BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 56, 8 March 1937, Page 11

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

THE LEAGUE'S WORK

FACILITIES BEING USED

The annual meeting of the New Zealand council of the Bible in Schools League was held in Wellington last week. In the absence of Archbishop Averill (president) the Rev. J. T. Mack^. presided. There was a good attendance.

The annual report stated that a deputation from the league had waited on the Minister of Education and been cordially received. It had emphasised the need for a Christian system of education in a-Christian land. The Government's Education Bill was awaited with much interest, and meanwhile all the church and other organisations in the league had united on the basis laid down in the Religious Instruction in Public Schools Enabling Bui. ■ Under the provisions of the education boards facilities for religion were granted by reducing the hours for secular instruction where school committees consent, the report continued* The "Nelson system" of half an hour each week might thus be applied by consent" in any public school. Five of the education boards also permitted committees to reduce school time by a few minutes every day so that daily worship might be observed in school, and that opportunity was being widely availed of with satisfaction to parents and teachers. ,

Excellent use had been made in Otago of the new facilities. They had been granted in March, 1936, and before the end of the year 32 schools were using them, and more than a quarter of the children in the' schools of Otago were accustomed to the daily recognition of God and to school worship. Head teachers had testified to the smooth working of the system and of noticeable improvement in school life and « behaviour. The : morning assembly had gained in impressiveness. The report acknowledged the organising value of the work of an. ex-head teacher, Mr. J. B. Grant. BOARDS UNANIMOUS. Those- facilities had now ■ been ex-t tended to cover most of the schools of the North Island. The Auckland, Wanganui, and Hawke's Bay -boards, with great unanimity, had made provision so that where committees and head teachers desired to initiate opening school observances, they were free to do so by postponing the opening hour of the. school, until five minutes later than had been usual, either in the. school as a whole or in separate classes, the reduction applying only where'the religious' observance was held. The chairmen: of the boards had given , every encouragement, and in Otago, after the boards' reception of a report of the use of the opening observances, hearty congratulations had been expressed. . For use in schools a "services of worship" book hds been issued by a joint committee representing the various churches. The same committee had in view the early publication of a syllabus of religious instruction to assist voluntary teachers in the half-hour of religious instruction. The aim of the league was to combine two things, knowledge of the most vital truths of life and ability to impart it to children. There had been a steady growth in general organisation through the past year, and several new branches had been formed. A great loss had been sustained in Canterbury by thepassingof the late treasurer, Mr. W:. G. Jamieson, whose last public act had been an appeal at the Anglican Synod in Christchurch for Bible in schools. The report concludes with an acknowledgment of the co-operation of other organisations with similar aims. The report was adopted on the motion of Dr. J. D. Salmond, Dunedin, and the Key. N. F. E. Robertshawe, Wellington. Archbishop Averill was re-elected president for a further triennial term, and grateful acknowledgment made of his past service. The new Dominion treasurer appointed is Mr. W. G. ReesJones, Wellington.. Hearty thanks were expressed to the retiring acting-treas-urer, Mr. A. Graham Jamieson, Ghristchurch, to Mr. E. A. Hatch, accountant, and to the auditor, Mr.' W. S. Mac Gibbon, also of Christchurch, for voluntary service during many years while the Dominion treasurer was located in Canterbury. The office is now transferred to Wellington.

The Rev. A. Salmond, M.A., read a paper by Miss Salmond, M.A., Dunedin, conveying impressions of religious instruction received! when visiting last year a number of English schools.