“UNPATRIOTIC” SCHOOLBOY.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8789, 17 April 1907, Page 1

“UNPATRIOTIC” SCHOOLBOY.

Herr Hoffmann, a member of the Berlin Municipality and a Socialist Member of the Reichstag, has a son attending the grammar school in Berlin. As Hoffmann is a Dissenter, his son was excused from attending religious instruction. On the Kaiser’s birthday, last January 27th, Hoffmann's boy did not attend the birthday functions at the school, and gave as his excuse that his father considered that these functions were of a religious character, as prayers were offered up for His Majesty. Complaint was made by the headmaster to his superiors, and he was instructed to dismiss young Hoffmann from the school on the ground that he purposely absented himself on a patriotic occasion.