"ONLY A LITTLE ONE"
MR.' ISITT'S "RELIGIOUS EXERCISES IN SCHOOL BIEL.
Presiding at a, meeting of the National schools Defence League Executive, Mr. A. B. Atkinson, tlie president of the League, said that it seemed to him that the agitation which was quietly jjroceedmg in favour of Mr. Isitt's Religious Exercises in School Bill, and the obvious determination to press the Bill next session demanded the immediate revival of the League's activities, the latest phase of the agitation was the issue of circulars to the State Schools Committees, with the view apparently of bringing the question before the householders' meetings next week. Though the Bible in Schools League hud been knocked out and killed, and the question was not raised at tho General Election, the agitation now proceeding on quieter lines might succeed it those who believed in maintaining the State School system intact did not bestir themselves. The impression had been spread among the politicians that Mr. Isitt's Bill was "only a little one." and that it was ono on which the supporters of the.atate School System, as opposed lo sectarianism and denptuinationalism could reasonably. afford to compromise. They must be speedily undeceived. . To the essential defects of all the other schemes put icrward by the Bible-m-Schools Party during tho last 30 years, the Bill added some of its very own, and the public and Parliament should be «i----lighteued as to its true nature. If this was not done, a parti whoje urevioua. attacks on the State School System had all been decisively defeated might succeed through/tho apathy and inattention of the majority.
If. was resolved. "That the new- propaganda of the Bible-in-Schools Party demands the immediate attention of tho National Schools Defence League and oil .its branches, with a-view'to liking such measures for tho defence1 of the State Schools System as may appear to be necessary ; that the leaders of the thfee political parties should bo asked to define their attitude to the Religious 'Exercise? in Schools Bill, which was introduced during last session, and is likely to be introduced attain: and that failing satisfactory replica the necessary steps shouk! be taken to have the League's objections to the Bill submitted to a Parliamentary Committee."
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 102, 1 May 1924, Page 6
Word Count
367"ONLY A LITTLE ONE" Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 102, 1 May 1924, Page 6
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