MORE OBJECTIONS TO MR. ISITT'S BILL

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 286, 17 August 1926, Page 7

MORE OBJECTIONS TO MR. ISITT'S BILL

Sir,—On looking over the leaflets of the Bible-in-Schools League, .it strikes me that its proposals need much more careful study than has been given- to them. I want to know whether,, after all, it is generally realised that the scheme does provide opportunities for sectarian bias? The third plank of the league’s platform plainly permits teachers to make grammatical explanations, and to give definitions of words. Is it realised what this means? For illustration, wilh a simplicity, childlike and bland, the league selects the harmless and uncontroversinl word "publican," which may be defined as tax-gatherer, but we know well that there are many words and phrases the explanation of which is inseparable from doctrine.The teachers are drawn from all classes' of tho community, and all sorts, of belief and unbelief arc to be found amongst them, and each is free to give his own definition or explanation, private or denominational. As the children come home with those explanations, and as the teaching is reported to the dennmiii.Ttions, there will be trouble. Will a Methodist be satisfied with the teaching of an Anglo-Catholic, or vice versa? We cannot get away from the fact that the scheme of . the Bible-in-Schools League does admit of definite private, denominational, sectarian teaching. The league tells us that the reading of the lesson from the Bible manual is virtually an English lesson. No teacher takes an English lesson without giving a e.lear explanation of the passage, the lesson being given in such a way as to move the children to ask questions. In the Bible lesson is the teacher to answer them or to remain dumb? If tho latter, think of the effect upon the children. There are many other grave objections to the scheme. There is a danger that Mr. Isitt’s Bill will be carried on a wave, of emotion, and later on the trouble will begin. The question is already surrounded and befogged by an atmosphere of emotion. I <ask people to get out of it. and quietly 'and critically to bring their reasoning powers to bear upon the scheme. W hen this is done, then its dangers will be realised, and the opinion of many will undergo a quiet but derided change.—l am, etc., FRANK DUNNAGE, Christchurch. August 13. 1926.