AMERICAN LAWS ON BIBLE READING IN SCHOOLS.

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13471, 18 May 1914, Page 6

AMERICAN LAWS ON BIBLE READING IN SCHOOLS.

(To the Editor of "The Colonist.")

Sir, —I visitod America two years ago r?rid notod that the Bible in public schools question was a. very live one ikers. In the majority of the States' linrne provision is made for a simpleredding from the Bible by the school teacher. Last year (1913) the State of Pennsylvania, whose population numbers 6,000,000, p # a.ssod a law "requiring teachers in public schools to read every morning ten (10) verses from the Bible uithouG comment." Any teacher ob-j-?r£ing to be dismissed. Catholic sciioois do not receive State aid. Tlio following arc States in America whore tiie Bible ie road in the- public school-: The comments are supplied by the .superintendents of Public Instruction : — Maine, "Bible daily read in school for 370 years" rNew York. "Read daily for 250 'years" ; New. Hampshire, ' 'Read daily since 1623" ; .Vermont, "We encourage Bible-reading in schools '; District of Columbia, "Kiblo read and Lord's Prayer repeated" ; Kentucky, "Cfenerally read"; Tennessee, "The Uible is our rock of public safety" : Alabama, "Custom in our schools neither c'ljoins nor forbids"; Illinois, ditto; Mississippi, "The Bible is not excluded, aud is generally read" ; Michigan, ditto-; Arkansas, ""Read in part of our schools"; Texas, "Read in some schools"; Oregon, ditto; West Virginia, "No law prohibiting Bible-reading" ; Florida, "ditto; Delaware, "Bible-read-ing universal"; Pennsylvania, "The Scriptures must not be omitted" ; New Jersey, "R'^ad in nearly all schools" ; Georgia, "The Bible cannot be excluded" • Connecticut, "The Bible lias always bo-en read" ; Massachusetts, "Bible has been read in schools toY 278 years" ;- Maryland, "Read daily iv. oih- schools": South Carolina, "Generally read"; Rhode island, •■Universal custom to read the Scriptures" ; Inch--ittu:, "The Bible shall not bo.e^'f-ld-e'V'; South Dakota, "-I/Lav ■„; bo- read without sectarian comment" ;^\ lrgmKi,. "[^ad in nearly all ssnools'' ; Ohio,£iVfe thorcruKhly believe- in it, as it has i rood influence upon our children ' ; Missouri, "Optional; character-building in an important fa*tor v,ibli. r.s" ; Nebraska "Encourage r.ior?l culture ; genorally read"; Kansas. "Head m part

of our schools" ; Wyoming, "Left to local boards to decide"; Colorado, "Read in some schools"; Now York Qiiby, "Rule observed for nearly three centuries'; in New York all schools are opened by reading the "Bible." As the .Bible in public' schools qiicstion is looming large on the political horizon -1 thought tiift ■u.hovo would be of interest to^i> fellow New Zealandors. I am, etc., S. PEARSON. 253; 'Cuba street, Wellington, jlay, 15th. •