RELIGION IN SCHOOLS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 3, 5 January 1944, Page 4

RELIGION IN SCHOOLS

BRITAIN'S INTENTION

Mr. Butler,' President of the Board ,of Education, told the Central Council of the National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations when it met at the Caxton Hall, Westminster, that the White Paper on Education was printed so that the Government might ascertain the reactions to it, reports the London "Daily Telegraph and Morning Post."

One had been that the leaders of the, Roman Catholic Church had sent him statistics. He was examining them, and could not say any more on the subject at present.

He had seen an Anglican-and Free Church deputation, who had asked him to insert five points in any plan. One point was that in teachers' training colleges religious training should be included as an alternative subject in obtaining a certificate. "•That the Government intends to include in the plan/ said Mr. Butler, adding: "We intend for the first time to find a definite place for religious teaching and religious expression in every school day."

He was speaking on a resolution which was carried congratulating him on the White Paper, but expressing the opinion that the proposals regarding religious education were inadequate.

Mr. Butler said that the whole problem was one which had perplexed statesmen for generations. What had been achieved was a scheme which had received more general agreement than anything similar for many years. One of the principles he had always worked on was that the Government should offer exactly the same terms to all denominations, and that had been done.

Another principle was the old-estab-lished one that further public help should be accompanied by further public control. There was no question of wishing to put the Church schools out of business.

"There is one thing I cannot do," concluded Mr. Butler, "and that is unduly to upset the balance of the plan." He believed that spiritual values had caused this nation to come to the front in the second great war in one generation. He would continue his belief that a materialist civilisation was absolutely alien to the general beliefs of the people of this country.

successes being in swimming, athletics, and boxing. His development as a swimmer was reflected in a notable record of successes at New Zealand championships. After winning the intermediate 220 yds freestyle title in 1924, he won the open titles, and in each of five years he won the New Zealand; 220 yds, 440 yds, 880 yds, and one mile championships. The period in which that outstanding record was put up was from 1927 to 1934. He competed as a New Zealand representative at the Olympic Games at Amsterdam in 1928, and on that tour won the English one mile championship. Lieutenant Lindsay is survived by his wife and two children.