And How Did You Do at Hebrew School?

Stumbled on a correspondence exchange between Richard J. Lewis and David Bezmogis on the film, "Barney's Version" (here's a nice piece) that brought back memories:

Dear David,

Well apparently I am also not a Talmudist. I believe I was thinking of the practice of posing questions in order to merit religious and philosophical debate. I don’t know what that’s called. As far as I remember, I was either thrown out of or skipped almost everyone of my Hebrew school classes. I vehemently protested the idea of having to sit in another classroom after I had already endured a full day of real school. I may have acted out a bit. So what do I know?

Memories of Hebrew school.

I remember attending Hebrew school, the afternoon after-regular-school sessions we Jewish kids endured, to learn Hebrew, become acquainted with religious texts and, most of all, to prepare for the Bar Mitzva ceremony at 13.

I recall one year's experience very very vaguely before moving from the Bronx to Queens in April 1954.  But from 1954 until 1960, Mondays through Thursdays, from 3-4:30 thereabouts, I attended Hebrew school.  I can remember quite clearly Mr. Lazar and another teacher, alas, his name escapes me, who was tall and thin.

I think I did pretty well.  I was not bored nor did I think I was wasting my time.  I excelled at speedreading (we had competitions) and my Hebrew improved so that when I did switch to a Yeshiva high school, the pain was not that great.
I can understand some of the frustration and the feeling of "what do I need this for?" I heard from friends but in the 1950s, that was what every Jewish kid did.

^