of the National
Director of BBYO, B’nai B’rith Youth Organizations.
The staff makes field trips to individual chapters; thus
maintaining direct contact with BBYO groups, group leaders,
area councils of AZA, BBG, as well as the two other youth
organizations not herein described.
The New England office is the only building space main-
tained for these youth organizations; but since this is an
extension program, temples, Hebrew schools, homes, and com-
munity centers are used as meeting places in the various
communities. In Brookline, one AZA chapter of some fifteen
active members meets at Temple Kehillath Israel every other
week. Another AZA chapter meets at Temple B'nai Moshe In
.
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asn 033 baa ASA lo ivJqx. «xicrj. IfL&t. c-3
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Brighton and has a membership of about eighteen. The two girls
groups are located in Brighton and Newton. The BBG group in
Brighton meet both at the temple and at girls' homes. It
meets every other week and has a membership of thirty-five.
The Newton group has about forty members and the girls meet
at homes.
TABLE 20: NUMBER OF YOUTH AFFILIATED WITH AZA AND BBGIN BROOKLINE, BRIGHTON, NEWTON
Organization Brookline Brighton Newton
AZA 15 18 0BBG 0 35 40
YOUNG JUDAEA:
Two other national organizations are the Zionist Organi-
zation of America, serving the men, and Hadassah, serving the
women. These two organizations sponsor Young Judaea clubs
in their respective communities. In the Brookline, Brighton,
Newton area, they have engaged a part time supervisor for the
Young Judaea Clubs. This supervision is an extension service
which is under the close supervision of the New England direc-
tor and the local Youth Commission which is made up of interes-*
ted members from the local Zionist district and the local
Hadassah chapter. Here too, there is no special building; but
rather, the same facilities utilized by the B'nai B'rith youth
groups are used - the temples, Hebrew schools, homes, and
.
-
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66
community centers.
The basic aim of the organization is (1) to train the
child and youth for democratic and creative living in America
as a citizen and as a Jew; (2) to integrate him into Jewish
life as a member of his people; (3) to cultivate in him a
desire to comprehend and a capacity to appreciate the signifi-
cances of Jewish values - cultural, religious, moral, politi-
cal, and national; (4) to foster in him loyalty to the Jewish
people and to develop a willingness to assume responsibilities
and accept duties on behalf of his people and its civilization;
and (5) to inculcate in him attachments to Israel.
Young Judaea is a national organization, having a senior
and junior age level. The senior age group is made of Jewish
high school youth. The program motif is built around the
following areas: (a) Jews as a national entity; (b) Jewish
historical past; (c) State of Israel; (d) Hebrew language and
Jewish culture; (e) Jewish religion; (f) Jewish tradition,
folkways, and mores; (g) Jewish will to survive; and (h) con-
tent and organization of Jewish community in America.
There is a total of nine Young Judaea high school groups
in Brookline, Brighton, and Newton. Of the two groups in
Newton, one group with a membership of twelve boys meets at
Temple Emmanuel; the other group In Newton is composed of
fifteen girls who meet in homes. In Brighton, there are two
groups: one co-ed and have twenty-nine members, and the other.
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67
an all-girls group, has a membership of twenty. Both groups
meet at Temple B'nai Moshe. The groups in Brookline consist
of two girls groups meeting at homes. One group has fifteen
members and the other has twelve members. A co-ed group with
a membership of fourteen members meets at Temple Kehillath
Israel. In South Brookline at Temple Emeth there is a brother
and sister group, each with a membership of twenty. All the
groups meet once every other week.
The leaders are paid. Most of the leaders are college
students. The leaders, in turn, are supervised by a part-time
trained worker. The leadership is geared toward a group work
orientation.
TABLE 21 I NUMBER OF YOUTH AFFILIATED WITH YOUNGJUDAEA IN BROOKLINE, BRIGHTON, NEWTON
Club Brookline Brighton Newton
Col. David Marcus 0 0 l2Joshua Loth Liebman 0 0 15Balfours 0 29 0Torah Teens 0 20 0Israelettes 15 0 0Jodas (girls) 20 0 0Jodas (boys) 20 0 0Exodus "47" 14 0 0Tel Chai 12 0 0
Total 81 49 27
BOY SCOUTS:
The boy scouts have local councils which function under
a regional supervisory service. which, in turn. has represen-
tation in a national council. 'The local chapter has a scout
ro'xg Idofl .• a?w:' ic- ohio'iad-L©* * and &uo-i
aq^ots ©ifT .erfeoM -tir; ’ d > r . >«
a©«WI1 K/iri quoTJj aaO .etcod da anXdaeof tt : > . aXils cwd lo
.
rid XXlrfe.x elq »T da edesv. eW(J> ant at >d*t o (o < irisi.^d a
•xerido'XGf a al eiarild ddeffl3 aJ .•• *1
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dwoos a aari *xadcad
committee sponsoring it; the scout master is an adult volunteer
who has formerly been a scout himself. He also serves on this
committee.«
The local council serving Newton, under the direction of
a full time director, is called the Norumbega Council. The
troops and posts in Brookline and Brighton belong to the Boston
Council. In Newton, a troop which consists of all Jewish boys
is sponsored by Temple Emmanuel. In this troop there are about
fifteen boys of high school age; the others in the troop are
not of high school age. In other non-sectarian scout troops
there are about fifteen Jewish boys of high school age. The
troops in Newton meet on the average of once a week.
In Brighton there is a senior post of ten Jewish boy
scouts meeting at Temple B’nai Moshe. These boys meet once a
week.
In Brookline, at Temple Israel, there is a senior post
to which six Jewish boys of high school age belong. At Temple
Ohabei Shalom there Is a senior post of ten boys meeting once
a week. At Temple Kehillath Israel there is no senior post,
but in the troop there are about six boys of high school age.
The program of the boy scouts is that of learning wood-
craft, first aid, swimming, life saving, outdoor cooking, out-
door camping, signaling, map making, hiking, and citizenship.
The scouts have a system of graduating from one level such as
tenderfoot, to the first class scout, by passing certain
oal© j . ed vL•it.M'f.
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nold iJb *arfvt isbnu .ncJwelt 5
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idoaa-r
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B j^ocf ©eeriT .©riec!* Ian’S alq:
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6 0i o ini ; • ••; fcocf i-v lo . .; qc. i: 1 1 - • i
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I t^nimiwo T foi« dex.’ . <dlB*io
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69
requirements.
TABLE 22: NUMBER OF YOUTH AFFILIATED WITH BOY SCOUTSIN BROOKLINE, BRIGHTON, NEWTON
Organization Brookline Brighton Newton
Boy Scouts 22 10 30
UNAFFILIATED CLUBS:
There are in the communities of Brookline, Brighton and
Newton some twenty-one groups that do not belong to any larger
organization. There are about twelve boys’ groups and nine
girls' groups. Their program, in general, centers around
social and athletic activities. Some of the clubs have defined
aims to make friends and participate in sports. These groups
do not have any adult leaders. Their membership runs from ten
to fifty members per club.
A very close study of these groups was made by Miss15
Claire R. Adelson.
The writers did find that some of the groups have since
her study, gone out of existence, but there have been newly
created groups. In general, they have not changed the complex-
15. Claire R. Adelson, Teen-Age Groups; A Study of theUnaffiliated Jewish Clubs in Brookline, Brighton, and Newton .
Unpublished Master's Thesis, Boston University, School ofSocial Work, June, 1947.
. : 7U ll ' VI
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ion or type of group activity of these unaffiliated clubs.
The total membership of the girls approximated two hundred and
that of the boys approximated a little under four hundred mem-
bers.
UNITED JEWISH YOUTH COUNCIL :
A United Jewish Youth Council serves the Jewish high
school youth of Greater Boston under an extension program of
the Jewish Welfare Board, serving New England and Metropolitan
Boston. This council is made up of two representatives from
various Jewish youth groups in Greater Boston. Thus, the
house councils of the various Jewish Community Centers send two
representatives; various unaffiliated clubs send two represen-
tatives; the different temple groups and such organizational
groups as AZA and Young Judaea which have their own Boston
Councils, send two representatives from these councils to the
United Jewish Youth Council. Thus, there is no direct repre-
sentation of Brookline, Brighton, and Newton from the organized
groups of AZA, BBG, and Young Judaea. However, some temples
in the tri-community area can have direct representation on the
council, since temple groups belong as individual groups. There
has been very little affiliation with this United Jewish Youth
Council from those groups that are "unaffiliated".
The council has a professional worker. The aim is to co-
ordinate all Jewish youth activities, and its programming is
built around sports and general educational conferences.
r ©fe©£tt lo v^iviJO/8 qjjois 'to t>q^ *10 n
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TABLE 23: EXTENT OF GROUP AND AGENCY AFFILIATION OFBOYS STUDIED IN BROOKLINE, BRIGHTON,
AND NEWTON
No. of Groups orAgencies Partici-pated in
Brookline Brighton Newton
0 5 0 01 13 8 42 19 12 103 9 4 44 10 0 4
SUMMARY :
From Table 23 it can be seen that the boys in all three
communities participate in greater numbers in at least two of
the groups or agencies. The two agencies which had the great-
est percentage of participation, for the boys, were in the
Brookline community. They were— a fraternity and the Jewish
Community Center in Brookline.
Of the boys in Brighton, the two groups or agencies most
actively participated in were the Jewish Community Center in
Brookline and Young Judaea.
According to the sample of the youth studied, the boys in
Newton were, for the most part, actively engaged in a frater-
nity and a Young Judaea club. Howeveiy. the actual membership
of the existing groups does not support the sampling. The
membership of the fraternity and temple groups tends to be
larger than the fraternity and Young Judaea memberships. This
difference may be due to the difference, b^ the temple groups
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a al ba^a^na ^ eriS ioi .
.js q i '•’’ -'1 • •• '•
d ci ata ri aqio'ifc !<’ ra* a U q* *!•*»•*
and by Young Judaea, in the methods of recording membership
TABLE 24s EXTENT OF GROUP AND AGENCY AFFILIATION OFGIRLS STUDIED IN BROOKLINE, BRIGHTON i
AND NEWTON
No. of Groups orAgencies Partici-pated in
Brookline Brighton Newton
0 8 0 31 20 8 102 16 6 123 2 4 44 4 0 1
From Table 24 the indications are that the Brookline
girls are members of at least one group and many others are
members of two groups • The groups which had the higher per-
centages of membership from the sampling were: first, the
sororities; and, second. Young Judaea.
The Brighton girls are not clearly classified as be-
longing to only one or to two groups. The two groups that
had the largest portion of these girls were sororities and
loung Judaea.
In Newton the majority of the girls indicated affilia-
tion with two groups. They were the sororities and the B’nai
B’ rith Girls.
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TABLE 25: GROUP AND AGENCY MEMBERSHIPS OF HIGH• SCHOOL YOUTH IN BROOKLINE
BRIGHTON AND NEWTON
Group of Agency Brookline BrightorL Nfewton
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AZA Boys 14 20BBG Girls 25 40Young Judaea Boys 20 12Young Judaea Girls 20 20 15Young Judaea Co-ed 12 29Boy Scouts 15 12 17Girl Scouts 25 5 3 ?Temple Groups Co-ed 85 35 55 70 55 35 60 G 'jm
Jewish Com. Ctr. Boys 30Jewish Com. Ctr. Co-ed 15W. Newton Com. Ctr. Gym
Fraternities 211 65 21Sororities 105 25 55Individual Memberships *200 15
^Athletic memberships only
CHAPTER VII
UNMET LEISURE TIME NEEDS
Have these youth completely satisfied their recreational
needs? The authors felt that the answer to this question
would indicate whether or not these boys and girls had any
unmet recreational needs. To this end, it was decided to ask
each youth to name the things he would like to do more than
he did, either those things which he did not do at all, or
those that he did to some extent but not enough. (See ques-
tion #15 in the Individual Questionnaire in the Appendix,
page 103.) The purpose of this question was to show not only
youth's preferences in his leisure time activities, but also
to show what he believed to be his unmet needs. An examina-
tion of Tables 26 and 27 will show that about fifty per cent
of the boys and nearly thirty per cent of the girls noted that
they wanted more athletics, sports, and other physical or out-
door activities than they were able to get. About twenty per
cent of the boys and nearly twenty-five per cent of the girls
wanted more cultural opportunities for the enrichment of their
leisure hours. Almost one- third of the boys and girls felt
that they needed more social pleasures than they were having.
Specifically, the boys wanted more organized athletics, more
swimming, dates, parties, and dancing; while the girls wanted
more horseback riding, more swimming, tennis, bowling, concerts
*
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dancing, and dates.
Some of the activities near the top in Tables 26 and 27
are already fairly widely enjoyed as leisure time activities
of these youth. These are basketball, baseball, and football
among the boys; and parties, dates, and dancing among the
girls. It seems that youth seldom gets enough of these acti-
vities. A further study of these tables will reveal the ab-
sence of the quiet, inexpensive pastimes that tend to be with-
in reach, time permitting, of any who desire them, e.g. lis-
tening to the radio, walking, telephoning.
It might also be noted that the youth in Brookline tend-
ed to have a wider range of activities to be satisfied than
did the youth in Brighton and Newton. Here to, one can note
the greater number of activities of an individual nature than
of a group or social character.
Further, one finds that the range of the activities de-
sired by any considerable number is very narrow. Does this
suggest an apathy or complete helplessness in the way that
leisure time might be spent? Another striking point is the
comparative lack of interest among these youth in the arts,
even at the basic arts and crafts level. It seems that these
boys and girls have had little experience with creative acti-
vity at any level and that they show no signs at all of reach-
ing out for more.
Does the fact that about ten per cent of the boys and
. * 1 - • . •! v.
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TABLE 26: FIRST CHOICE OF RECREATIONALACTIVITIES OF 102 BOYS
Brookline Brighton NewtonActivity Number Activity Number Activity Number
Basketball 6 Parties 3 Dates 4Baseball 6 Dates 3 Swimming 3Football 5 Baseball 3 Dane ing 3Hockey 3 Basketball 2 Baseball 2Swimming 3 Bowling 2 Basketball 2Parties 3 Boating 1 Reading 2Hobby 3 Hobby 1 Hobby 2Dates 3 Auto Riding 1 Concerts 1Reading 3 Reading 1 Boating 1Temple 2 Swimming 1 No first choice 3Horseback Riding 2 Temple 1Bowling 2 No first choice 4Boating 2Dane ing 2Wrestling 1Study 1Chess 1Photography 1Extra-Curricular
activity atschool 1
No first choice 6
fifteen per cent of the girls could think of no leisure acti-
vities in which they would like to engage. mean that there is
no need for additional recreational facilities in Brookline,
Brighton, and Newton? An examination of Table 28 will show
that the majority of these youth firmly believe that this area
does need additional recreational facilities, that it has a
dearth of recreational resources. But it also shows that a
significant percentage feels that no additional facilities
are necessary. Also, it should be noted that this latter
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TABLE 27: FIRST CHOICE OF RECREATIONALACTIVITIES OF 98 GIRLS
BrooklineActivity Number
BrightonActivity Number
NewtonActivity Number
Horseback Riding 6 Bowling 3 Concerts 4
Swimming 6 Tennis 2 Horseback Riding 3
Tennis 5 Dane ing 2 Tennis 3
Bowling 4 Ice Skating 1 Dates 3
Dancing 4 Photography 1 Bowling 2
Concerts 4 Writing 1 Reading 2
Dates 3 Sleeping 1 Dane ing 2
Temple 2 Horseback Riding 1 Parties 2
Art 1 Temple 1 Boating 1
Outdoor Sports 1 Study 1 Temple 1
Movies 1 Concerts 1 Writing 1
Basketball 1 No first choice 3 Swimming 5
Bicycling 1 No first choice 5
Ping Pong 1Ice Skating 1Gardening 1No first choice 8
percentage is composed almost entirely of girls, most of whom
live in Brookline and Newton. The boys and girls of Brighton
almost unanimously agreed that addition recreational facilitie;
were necessary.
TABLE 28: EXTENT TO WHICH SAMPLE THOUGHTADDITIONAL RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE
NEEDED
Brookline Brighton NewtonNeeded Total Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls
Yes 157 47 33 22 16 19 20No 43 9 17 1 2 4 10
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Whether this situation is due to the fact that Brighton is a
part of Boston and Brookline and Newton are communities in
their own Bight, the authors are in no position to say. The
reasons for the negative replies among the girls in all areas
tended towards similarity — "I think there are sufficient
facilities for all sorts of activities". This was also the
reason given by the boys who felt that no additional recrea-
tional facilities were needed.
Generally speaking, youth chooses to make the best of
whatever a community has to offer him. As was noted in a
previous chapter, most of the activities in which these ;youth
participate are individual in character, but most of the youth
participate in activities mh ich are group or social in nature.
This point was again emphasized in Tables 26 and 27 when most
of the youth noted that they would like to participate more
than previously in activities of a group or social nature.
This situation is further pointed up by the degree of
participation of these youth in group life. That many of these
youth maintain membership in several groups, each perhaps
differing somewhet in its objectives, can be seen in an exam-
ination of Tables 23 and 24. However, one cannot help but
wonder whether or not the data in these tables indicates that
there is a need for groups than be organized so as not to be
threatening or antagonizing to the existing attitudes towards
groups which have an affiliation and an adult leader or that
I ; .g j n |
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the existing groups must he approached in such a manner that
the *outh who do and who do not already belong can find greater
satisfaction in their group life.
The members of already existing groups, whether affilia-
ted or unaffiliated, eap ressed their group (club) needs in
terms of better m eting space, more gym space, better organi-
zation, more order, and more social activity. More specifically,
the need for better o rganization and more order was felt more
acutely in the unaffiliated groups. The affiliated groups,
on the other hand, though their club needs were not as pro-
nounced as those of the unaffiliated groups, mentioned quite
frequently the need for more social activity.
Table 29 lists the recreational facilities which these
youth feel are needed in the Brookline, Brighton, and Newton
area. The fact that most of these facilities tend to be direc-
ted primarily towards activities that are group or social
in nature is further evidence in support of the statement that
most of these youth prefer to participate in activities of a
group or social nature.
An examination of Table 29 shows that these youth would
like to see their community add more athletic fields, more
community centers, more shimming pools, more gymnasia, and
more organized social and athletic activities, among others,
to its recreational program. Further, it can also be noted that
the majority of t ese facilities tend to favor group activity.
'
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• • al
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7 ri‘,03 0:*.i * V' 8 -M - * 1 • ll • ;T
TABLE 29: RECREATIONAL NEEDS OF AREA AS STATEDBY YOUTH" BELIEVE ING SUCH NEEDS EXIST
MALE
Suggested Need Brookline Brighton
—Newton
Athletic Fields 30 7 3Community Centers 15 13 10Gymnasia 9 5 3Organized Athletics 7 4 4Swimming Pool 4 3 4Others 3 2 2
FEMALECommunity Centers 19 12 13Organized Social
Activities 10 6 7Swimming Pool 4 2 3Others 2 1 2
Youth seems to be tired of spending his leisure time
alone. He wants more group activity. He wants "a hang out
for kids", "more chances to get together", "a place for dancing,
sports, and for meeting new people", "better outdoor play-
grounds for people over 14", "more football fields and base-
ball diamonds", "more organized sports", among others.
An examination of the tables in this chapter will further
reveal the lack of any needs, on the part of these youth, con-
cerned with their Jewishness. Does this mean that these youth
believe that such needs are adequately satisfied in so far as
they, as individuals, are concerned? Or does it signify that
these boys and girls have little regard for or little under-
standing of their needs arising from their status as Jews?
dJAM
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'
The answers to these questions are not within the scope of this
study. However, the authors feel that this situation should
not be overlooked in the consideration of the unmet leisure
time needs of these youth.
n7C9l: U J ol'-.rJ-JT $C:i 6*15 \ 1)69Ip 6 d Orf 8*11'Wfl
aol^*i 0 .tie alriJ tfarW IssV •a'lcriJi/a driJ % icn . if*B
.
-
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.
CHAPTER VIII
FACTORS AFFECTING PARTICIPATION INLEISURE TIME ACTIVITY
The selecting by individuals of the type of activity in
which they will participate during their leisure time is in-
deed an interesting study; but, it does not fit into the scope
of this writing. Yet, the writers cannot put aside some of
the facts that come up in this writing.
The attitudes of the youths studied were expressed in
answers to questions number 23 and 24 on page 104 in the
appendix. The resulting feelings were expressed.
ATTITUDES TOWARD AFFILIATION :
The writers consider affiliated groups to be those groups
that belong to an over-all organization like the Jewish Com-
munity Center of the B*nai B’rith. The unaffiliated groups
will be considered to be those groups that do not belong to
such a larger body or organization.
The girls who belong to affiliated groups find It of
advantage to have their group affiliated because: (1) they (the
girls) could meet more people, for they felt that the size of
their organization presented opportunities to meet more people;
(2) they felt that the program would be more successful as
well as more attractive; (3) they would be able to obtain
adult aid and support in overcoming their problems ahd develop-
ing their plans; and (4) they could belong to something big
p
koitj iro t x i-c .zt • 'A'i
<.•0.- :-
Lfi o lc e< d iv •; .> ela .1 4ii ; i. j -.a
:
«' ’•
• ••
. £ • i . c\ i i- t> i , '•.aljo/i3 *
ac boa i *> : jJa *.aol- i>. > od «‘ 9 ana
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:n ?
... • , v £• ; 1*'*
j .t , l.
’f 1
od iolei dor. of •? i- a >oa lbo J » • be - 9Jtl» o d X :
. .
•
-.eajjao :
• 'wo-i* £ rfJ wari od e -m /.on !
dl 1 ol rot c d • o (alslaj
: a 7 )•?
Xjj* eooxis < _o .o uv y --t (S’
>1 < v o (£> ;e - ®io sb j I©.;
.j jr. da .)
=U=
and could Identify themselves with the reputation and size of
the organization.
These girls believed that there was no disadvantages in
affiliation. The fact that the disadvantages of affiliation
were not listed seemed to indicate at least that the girls
felt them to be of a minimum nature. There did not appear to
be any fear of being controlled or of losing any autonomy, as
was emphasized by the unaffiliated groups.
The affiliated boys favored affiliation because they felt:
(1) that the program would be better organized and that they
would have help in carrying it out; (2) that better facilities
would be available; and (3) that inter-group affairs made for
exchange of ideas and a sense of belonging to something big
and not being alone. The boys, however, felt that there were
some disadvantages. They felt that from the ’’head office"
there was a "butting in" on club affairs, in the sense that
certain plans were pushed on them against their will. They
felt that a large organization presented "red tape" which
seemed to be confusing. These disadvantages are in contrast
to the unexpressed disadvantages of the affiliated girls; but
it is understandable in the light that the males may resent
any of the authoritative aspects more than the females— espe-
cially when there is a difference in the area of values re-
garding advantages of affiliation. The girls strongly bring
out the social aspect, that of meeting more people, while the
.
.
to a»s*3 b od* Jarfcf soaT: ©ifT .rroXJai. [ITU
.
-a t y4 * -i
v > j,v S t M b.0?.i: i e?',io . r.) a a j-o.* jt •*• ^ Q£x-
- •. •.
•
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' "• -
•tol a-*J v i - -r»:
•: •- • > » • ... - ’ -• '•
©tew &ied3 Jsxtf ,«**vewofi ,e^otf ®rfT .axiolr;
. : i'.I'Ir Cfx/IO
era i j^b &»m nc bvdaan ->12 sn<I ec.tso
fj'
(j‘ :V [
•' ' '
'r< 1 : l
h >1^0 0 ni ere a asse^ru/baalb ar.arfX
•i.-cf ; f'i. ait *H- co lavfcsaio • > a-- rsau --
f •:!
.n &ri j - t 7 XI ‘ 1 » ^ ^ liu J
>1 j i . -14 i i i:3neaea e \i'
‘- 0
.
to t ^o&qaa Islooa <M1“
84
boys are more interested in how they can benefit in terms of a
better club program.
The unaffiliated girls thought that the advantages of
affiliation would be few. They felt that affiliation would
enable them to meet other people and to know what other groups
were doing so as to be aided in their programming. This coin-
cides with what the affiliated girls expressed as the chief
advantages.
The unaffiliated girls limited their feelings as to the
disadvantages of affiliation to the following: (1) that the
main office would limit and boss their activities and keep
them (the activities) within a narrow pattern; and (2) that
the constituent groups would be obligated to provide funds for
the mother organization; that is, annual dues. This was felt
not so much in the fund-raising area since most of the unaffi-
liated groups gave more money to various fund drives than did
the affiliated groups.
The unaffiliated boys expressed the same ideas as to
the values of affiliation as did the already affiliated boys.
They felt thst they would have a better organized athletic
program with better facilities. They commented that they
would also get a wider range of activities and get more
accomolished.
The unaffiliated boys did bring out their feelings about
the disadvantages of affiliation. They felt that their pro-
gram would be dominated and that their activities would be
rtdiw nt bold r.aw r. .ballcrxdno© tX&*a** e?lup
$(j . tsof, ooerfd darid bac "booda'i© u ><* do; b.Caow \©rfd d~nd
• saw dflenuaoo 'i^.i
ueM odd ©tfil ton bib x*d3 darfd ban kbioadoes-non **iew ,qi'0*g
©Ida ©cf don &fistat abaeJbx* riaJtw;’ ilerfd 1© ©moa darfd
,t- > n .»•- v’
: -r • • :
ix
yr r , Jbadaloq ed xam dl ,no Ljzlli rixi-. .• Od
Jta n 003 be da IIII
>v•;-
, ,6*- ed Ci .. a 10.vi<- «* id '
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od frrb.? >c i' •'!. >u -v *>' i : o i oi oa ^
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b od bl©ii bna beaaod 1 ©Isos
;adnavb‘ a.ob * sis *03 Id e od
. a i a Id „ i > ole 7
dadd anl«m©*i dea l'
* «be£*ldait acf don xbbi
1 elo-x f ; •
‘ J -tx "; : - ,JV -• ; *} :>84f *
,n< ldc . loldK on xo noldool&'i
ATTITUDES TOWARD LEADERSHIP:
It appears from the questionnaires answered that the
type of the answer given depended upon the grouping from which
the person came. As an example, the clubs that do not have an
adult leader are not affiliated; those that are affiliated,
do have an adult 1 eader. This, however, is not necessarily
by choice. Those groups that have leaders feel that the
leaders are of value to the group on meeting the goals and en-
riching the programs of the group. These groups feel that
they will not be restricted or limited by their leaders.
Another factor Is that the affiliated groups feel freer to
meet in temple halls and other meeting places associated with
Jewish activities; whereas the groups that do not have an
affiliation with a national organization limit their meeting
places to individual homes, which are limited in facilities.
These unaffiliated groups tend to guard closely their right
of independence so that they invariably will not meet in
temple halls or the Jewish Community Center. The strong feel-
ings by the unaffiliated groups of being restricted and limited
if they had a leader is balanced by the feelings of the groups
with a leader that their club would fall apart if they did not
have a leader present. This attitude is not limited to any
part of the areas studied; rather, its existence is dependent
upon the group to which the individual belongs.
•belloidnoo y£*’ - tup
V i BriJ .t "bnOs . u 3 ' b.j I l \.C : 3 *
• saw iaemi,
f *j ., :
- d •ix-.Cc • ,
0 . : Aa oc:i „ •»/ .tra ehn:>J:it iLv/w • **/»• . »>W to ©mo* deXd
,b©J. .i. 6*r w.
:l i cSnl >o
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.
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:> bodaloq ©d xam d - * l iii'it* od
fcdflOiJfleu e*w gi/ci* oi .Xcscra or ©ilannc J Xa&t/p dd nl
: q. *: ~ -W’- ** ©rid
• .V jJ ; 013 f ©3 : J : • -i it ..-j
-
i i t. 0 i d
uJ. no< id nJt r :ti* .?•*.»' ifeivo* e< . di > darioldaloi
©e nas il • aojj'saei Ilacfjer* IIsddoo!i ^nisnolod
-2 rs Jto/ 3-c >rf; T. f .0 d c c - c ' t:?dd b» . 3 or.
3ll. Od I tP»*33 Oi t' IS '
fM/ ‘*fLP V.h J I ii.8fo i »ol OD • TH ti XI
a od bXsii baa bwaaod anled Xo sebl elri .aaJtdlvXdoa alaoe
« r.
>t. oic v
1• iC
' *'!*» [Jj«3 l« .
' t! ••a Hfdj • * dfl -d. 78 t'. «X_
dadd anlaaioi dc* i
odd nl oioi *il :• f .• I „ j k v* 3 j -j .' 1x8 . of> .: • •d,-. oeoifj
; ,r . . :
'•
'
*i o :2 J j >Ic -.
86
ATTITUDES TOWARD LEADERSHIP :
It appears from the questionnaires answered that the
type of the answer given depended upon the grouping from which
the person came. As an example, the clubs that do not have an
adult leader are not affiliated; those that are affiliated,
do have an adult 1 eader. This, however, is not necessarily
by choice. Those groups that have leaders feel that the
leaders are of value to the group on meeting the goals and en-
riching the programs of the group. These groups feel that*
they will not be restricted or limited by their leaders.
Another factor is that the affiliated groups feel freer to
meet in temple halls and other meeting places associated with
Jewish activities; whereas the groups that do not have an
affiliation with a national organization limit their meeting
places to individual homes, which are limited in facilities.
These unaffiliated groups tend to guard closely their right
of independence so that they invariably will not meet in
temple halls or the Jewish Community Center. The strong feel-
ings by the unaffiliated groups of being restricted and limited
If they had a leader is balanced by the feelings of the groups
with a leader that their club would fall apart if they did not
have a leader present. This attitude is not limited to any
part of the areas studied; rather, its existence is dependent
upon the group to which the individual belongs.
M j v* u. :.* ii n icJl. r*-! &rtn « I .
i i: 'I *’ J '
' -
loen , <• • L J£ub& ob avail oft
• • -li:lo vd
- r .1 ;c r '. C’ • c - ' ^ i#I
- . .:
ftfi IJ 3 To T: a d
.. . . : -..it: . J 1 ‘*
.
i' - - ' ." • 0
-loot sno'^3 *dt *15
Iuo .3 ed* ‘to 8 at' l ' \ ft* ‘ on Xso R i t ** bA - r
.
FACTOR OF MEETING SPACE :
A factor which might be limiting, in so far as meeting
space is concerned, could be the fact that temple space might
not be available to groups that do not have any religious re-
strictions. Some groups had no religious restrictions and
their meeting in a religious setting might be a real handicap.
Another factor is that the temples and the Jewish Com-
munity Center are not open on Friday night, a night on which
a number of groups meet. The element of the clubroom meeting
space in a temple with no facilities, except for singing and
dancing, again will determine the activities of the groups
whether affiliated or unaffiliated.
Since many of the adult activities and meetings take
place in the Jewish Community Center and the temples, the com-
petition that exists for the better meeting rooms is clearly
indicated. In many cases, groups are limited to meeting in
classrooms of the Hebrew schools. This again creates a re-
strictive atmosphere and also limits physical participation.
The reason that the Jewish Community Center in Brookline
was not used more extensively for club meetings, as expressed
by the youth, was due to the fact that there was "too much
noise"
.
FACTORS OF BELONGING :
Organizations affecting the leisure of youth are of two
generally recognized kinds, the kind that has for its purpose
: _ ^ . < : V 3A r»i
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jjiocncirl o eri-f to ctasaei- • iaum a >;
Ji ..0‘ i> ' - ' *' - ''•b
. ..t-;. I . a: . -ui.t
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i . jloo't.l I *i z>3a >0 Jlam: '•) . u t. ;• ^
.
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,
.
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1 o
the provision of something to do in leisure hours, like a
social or athletic club and the kind serving some other end,
such as informal education or civic betterment.
Even including both types of organizations described in
the preceding paragraph, a majority of this area’s youth lack
a feeling of being satisfied in their activities.
"Belong to" an organization may mean a very tenuous con-
nection. The extent to which club activities actually enter
into the leisure time programs is another matter.
How many of the sampling belonged to clubs, attended
meetings, and with what regularity?
Only with the provision of group recreation and leisure
time activities on a community or neighborhood basis, as all-
inclusive as the provision of public education, is it likely
that the needs of this group can be met.
Clubs whose activities are solely social are favorites
with both boys and girls. Nothing approaches them in popula-
rity though many boys belong to an athletic club and many are
members of clubs combining athletic and social functions.
Few girls belong to clubs specializing in sports or athletics
even when such clubs have social features also as an important
part of their activities.
Clubs and other organizations sponsored by civic and
religious bodies appear to be at least as important for girls
as private clubs, though ranking second with boys.
,• o- v :,vo't( • j
.ni cxxl.i edJ i 3 did olXeldda no Xaiooe
. n »cf o, v j • \ * O',
al £n>d. -;o- b CxioX \i. „ to lo e >cr ^ riiod Li i ,1a nevl
tfoel iiL' J;
3’ U 3 zi.-l dine t • t BO -'.i ‘?©1f »
,8oXdlvJttf3* ni. :
- > ejjo> fi or . *v ; na il*; ^sra riojtdfis- fia oJ $aoXe&"
r j b^anoled sallgmae
n^,i instu » x
*. f4
;; 1 1 r 'xia . ? ; ni J o t r
c.. ; jr
'' -•
< :;;£• - no * i > IrfJ v . .0
.
. .. . r o - n ' c» )“.! 3add
bo^Ioovb* ana Xalor e \I- £oa ^na aeXJXv. doa oec * sduX 1
-aXi^oq xxJt tmdd Bedoaonqqe s iJWdoH • :? &oa a\ocf ddod ittlw
, ^• r.-rj flfjjX o f.*ids .-1 b £13 oi noj i V*- - ' i_-
.
. . .( • ti -. n . -ft3 J'l
olvlo *cd b^noecoqe cno d :i* to a < J •£* * ii lf
_ r- do . e-i Uae.. c. < >c - c «f .." 'Xan
./ ioo .*. - t; . - » . ri'T' .
-
In the areas studied it was apparent that boys and girls
maintained prestige according to the group to which they be-
longed; as often is the case, the more exclusive the group, the
higher was the prestige of the group. This tended to be true
of those .youth who were members of these groups. It might be
inter sting to note that some of the groups were exclusive
along religious lines, while others did not want any Jewish
content in their groups. The groups like Young Judaea and
AZA, which at one time were not all acceptable to the ^outh
of this area, have recently increased in size and in prestige.
It was also found that the youths of the private, or
often referred to as unaffiliated, groups had an average length
of membership with their respective clubs much higher than the
youths belonging to affiliated groups. This element holds
ture the fact that mahy of the youths join these urivate clubs
when either freshmen or sophomores in high school and maintain
their affiliation because they do have most of their friends
belonging to these groups. On the other hand, the youths in
the affiliated groups belong to their respective groups for a
short span of time. Could this be due to the lack of tradition
thet is common in the private groups? Some .of the unaffiliated
groups are as old as fifteen years, while the affiliated groups,
for the most part, are comparatively young in age of existence.
The oldest is about five years.
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*
•j‘
: »i r; tr. ; .o: •. C . .. dt 31 > Ott<i KOlr iJt.-£ T . '.Icf
drier «bnjari *xsrito . — : gaoled
o T. y . v i *>j ;t : - X r ’ - • t ! • J
f at jtirt' ~ orftf to «j or, Teevox davtnq n.j n.; oo ct a *
; £ •ti« orit olJtxlw ,«w,
1 - •- •?
i• •- '•• •
• *' * ' V l0t|
,j»: v Bi
Some of the affiliated groups now have junior divisions
which will be, in the near future, a source for members for
the senior divisions. This will tend to create a high school
population more active in the affiliated groups than the high
school population of today. The unaffiliated groups will, in
turn, move into the sphere of influence of those affiliated
youth groups. This will further affect the present attitudes
towards adult leadership, affiliation, programming, and even
cultural or educational interests.
v tb I rt t J ic l: 3 3 il » - 1
oiuot
XooriSB dsl4 « « )JM» ox Xk»J XXXw -i •' ’
.
CHAPTER IX
CONCLUSIONS
This study of the leisure time activities, as well as
of the unmet leisure time needs, of two hundred Jewish high
school boys and girls residing in Brookline, Brighton, and
Newton is not an all-inclusive one; rather, it may be con-
sidered as a preliminary survey of existing conditions. The
community generally has little or no idea of the facilities or
the lack of facilities which are offered to these youth. A
complete understanding of recreation is limited to a very
small segment of the populace, and little effort is being made
to "sell" to the community the inherent value of wholesome
leisure time activity. Further, while it can be pointed out
that the activities of these youth are given little thought
and consideration, it can also be noted that there is only a
very small influence exerted by the various youth-serving
agencies in this area as regards community-planned recreation.
This should not be construed as a condemnation of these
agencies; rather, it should be considered merely as a state-
ment to show the necessity for educating the community as to
the use of leisure time.
In spite of all that this area has to offer—its many
cultural advantages, its expanding and improving public re-
creation program—the Jewish high school ^outh tend to spend
xi h. e<wo
i; lliOXU >
^ ^ ml? ,~L’n u ot ; i. 8-.*.iT
.bi. J . iSabawc. o vet lb t 2bcea .M 'j enu elel +«i ^rfi ic
av • -.
.exfoldlbnoo jgiildalx® 1o ^®v q 88 be^eMi
ii?t : :.?- . M Oil T.< .
r - •?;.' e ••>.f .» % \: : L'
• ••
. : o r dX£j
/i \ ot b dlmll no da 9*103*1 ic s,<tl /i >bciu 1 leaoo
.
•':
.•’ :; . V > ; ZifRl O i
d ;' aev 1 i #jjo\ >e let ~~ 3oj '
, 7l3oc odd ir. d
a ^Ino el •ledd daxU badon s>d oela xib ii3*xabieii0O Chxa
.
;/naoo abi**-,, a ni ; aga
us d . x.Oxiae . \ct> p. o :• >de oc- >; ..• 1 •:. i cl T
- * «» J ..’
•. "! Vi2 bceobjtfiflo© ocf Jbluods di •' OH
vi ci -31 i ^flldaot/D *xoi *r: 1 oxfu >1 , cart
;rp-.r rdi—e : i-, c.^rf b?ti td adJ 1 . : :•: ,
-?:• '‘ q gnlvoiqial bn/i gxilbrrjscpio edl t e ogadaavba IsiuilffO
•. •
: ;•-*-.• -
?>
•;r
'•* v ~. ?.?}>: w odd
their leisure time in a narrow sphere of activities--football
baseball, and basketball are popular with most of the boys;
dancing and dating are participated in by most of the girls;
and reading, swimming, and attending moving pictures rank
high with the majority of both sexes. The activities that
were individual in nature outnumbered those that were group
in character, but the majority of the youth tended to partici
pate more frequently in activities that were group or social
in nature.
Though the public recreational program is expanding, it
is still unable to meet the needs of the community's youth.
The acreage of playground space can be increased; and the
needs for more and adequate athletic fields as well as some
outdoor swimming pools are outstanding in their absence.
Though most of these youth belonged to some sort of a
private group or club, very few of them maintained active
membership, let alone passive membership, in a group work
agency. The Jewish Community Center on 310 Harvard Street in
Brookline is the only group work agency serving the Jewish
youth of this area. The national Jewish youth organizations
and the synagogues and temples have not attracted too many of
these boys and girls, but there appears to be indications for
increased membership and acceptance in this direction. It
must be noted, also, that many of these memberships are over-
lapping, i.e., an individual may maintain membership in more
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than one of these groups at the same time. Most of these
youth belonged to some unaffiliated group or club. It was
also notable that the majority of this group did not tend to
have active membership in any of the above units. Both the
unaffiliated boys and girls clubs showed no results of the
influence of the group work agency or of the other youth
serving groups in so far as programming and leadership was
concerned. These groups felt that their clubs would be im-
proved considerably if they had better programs and stronger
leadership, but their lack of understanding or their misunder-
standing, of affiliation appears to have created a fear or
distrust towards such an arrangement, in so far as indepen-
dence of activity is concerned, that these youth are content
to continue in the same pathways ad did their alumni. Further,
it can be noted that these youth as a whole had little to do
with the arts, either as a producer or as a consumer. The
opportunities offered for the enjoyment of these interests are
numerous, but they fail to attract these youth.
On the basis of the wants expressed in this study, about
fifty per cent of the boys and almost thirty per cent of the
girls of this area want more athletics, sports, and other
physical or outdoor activities than they are able to get.
Nearly twenty per cent of the boys and about twenty-five per
cent of the girls wanted more cultural opportunities for the
enrichment of their leisure hours. Almost one-third of the
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boys and girls felt that they needed more social pleasures
than they were having. It was also quite noticeable that
very few of these youth expressed a desire for more exposure
to things Jewish. Yet, on the other hand, it must be pointed
out that there appears to be a trend towards increased
participation in groups that are concerned with the develop-
ment of a positive attitude towards things Jewish.
This situation must be encompassed in from 4.0-4.
5
hours of free time during the weekdays and from 6.0-12.5 hours
per day on the week-ends for the boys and from 3. 5-4.0 hours
during weekdays and from 5.5-11.5 hours per day on week-end
days for the girls.
This is the leisure time picture of the Jewish high
school youth in Brookline, Brighton, and Newton.
Probably the most significant revelation that has come
out of this study is the need, and the demand, for various
types of social recreation. If these needs and demands are
to be met, a further development of the leisure time resources
of the general and of the Jewish community is called for.
However, as this study is concerned with the leisure time
activities of the Jewish high school youth of Brookline,
Brighton, and Newton, the conclusions and recommendations
resulting from this study shall be concerned only with their
relationship to the Jewish community of this area.
The boys and girls of this area need more athletic fields.
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more swimming pools, more organized athletics, end they need
them in the different sections of this area, if they are to
have their need for physical activity more adequately satis-
fied. They need more exposure to general and Jewish cultural
subjects:
The Jewish Center can bring wisdom andphysic health and a feeling of significantbelongingness to hundreds of thousands ofJews all over the country in the fieldsboth of recreation and of informal Jewisheducation. I see the Jewish Center, then,as a form of group therapy and a home ofgroup wisdom. I see the Jewish Center asan answer and antidote to the devastatingdepersonalization occuring in the heartsof so many of our young Jews and Jewesseswho feel that they belong nowhere and arecared for by no one.
The Jewish high school youth of this area needs some place to
go, something to do, as much as, if not more than, it needs
opportunity for athletics and organized play. The writers
feel that these boys and girls need an adequate Jewish com-
munity center where they can go for an evening’s diversion or
recreation or informal education. The existing Jewish Community
Center is inadequate as regards meeting the leisure time needs
of these youth. The Jewish high school youth, as all youth,
need a center that will offer the facilities for athletics,
16. Dr. Joshua L. Liebman, The American Jewish Adventure .
An Address, (New York, National Jewish Welfare Board, 1948),*
p. 14
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sports, games, organized social and athletic activities,
lounges, dances, meetings, and exposure to general and Jewish
cultural activities* These youth need such a center, and they
are ready for it. Many of these youth who are not center
members, as well as those who are, emphasized quite frequently
the need for "more recreational centers for the "teen-agers”,
"something like the Hecht House", "indoor tennis courts,
reputable places where kids can go to dance, gab, etc.", "a
place for dancing, sports, and meeting new people", "a youth
center", "a better Jewish Community Center", "a place where
we can dance, play basketball, and meet people", "a more active
Jewish Community Center", "places to go on week-end nights",
"more community houses", "a Y.M.H.A., a place to play ball, a
place to dance during leisure time, a regular recreation hall",
"a gym always at a member’s disposal". The youth do not say
these things disparagingly. Rather, they realize that the
facilities of the present center cannot meet their needs, and
consequently feel that something should be done to remedy this
situation. Thus, it may be said, that the solution partially
lies in the development of a center that will adequately meet
the needs of these youth as well as those of the other segments
of the Jewish population for:
The Jewish Center can and must serve . . .
as a place to which children and Jewishyouth and adults can come for a significantparticipation process in group life; wherethey can cease to be lonely, isolated
.
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individuals, and where they can achievethe dignity of interwoveness, thepossibilities of new ego status, andthrough recreation and informal Jewisheducation transform themselves fromminimal and marginal Jews into potentiallyvaluable creators of a new and richAmerican Jewish community life in thiscountry. The Jewish Center is an agency,in my judgment, of integration, personalitydevelopment, group healing; an instrumentfor the attainment of physical, recreationaland educational healthy mindedness asAmerican Jews. ^
Such a Center should be located in the area housing the
largest concentration of Jewish population. Further, this
building should then serve as the hub from which there can
radiate extension services in the various sections of this
area. This extension program should, if possible, have its
own staff, as well as building facilities, in the area it
serves. The existence of such a center does not preclude
the continued development of services rendered by the other
Jewish youth serving agencies. Rather, the authors feel that
a cooperative relationship should be maintained by these
agencies. These various agencies do have their roles in the
life of the community; however, the authors feel that the
services of these agencies should be co-ordinated by a local
council or through the Jewish Community Center. The programs
of these groups do not vary enough that they could not do this
kind of co-ordination and planning.
17. Ibid., p. 15
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Further, the writers feel that the development of youth
councils throughout this area would permit for the satisfac-
tion of the youths' needs more readily. The councils should
he composed of representatives of both the affiliated and un-
affillated groups and should be supervised more closely on
the local level, i.e., on the level of the area each council
serves.
For youth to take full advantage of such opportunities
as have beeh outlined above, and others similar in kind and
scope, the authors believe that these boys and girls need an
education that takes leisure seriously. The responsibility
for an adequate education rests upon the community and its
resources.
Approved,
Richard K. ConantDean
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APPENDIX
INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONNAIRE
Please answer ever) question carefully and quite frankly.
Your name is not requested; therefore, no one will know who
gives this information.
1. Age Sex School Grade
2. Where do you live? (Don’t give address, simply indicate
the street and town.)
3. Do you observe any Jewish customs in your home?Yes No (Check One)
If you do, could you tell me about them? Merely state
which ones you observe, e.g. Kashuruth, Holidays, Sabbath).
Do they mean anything to you? Yes No (Check One)If yes, what do they mean?
4.
Do you ever discuss Jewish things at home?Yes No (Check One)
If yes, what do you talk about?
What do they mean to YOU?
5.
What does your father do?
Are your parents active in any organizations in the
community? Yes No (Check One)
What are they?
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Do your parents ever go to synagogue or temple?Yes No (Check One)
Do you ever go with them? Yes No (Check One)
Do you ever go by yourself or with friends?Yes No (Check One)
If yes, do you like it? Yes No (Check One)What do you or don't you like about it?
Leisure time is defined as the time other than that spent
sleeping, eating, travelling to and from school, and in full-titime school attendance.
6. Approximately how many hours of leisure time do you have
on: Sun. Taes. Thurs. Sat.Mon. Wed. Fri.
7. Please list any extra-curricular activities at school in
which you participate during the school year.
8. Do you have a regular part-time job? Yes No (Circle One)
If yes, between what hours of the day (as 4-5 P.M.), do
you work on: Sun._< Tues. Thurs. Sat.Mon. Wed. Fri.
9. Do you attend: a daily Hebrew school(Check One) A Sunday School
Neither
If your answer is Neither , would you like to attend a
Hebrew or Sunday school now? Yes No (Check One)
If you attend either, or both, between what hours of the
day (as 4-6 P.M.), do you attend on:Sun. Tues. Thurs. Sat.Mon. Wed. Fri.
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101
10. Do you have regular duties helping around the house?Yes No (Check One)
If you answer is Yes , how many minutes or hours do they
take on; Sun. Tues. Thurs. Sat.Mon. Wed. Pri.
11. Between what hours of the day, exclusive of school hours,
(as 7-10 P.M.), do you usually do your homework on;Sun. Tues. Thurs. Sat.Mon. Wed. Fri.
12. To what organizations do you belong now? (Please check
those to which you beling, and list any others.)
Boy Scouts Y.M.C.A. AZAGirl Scouts Y.W.C.A. Young JudaeaFraternity Jewish Comm. OthersSorority Center
13. Below is a list of activities in which boys and girls
usually participate. Please check the list, putting an
MXM under the appropriate column. For instance, if you
go to a dance once a week or more, put an "X n under the
first column; if you go once every two or three weeks,
put an "X" under the second column; if you never go, or
go only seldom, then put an nX M under the third column.
Do the same with the other items. These activities should
be considered with their respective seasons, so please be
sure to mark every item . Do not skip any .
. Once Every SeldomOnce or more Two or Three orEvery Week Weeks Never
Dane ing~~ ~ ~
Moving PicituresSynagogue or Temple
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13 Once every SeldomOnce or more Two or Three orEvery Week Weeks Never
Dates~ ~
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House PartiesBowlingPing PongBaseball & SoftballSwimmingRoller SkatingIce SkatingBoatingHikingFootballAuto RidingHorseback RidingBicyclingReadingBasketballRunning (Track)CardsPicnicsChessCheckersGardeningChoirPhotographyFishingTennisWorking on a HobbyConcertsPlaying Musical
InstrumentTelephoningOthers
:
14. From the above list, copy the five (5) activities which
you enjoy most, by numbering them from 1-5 in the order
of your preference.1 . 2 . 3 .
15.
Please name the things you would like to do more than
you do, either those things which you do not do at all,
or those that you do to some extent but not enough.
16. Do you think additional recreational opportunities and-
programs are needed in the Brookline, Brighton, and
Newton area? Yes No (Check One)
If you answered Yes , what facilities do you think are
needed?
17. If you don't belong to a club, would you like to?Yes No (Check One)
If you are a member of a club, would you please answer the
following questions?
18. Name of Club.
19. How long have you been a member of this club? (Check One)Less than a year .
More than a year but less than two years .
Over two years .
20. Do most of your friends belong to the same club as you do?Yes No (Check One)
21. What do you regard as the purpose o f your club? Explain.
22.
List the things you think your club needs.
.
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23 .
24 .
25 .
26 .
27 .
104
-
Why do you think your club needs them if they do; if
they don’t, why not?
Does your club have an adult leader or advisor?Yes No (Check One)
Please list what you think are the advantages of having
an adult leader or advisor.
The disadvantages of an adult leader or advisor.
Is your club affiliated? (Belong to a larger group or
organization like the Jewish Community Center or Young
Judaea.) Yes No (Check One)
What do you think are the advantages of affiliation?
What are its di s advant age s
?
What do you enjoy in your club? Why?
Whst don’t you enjoy in your club? Why?
How do you think your club could be improved?
Do you think you have benefited from your club experience?
Yes No (Check One)
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If you answer i s Yes , how have you benefited?
Have you made any new and lasting friends through your
club associations? Yes No (Check One)
;
•
' '
.
.'5
*
106
QUESTIONNAIRE FOR CLUB PRESIDENTS AND/OR LEADERS
1. Where does your club have Its meetings—in members’ homes,
community centers, schools, temples?
Is there a definite scheduled date and time for these
meetings? Yes No (Check One)
If there is, on what day are these meetings held?
At what time do they usually begin? end?
2. How manj members does your club have?
What ere the requirements for membership?
Are there any limitations in membership as to:Number of members? Yes NoReligion? Yes NoOthers?
3. How much are your club dues? What are they used
for?
How much is the initiation fee, if any?
4. Does the club pay dues to a national organization?Yes No (Check One)
If it does, how must is it?
What services does it protide for the club?
5. Are there rules of conduct in your club?Yes No (Check One)
If so, are they written? understood? (Check One)
Do you have a constitution? Yes No (Check One)
.
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107
6. Are elections held at scheduled times? Yes Yes (CheckOne)
7. Elease list the activities in which the club participates?
8. Are the programs built around any special occasion?Yes No (Check One)
If so, what occasion (s)?
9. Does your club have an educational program?Yes No (Check One)
If so, please describe it.
Do you receive any magazine or club newspaper?Yes No (Check One)
What do you think of it?
Is it of any help to you? Yes No (Check One)
10. What kind of athletic program does your club have?
Do you participate in any organized leagues?Yes No (Check One)
If Yes , in what leagues?
If No, how is this program carried out?
11. Please list any of the town playgrounds used by your club.
How often do you use them?
Comments
:
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108
12. Doss your club run any dances? Yes No (Check One)
If Yes , how often are they held?
Where are they held?
Please list any other social activities in which your
club may participate. -
13. Please check those of the following that are parts of
your club program:Arts and Crafts Singing Music Dramatics
14. Does a special program committee do all the planning?Yes No (Check One)
Does the club as a whole do the planning?Yes No (Check One)
Is outside help in programming ever used?Yes No (Check One)
If Yes, who helps?
When does he help?
Why does help?
If no help is used, why?
15. Does the club provide for the giving, as a club, of
specified amounts to various organizations?Yes No (Check One)
If yes , please list the organizations to which your club
contributes and the reasons why.
If No, why?
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109
16. Has your club ever discussed or acted on any community,
national, or other social problem? Yes No (Check One)
If Yes , please describe.
17. Does your club have an emblem? Yes No (Check One)
18. Does your club have a leader or advisor?Yes No (Check One)
If Yes , state what you think are the advantages of having
a leader or advisor.
What do you thirk are the disadvantages ?
19.
Is your club affiliated? Yes No (Check One)
What do you think are the advantages of affiliation?
What are its disadvantages?
20.
Does your club belong to any council?Yes No (Check One)
If Yes, what is the purpose of the council?
21.
Does your club participate in any conclaves, conventions,
or other inter-group activities? Yes No (Check One)
22*. If you are the club president, how long have you held
this office? months.
.
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23. If you are the club leader or advisor, how long have you
lead the club? months.
Are you paid? not paid? (Check One)
24. How do you think the club can be improved?
—. 0 , ixc j./.s k&tJ
oJE> WO'
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOKS
1. Dimock, Hedley S., Rediscovering the Adolescent ,
(New York, Association Press, 1937)
2 • Lieberman, Joshua, Group Work Aims and Progres -
sive Education, New Trends in Group Work ,
(New York, Association Press, 1938)
3. Lies, Eugene T. , The New Leisure Challengesthe Schools , (New York, National RecreationAssociation, 1933)
4. Slavson, S.R., Recreation and the TotalPersonality, (New York, Association Press, 1946)
PERIODICALS
1. Cohen, Nathan E., "The Needs of Jewish Youth",Proceedings of the National Association ofJewish Center Workers, Atlantic City, 1948
REPORTS
1* U.S. National Recovery Administration, New YorkCommitte on the Use of Leisure Time ,
(New York, Van Rees Press, 1934)
2. Long Range Recreation Plan, Brookline, Mass ,
,
(New York, National Recreation Association, 1944
)
PAMPHLETS
1. National Jewish Welfare Board, Organization ofthe Jewish Community Center *
2. , The AmericanJewish Adventure, An Address by Dr. Joshua L.Elebman.
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UNPUBLISHED MATERIAL
1. General Study #3, Index of Social Need In 69Communitie s, Unpublished material preparedby Walter I. Wardwell for Greater BostonCommunity Survey, January, 1948
2, Study of Brighton Health and Welfare Area,June, 1944 , Greater Boston Community Council,(Unpublished material)
3. Syllabus Indoctrination Course BBYO YouthChairmen , Part I Purpose of BBYQ (Unpublished)
4, Adelson, Claire, R. , Teen-Age Groups; A Studyof the Unaffiliated Jewish Clubs in Brookline ,
Brighton, and Newton , Unpublished Master’sThesis, Boston University School of SocialWork, 1947
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