The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 1919.

Evening Star, Issue 17037, 7 May 1919, Page 4

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 1919.

The reception given to the series of resolutions submitted by Letting the Cat the Rev. A. Whyte at Out Of the Bag. a meeting of tha Port Chalmers Branch of the Protestant Political Association, held in the local Presbyterian Church on Saturday evening last, must have come as somewhat of a shock to the mover. Though enjoying the advantages of speaking from tha floor—or it may have been the pulpit —of his own church, ilr Whyte could only secure a seconder pro forma for his resolutions, and, on being put to the meeting, they were lost by a very, large majority. This, in our opinion, is typical of what would happen throughout .New Zealand if •imilar resolutions were placed before public meetings. The people of this country are determined that the present system of national education shall not be broken down by the efforts of the clerical party. That this party wish to substitute denominational for national education is clearly evident from the wording of the resolutions moved by Mr Whyte, who, wa take it, may be regarded as a leader of the movement having for its object the establishment of Church schools throughout the Dominion. Our readers would do well to study very carefully number six of the series of resolutions referred to, •which reads as follows: The association rejoice that the Education Act of 1914 recognises these Church gchools by making provision for their enrolment, if approved after inspection, with the national schools as registered under the Act, so that they can, if farther approved, receive for instruction the holders of national scholarships. The association call upon the Government to supplement this wholesome provision by adding its natural and logical concomitant, and permitting secondary free place holders to attend the school's of their respective Clmrchei

As a matter of fact, there Is at,present nothing to prevent free' place holders from attending the schools of their respective Churches. What 4 the denominationalists really want is that the State should subsidise these secondary Church schools by paying the fees of children who pass out of the primary schools qualified for free secondary education. "The natural and logical concomitant" of this would be a Government -capitation grant to all denominational schools on account of their primary pupils, and the " natural and logical concomitant" to that would be the complete break-up not only of our national secondary but also of our primary system o f education. The New Zealand Educational Institute foresaw this when, in March, 1918, they passed the following resolution :

That, in view of the fact that Government grants in the shape of scholarship allowances are now beins; paid to denominational schools under the control of two or three denominations, the N.Z.E.I, desire most- earnestly to point out'to the Government the grave danger to the national system of education these grants involve. This danger has recently been rapidly on the increase, and as a logical consequence the granting of free places in denominational schools seems dangerously imminent. This would tend to the breakdown not only of the national secondary system, but also the primary. The N.Z.E.I, therefore urge the Government to take immediate action in the direction of making it illegal for any Government grants to he paid directly* or indirectly to denominational schools.

We ourselves have, frequently drawn the attention of the public to this grave dancer. Again and again we have asserted that Clause 103 of the 1914 Act was the •insertion of the thin end of the wedge, and that sooner or later the opponents of nation;! 1 , education would seek to drive it home by asking that free places should be held at denominational schools, and that Government grants should be made for them. In 1918 we urged that, at meetings of householders held for the purpose of electing school committees, resolutions protesting: against the granting of aid to any but State schools should be passed, and copies of same should be forwarded to the Minister of Education. In hundreds of districts these resolutions were passed; but as no amending Education Bill came before Parliament last year nothing could be done to avert the threatened danger. This year we again called for the same method of procedure, and again many meetings passed strong resolutions in support of our national system of education. That we and all other supporters of national education had good grounds for onr suspicion was made clearly evident when the Rev. A. Whyte, a recognised leader of the Church school movement, "let the cat out of the bag" by moving the series of resolutions published by us in our Monday's issue. Further attempts to do mischief to the cause of national education will doubtless be attempted by this gentleman and his friends, and these attempts will have to be effectively met. We can. we feel sure, trust to the good sense of the people of New Zealand to see to this.

The making of citizens physically fit, mentally alert, and morally strong is, in our opinion, the main function'of the State school. Just now. when tho whole world is undergoing a process of reconstruction, the most important words in our language are bmthcrho.'ui and .-'rrricr. A sincere desire to serve, based upon the facts and needs of brotherhood and the capacity to do the thing that ought to be done, should be the prime ft-ctors in the work of reconstruction at a time when brotherhood and sen-ice are the dominant ideas. An aristocracy of service—not of lineage or wealth—is the aristocracy our democracy needs. This ideal democratic State can best be built up by keeping our public schools free from sectarian strife and religious bitterness. Our State schools are free to all. In these schools the best, physical, mental, and moral training is provided. All children may meet in the schoolroom or on the playground on equal terms. 'Those who do not wish to take advantage of this free gift may provide for the education of their children—if done to the satisfaction of the State—at private or denominational schools. They must not, however, expect the State to pay for these privileges. As for religious training, ample opportunity for this is provided under the present Act. Number four oi the series of resolutions moved by the Rev. A. Whyte is proof of this. It reads: "That the association observe with lively satisfaction the fact that- in the District High School of this town the ministers of the town are now in their tenth year ot continuous service teaching tho Bible to the children five days a week." Let the ministers of Port Chalmers, and of other districts where a similar system is in operation, continue their good work: but in the'interests of brotherhood, social service, and an intelligent, educated, and enlightened democracy, let us keep our national schools free from religions strife.