CORRESPONDENCE DANGER!

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 75, 30 March 1914, Page 10

CORRESPONDENCE DANGER !

TO THE NATIONAL SCHOOLS. ' TO Til* EDITOR. Sir, — The Nelson system has not failed where it has been leally worl'ed. That, some education boards will not ! grant the facility is due very largely to the fact that many of the ministers ,\ie clamouring for sectarian entry. Its i failure is not due to tho system, but to the detei initiation of so m.itiy niini'-.tcirj not to take advantage of it. Let me take oup town, as an instance. Every facility is given there for icligious instruction by ministers or accc- ; (lited teachers. From 9 to 9.30 ono morning a week the scholars are gladly waiting for 'the Bible lesson.' Not moic than 5 per cent, go out to play during j the lessons. Now, Sir, 1 am simply j stating what the headmasters of th« two main schools will certify, that it is almost impossible to get ministers to lake these classes regularly. For weeks there was only tho Presbyterian ministor, the Salvation Army adjutant, and myself, and when all hands were ou deck, which was very seldom, classes were without teachers. 1 cannot say just what the reason is oi the ministers' non-attendance ; whether they are standing out in the bopo that they will be able to go in soon and tpach sectarianism, or, whether, after all the talk about 'the Godless system,', 'the right of the child to a knowledge of the Bible,' they are too lazy to take the tumble to give it, they must be the judges. Throe years ago the Nelson system "was an admirable system," and it had the support of all, or almost all, tire Churches in conference. T believe, personally, the Nelson system is infinitely better than the system advocated by the Bible-in-Schools League, for the following reasons :— The Nelson system has a conscience clause for teachers and scholars. The league system has not. It compels the teacher, whatever his beliefs or disbeliefs are, to supervise religious teaching. The Nelson system puts responsibility for religious instruction upon the right party—the Church. The league would place it on the shoulders, very largely, of the teachers The Nelson .system stands for undenoininationalism in the teaching of the children. The league stands for sectarianism — and sectarianism in the extremes^ form. Our schools will be open at all times for the ministers of all denominations to go in and take children of their own faith, supposedly, though they often attend Sunday schools belonging to other religious bodies, and teach them their own particular dogmas. Surely the people who are anxious to see the Bible in schools will never allow this— and the Bible League is asking for this in New Zealand. The denominational aspect of the question, too, if it is carried out in this country, would shut out of our public schools the ministers of all the smaller religious bodies, or compel them to group their children and give them undenominational instruction. Emphasising this point recently, a well-known minister s.')id: "Certainly you have no right to be teaching 150, when your religious body has only 2 per cent, of the people." But, again, sir, the denominational aspect of the question would interfere very materially with the appointment oi teachers. It may be said it has not done so in New South Wales, but I would point out that in New South' Wales the teachers are appointed by the Government, whereas in this Dominion they are appointed by the District Edit' cation Board. We have had experience f-lnce we came to this country to warrant us in saying that the boards would use all their influence to carry into the schools their own men. Does anyone for a moment imagine that the Ritualists of New Zealand would not exercise all the power they had, especially in the country schools, and would the Presbyterian, or even the Church the writer ;s; s connected with, let such a chance go by? The teachers as well as the childi-en must be protected. Will you pardon me a closing word in reference to 'the referendum? I would suggest to the Premier, if a referendum is granted, that the voting paper be as follows :—: — (1) I "'vote that the Bible be read in schools daily under the snpi-i-v>sion of the teachers, a conscience clause being granted to teachers and scholars, (2) T vote that the Bible be read in schools daily under the supervision of teachers, and that each week minister ot all denominations be allowed to visit the schools and give to children of then 1 Church denominational or Sectarian instruction Conscience clause for children only. (3) I vote that the schools bo opon for half an hour one morning per week and tha-t ministers be allowed to j^vo religious instruction, the instruction given to bo undenominational, tho wme privilage to be granted to any teacher applying for the same. *(4) I vote that the present sy^tem be continued. If such a vote were taken I think it would appeal to all. It is aompvhafc difficult for those who are oVvotir.^ al l tbeir lives to the teaching qf old 'tnd young to be told they nn "enemies of the faith" and that "Grid's cursr- will rest upon them if they do not suppo% Canon Garland " Fallowing \.bo referendum, a Bill might dp introduced by the Government ou t/ie linei ol the ieferendum taken. — I am. ck., G. Wellington, 26th Marjh.