RELIGION IN SCHOOLS

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28618, 21 June 1958, Page 4

RELIGION IN SCHOOLS

Unanimity At Conference “Although I have probably had a longer continuous connexion with schools than anyone else m New Zealand, I have never realised that there were so many religious sects,” said the chairman (Mr S. J. Irwin) reporting to the Canterbury Education Board on the recent conference in Wellington on religious education in schools. “You would have thought that the Minister of Education (Mr Skoglund) took a .great risk when he called representatives of so many sects together,” said Mr Irwin. “There was a wondeful degree of unanimity. I heard only one wish to eliminate religious education in schools and one request for alteration to the system—that was from a sect which wanted the elimination of the New Testament from instruction. All seemed desirous of continuing the type of instruction given and organised by the Council of Christian Education. “If it was possible for the Minister to seize the opportunity he had the psychological moment yesterday morning and could have legalised the giving, of religious lessons during school hours,’’ he said. Mr Irwin said it was very heartening to know that the stage had been passed where “sectarianism had the chance of rearing its head again.” Mr Irwin represented the New Zealand Education Boards’ Association at the conference.