BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25853, 25 May 1945, Page 3

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

MEETING OF OTAGO BRANCH ADDRESS BY MR BLAMIRES The annual meeting of the Otago branch,of the Bible-in-schools League was held yesterday. Canon W. A. Hamblett occupied the chair. Moving the annual report, the chairman said that the work of the league had gone on steadily and had received the full co-operation of headmasters. The report showed that the Bible Society or Otago and Southland was presenting copies of the New Testament to a considerable number of children on leaving the primary schools. The report was adopted. The league was stated to be in a «ound financial position, the present credit balance being £46 19s 9d. The statement of receipts and expenditure was adopted. The resignation of the Rev. E. O. Blamires, who has held the position of organising secretary for the last 18 years was received with regret.

Mr W: A. .Sproat reported that the number of schools participating in religious exercises in Otago was £134. He said that 80 per cent, of the pupils in the province were receiving instruction in the Scriptures.

>■ Review of the Work

Mr Blamires addressed the meeting, his subject being “ Retrospect and Prospect.” Reviewing the work of the league, he said that 18 years ago he had been appointed as organiser for Otago. Professor Lawson was the local president at the time and the late Mr T. R. Fleming, ex-school inspector, the secretary. Part of the duties devolving on him at the time was to take a plebiscite of the parents on the question of religious worship at the opening of the school. Every school in Otago had participated, and over 80 per cent, of the parents were in favour. The following year the organisation of the whole Dominion followed his appointment as New Zealand secretary. At that time 200 primary schools, less than 10 per cent, were using the Nelson system for half-an-hour’s religious instruction weekly, and there were few primary schools using similar facilities for opening each day with school prayers. To-day over 1000 primary schools had the half-hour’s instruction, and about 500 used the daily opportunity for worship. The Bible-in-schools League took no credit for

initiating this work, though it had done much especially in recent years to foster its development. Actually the Education Boards were in large part responsible in the beginning for granting the facilities. Nelson System Defined There was evidence of a good deal of hhzy thinking about the regulations governing the Nelson system, Mr Blamires said. A definition was needed, and the following had recently been approved: “The Nelson system is defined as the system of voluntary religious instruction and worship in a public school conducted by consent of the school committee during time that the board would otherwise require to be used for secular instruction, but, by consent of the board, is specifically excluded from the hours thus required.” The board could not thus exclude any time that would reduce the periods of secular instruction to less than four hours', two of which in the forenoon and two in the afternoon muse be consecutive. Secondary schools were not in the same position, and no legal bar to religious worship and teaching affected them. It was significant of public approval that practically without exception the high and technical schools opened daily with school prayers, and intermediate schools had tended to follow their example Mr Blamires said that the recent education conference in New Zealand did not come to any definite conclusions on the matter, but among the encouraging signs were the support given to the system at present in -use, and the general recognition of the Christian ethic as being at the base of the educational system of New Zealand. The immediate need was the acknowledgment by all concerned that what was embedded in the • school life to-day should be given full recognition. What was required on the part of New Zealand’s educational leaders was acceptance in practice as well as in theory of such basic principles of education in relation to religion as had been approved in the recent London Conference.

Election of Officers

The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: Chairman, Dr J D. Salmond: vice-president. Canon W. A. Hamblett; secretary. Mr 'J. Hunter; treasurer, Mr F. R. Wilson; collector, Mr H. H. Gardner; committee— All the present members, with the following new members —Brigadier Goffin, the Rev. W. G. Slade. Sister Catherine Weir, and Mrs W. H. Hiett.