SMALL BUT DANGEROUS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 142, 17 June 1937, Page 8

SMALL BUT DANGEROUS

The surprising statement was made by the Rev. N. F. E. Robertshawe to the Education Board yesterday that "on the streets today one heard nothing but the name of God and Jesus Christ used in blasphemy by children as well as by adults." If this is Mr. Robertshawe's experience it is exceptional. We are sure that it could not be supported by the experience of the average observant adult. It is certainly not the kind of irrefutable evidence which can be accepted in justification of a dangerous departure from the statutory "free, compulsory, and secular" school system. This departure, which the Wellington Education Board yesterday decided to permit, cannot otherwise be viewed than as an evasion of the spirit of the law. Attempts have beeii made over a period of years to effect an amendment of the law, but these have not succeeded. Now the organisers of the amendment movement, having found the front door shut, are putting a wedge in the window. It is only a small wedge (five minutes daily is asked for), but when it is in the window might as well be wide open. There will be no means of preventing the entry of the full forces of sectarian strife that have hitherto been wisely barred from the schools.

Only a little consideration is necessary lo show this. In the first place the scheme is to be put into operation as the school committees may decide. Will this not mean that the question will become an issue in the election of the committees, and the choice of capable and interested administrators will be subordinated to a contest on this one question? The teachers have expressed themselves strongly opposed, but they will now be called upon either to accept the scheme and take part in it or be marked out as resisting the wishes of committees. Free choice of participation or not is promised, but it would be idle to deny that the teacher who stands out will be prejudiced. If the majority of the teachers stand out how will the organisers arrange that the devotional exercises shall be conducted? Can.they supply voluntary helpers for all the schools every day, when some of them have complained of the difficulty of conducting Bible-readings once a week under the Nelson system? Again the organisers have produced a letter from Archbishop O'Shea raising no objection to the scheme provided that the consciences of all are fully protected and the cost of books, etc., involves no extra taxation. But we have no assurance that the Roman Catholic or other non-participating' churches will not later use this departure from the strictly secular character of the schools as an argument supporting their demand for denominational school grants. A member of the deputation. yesterday said that this question did not enter into the issue; but it will need much more than this submission to exclude it. Indeed the whole issue may be thrown wide open. And sectarian strife will not advance true religion.