BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 124, 24 April 1940, Page 13

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

RUSSELL STREET DECISION. A decision to start Bible reading in the Russell Street School as soon as suitable arrangements could he mado was reached at a meeting of the School Committee on Monday, after a recommendation had been received Jrom the the biennial meeting of householders that this should he done. The committee will communicate with the Ministers’ Association asking it to decide on the most suitable methoyl of arranging the reading. At the meeting of the householders the chairman of the School Committee (Air J. A. Grant) said that Russell Street was the only school in Palmerston North wherein Bible reading had been barred by the committee, and he thought that the time had arrived when such reading should he carried on in the school. He had made inquiries from the headmasters of other schools and had found that the system was working admirably in them. It was not compulsory for the children to attend the readings, if the parents had any objections. He moved that it he a recommendation that the instruction ho given. The motion received unanimous support, one householder saying that the Bible reading was well overdue, and that it was appalling that the children of New Zealand were so ignorant of the Word of God. The headmaster (Mr J. Connor) explained that the Wanganui Education Board’s by-laws provided that religious instruction was to he taken before school, which started at 9.20 o’clock on the days of instruction. There was no difficulty in, tlie matter as lar as school organisation was concerned.