Institutionalization of the High School Diploma in Eretz Israel, 1928-1935

Abstract

Matriculation exams and high school diplomas have been matters of public interest since the early 20th century. The process of issuing such diplomas in Mandatory Palestine began in 1928 and culminated in 1934 with their official recognition by the Hebrew University. The interplay between the Hebrew Academy and the educational system of the Jewish community under British rule reflects the difficulties of conceptual training wherever internal conflict and struggles between power centers prevail. The article discusses the Hebrew University’s recognition of the high school diploma and examines the first three mainstream high schools in Israel to provide a ‘Hebrew’ secondary education: the Herzliya Gymnasium in Tel Aviv-Jaffa (founded in 1905); the Hebrew Gymnasium (Rehavia) founded in Jerusalem (1909); and the Hebrew Reali School in Haifa (1913). I describe here the relationship between the directorship of the schools and that of the Hebrew University. The High School Supervisory Committee differentiated between vocational education, deemed incompatible with university studies and theoretical education indicative of broader more general knowledge which enables students to enroll in higher education in Israel and abroad. In the space of a single decade the uniform standards established for issuing high school diplomas doubled the number of graduates.