TEACHERS SUPPORT BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3289, 8 March 1926, Page 10

TEACHERS SUPPORT BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Sympathetic With League’s Proposals Almost unanimous support was accorded (lie Bible in Schools League by the Manawitu braneli of the N.Z.E.I. on Saturday. Some of the members were lukewarm, but their attitude was summed up in the statement of one that while lie doubted if the scheme would be productive of much good, at least it would do no harm. A circular setting out the four points of the League's platform was placed before members for discussion. Mr. L. F. de Berry moved that this branch of the N.Z.E.I. expresses its support of the proposals set out in the proposed Religious Exercises in ■Schools Bill. In doing so, the mover said he need not say very much to commend it to the meeting. For many years past lie had believed fervently that their educational system liad one great lack. Attempts had been made to remedy it, but they had not always been successful. In Now Zealand for many years education had been based on the assumption that the child was pure Intellect. Presentlv. the discovery was made that the child had a body, but this fact was not realised in its entirety until wo had wars thrust upon us, and after the Boer war, the physical side began to receive attention. Sir James Parr had said recently that they had the finest educational democracy In the world, but there was a third part of the pupil that our educationists had taken cognisance of only indirectly. The foremost task of the teacher was the building of character; all others paled into insignificance before it. The third great factor, the soul, had up to the present not received nearly that attention which it should, and factors round the elevation of emotion had been left to incidental teaching At the hour, the motion picture was the greatest instructor in this regard, and some of them had grave doubts about that type of emotional education. Shadow and Substance. Plato had said; "Do not teach from shadows,” and in an avowedly Christion community, in the teaching of character and morals in any way they should get back to Christian principles. He sincerely hoped tlie Bill would yet become law. The speaker reviewed the four planks of the League, and said they absolutely prevented the insertion ol the thin edge of any wedge whatever. People standing behind the League had definitely and firmly pledged themselves to the four planks, and no more. He had perused the books in use in the Queensland schools, from which it was impossible to teach dogma. New Zealand could surely make such a compilation. Despite the little that was asked, however, there was a conscience clause for everyone concerned. What was proposed had been done for years in our technical and high schools. If the secondary schools, dealing with the adolescent, had found it desirable to have these religious exercises, and if, as the circular stated, there liaa never been any complaint, there was every reason why the primary schools should be privileged to extend tbe same type of instruction to their children. He hoped the branch would be unanimous on the issue. He was opposed to the entry of the clergy to the schools, but stood for everything that would build the characters of their girls and boys on a firm foundation. Definite Proposals. Mr. G. K. Hamilton, in seconding, said what was proposed could do no harm, and possibly would do good, but he could not think the morals of the children were being neglected now'. Mr. A. W. Thompson expressed himself as in favour of the four planks, with the emphasis on the words “and no more.” He had once been opposed to Bible reading in schools, but here before them was a definite scheme. He also agreed with the previous speaker that the morals of the children were not going to be improved to any great extent. The ethical instruction of the child was no new departure. Mr. F. G. Gabites declared Irmself another convert to the proposals, which had been defined considerably. Sectarianism was prevented; therefore lie withdrew his opposition and would support the motion. Some teachers, said Mr. F. Rockel, w’ere not Christians at all. He was one of them. If one exercised the conscience clause (the chief aspect that was worrying him), he would be a black sheep—("Not at all.”) He agreed the aims of the League were very definite, but the next lot of sponsors might want a great deal more. Another thing—how were they going to find time for religious exercises in an already over-burdened syllabus? Would the exercises not be a mere form and would that not be teaching from a shadow? He believed the teachers were now guiding the morals of the pupils in a practical manner. Mr. Haydon described the League T s platform as a laudable effort, but how irr .their overflowing syllabus were they going to instruct tbe children in this list of topics? He pointed out that (lie Bible was constantly being referred to in (lie course of lessons, and quotations from Scripture constantly cropping up. Mr. Swinbourn, another previous opponent of the Bible in schools, agreed that the present proposals held nothing to which exception would be, taken by reasonable people. But he asked —What was religion? Not "vain repetition,” but rather the inner ex-

pression of belief and conviction, and the League’s planks would possibly defeat their own end by restricting instruction to a mere matter of form and negative religion. Mr. Rocket bad struck an important m»<e in reference to the conscience clause; its exercise might put any teacher into an awkward position. With regard to the syllabus, that did not present a difficulty at all, added the speaker, ironically, the syllabus was "elasticsided.” To Aid Efficiency. There might be some stigma attaching to conscientious objectors, said Mr. G. H. Espinor, but that could not be helped. There was another reason, he thought, why the Bill should be supported. The building of sectarian sch Cols would be a great drawback to the efficiency of their system of national education. After two lady teachers had expressed similar views, Mr. de Berry said ho wished to correct any impression he may have conveyed that the morals of the children had been neglected in the past. However, they couldn't be the best educated demo ■ cracy if they neglected the vital aspect of ethical teaching. The conscience clause was largely a bogey; its exercise would have no effect on the community provided that the teacher’s standing was what a teacher should have. He didn’t anticipate trouble with the syllabus; they were given a great deal of discretion in that regard. Miss G, Haggitt, the newly-elected president, formerly a very strong opponent of the Bible in schools was very heartily in favour of the proposed Bill. The effect of the exercise of the conscience clause was largely a bogey, but in any case the welfare of the children was all-important. They heard the name of God taken in vain by little children, who apparently only heard it so used, and for their sakes alone they should put aside small objections. j The motion was carried with only one dissentient.