BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXXII, Issue 26, 26 March 1924, Page 2

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

W.C.T.U, FAVOURS READING. The reading of the Bible in schools met with the strong support of the delegates of the W.C.T.U. convention at New Plymouth yesterday morning. The report of the superintendent (Mrs Driver) on the department dealing with the Bible in schools was adopted after a long discussion. Tha repoi't stated that it was hoped that, in the near future, the daily readin/J of the Scriptures in all the primary schools would take place. The executive placed the following motion before the convention:—“That the convention stands solidly in favour of Inble reading in our State schools; that where the Nelson system of Bible beaching is efficiently carried out we support that system, but in places where the Nelson system is unworkable, we support daily Bible reading without comment, other than grammatical or geographical, to be carried out by teachers, with a conscience clause for both teachers and scholars.”

It was explained that the Nelson system was ;Bible teaching and not Bible reading, the teaching being carried out by the Ministers’ Associations or by any other voluntary help. It was not the intention of the W.C.T.U. to interfere with the system where it w r as being carried out successfully, hut it was considered that it was not always possible tol procure teachers to take the classes, especially in the hack country districts.

Miss Atkinson (Nelson) favoured the motion, but said that the Nelson system had been an unqualified success and that the mere reading of the ißook would never take the place of the teaching and study of it. Mrs Peryman (Carterton) explained that they had a perfect right to have the Bible read in schools, provided they went about it in the proper manner. The law provided that schools should be open at least 24 hours during the week. Many of the schools were open 25 hours during the week, and if steps were taken to get the Education Boards to allow the schools to be open for 24J hours the remaining half hour could' be utilised for religious exercises. Some education boards had already done that.

In answer to a question as to whether School Committees had the right to disallow the Bible in schools, Mrs Peryman said she believed they had that right. It simply meant that in such circumstances the right committee should be put in power to ensure that the Bible was allowed in the school.