RELIGION IN SCHOOLS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 108, 10 May 1938, Page 8

RELIGION IN SCHOOLS

ALTERATION IN SYSTEM CONCERN IN WANGANUI REPRESENTATIONS TO GOVERNMENT The proposals in lhe Education Amendment Bill dealing with religious instruction in schools were discussed fully at a public meeting in St. Paul's Hall last evening convened by the Wanganui Ministers’ Associa* tion. The meeting, which was largely attended, carried the following motion unanimously on the motion of the Rev. R. Dudley, seconded by the Rev. L. H. Ker:— “This public meeting urges upon the Government the inclusion in the proposed Education Amendment Bill provision for the following:— “(1) The right of religious instruction in primary schools as under the Nelson system at present in practice. “(2) Preservation of the liberty at present enjoyed for teachers to hold five-minute religious exercises before the formal opening of the schools. “(3) The change of the term secular to non-sectarian in the description of our education system.” The Rev. R. Dudley, president of the Wanganui Ministers’ Association, presided. The meeting was opened with a prayer by Pastor G. FretvveH, followed by a scripture reading by the Rev. A. 11. Norrie. “Wc have come together this evening upon a religious issue. There is, and must be, no other motive,” dec dared the chairman, in outlining the ® purpose of the meeting. “Because moral and religious questions are tho concern of the church of God, the Ministers’ Association has convened 1 this meeting and has brought forward " certain proposals which, after con- ’’ sideration, may or may not be sent S forward to the Government. I know a that you all will see to it that no rancour or spirit of bitterness shall mar this meeting. May it be a fellowship of the friends of Jesus determined with Christlike minds to do His will I and His good pleasure.” The speaker fj then outlined the present law regarding religious instruction and worship e in schools and lhe proposed changes L> in the Education Amendment Bill. After the moving and seconding of the motion, a letter in support of the resolution from Archdeacon JYoung was read. Tn speaking to the motion, Rev. R. > Dudley, who was lhe speaker for the ‘ Ministers' Association, said that bc- ■ cause religion was not something extraneous to life hut natural, not occat sional but normal, it was the right of c the children of the primary schools to 5 receive religious instruction in their c schools. He felt, regarding the fivei_ minute religious exercises at the openc ing of the school day, that there a could be no possible objection to what II was at present a practice of merely Ll a call to worship, a hymn, a prayer, and a short portion of scripture. Further, he contended that the time had arrived when the description of the 11 educational system prescribed by the e 1877 Act should ceased to be secular r and be now regarded as non-sec-tarian. “In any provision that such an amendment would make for religious i instruction, we would be in conform- ' ity with the educational systems of i New South Wales and West Australia, which ostensibly are secular systems but provided for religious instruction under the interpretation of the word secular. Our country for 60 years has interpreted that word as non-religious and if it continues so to do the time has arrived when Christians should rise up and present L d a united front against such a sys:e tern.” a The Rev. L. H. Ker (Gonville), in i- seconding the motion, said that he d spoke as a Christian minister, a member of the Ministers’ Association, and also as a parent connected with the Intermediate School, and a membo" e. of that school committee. He stressed it the importance of the occasion to thb Government as it was drawing up a >0 new Education Bill, and referred to ic the Education Acts of 1870 and 1902 of England—Acts which should preserve the elements of spiritual edu-

cation and culture inculcated through the Bible and expressed in the rites ; of simple unsectarian worship. He ! observed that the opportunity now ] presented itself to correct the secu- I larisation of our education and to asfi ' for facilities under the Nelson sys- ] tom as a statutory sanction. Further he pressed for a continuance of th*present permission given by education boards and school committees for the opening religious devotion in primary schools and gave his personal testimony to the efficacy of such re- j ligious exercises at the Intermediate School. The third speaker was Mr G. N. Boulton, secretary of the Wanganui Education Board, who at the outsci congratulated the two speakers and corroborated their statement of fact, expressed himself as being wholly in sympathy with the recognition of religious exercises and religious.instruction as a right in primary schools. The aim of education was to produce good citizens and how could good citizens be produced unless they knew ot j the Almighty and the God who ere- i ated them? Mr Boulton explained the ' present intention of the proposed Bill , and also such clauses that would tend to curtail the privileges of the opening worship at present enjoyed at about 400 schools in the Dominion, including 44 schools in the Wanganui district. The other speakers included the Rev. C. W. Brown, Mrs J. C. Wick- ! ham, and Mr R. Brown. The meeting decided to send a copy of the resolution to the Government, j The meeting closed with a prayer and Benediction by Major F, Searle. !