A Bible-in-Schools Boycott

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 33, 17 August 1905, Page 2

A Bible-in-Schools Boycott

' One man's yawning makes another man yawn,' And the solemn blessing recently given hy the Bible-in-schools

leaders to the sectarian system pursued in ' the old Eastern States 'of the American Union is still being echoed by sundry 007 controversialists of the aaily press, who conceal their identity under sundry • noms de guerre.' They, too, raise their little paeans of praise to the • educational peace • which is fabled to have fallen like that of Nirvana in the States where Protestant forms of prayer and a Protestant version of the Bible are taught in the public schools. The story of this mythical peace was blown to pieces by us in our issue of August 3. We merely gave some samples of the evidence in point in our possession. Among other things, we showed how flagrantly those model States justify the prediction of our Bishops, that the sectarianising scheme now before the country would inevitably lead to the general imposition of a religious test in the matter of appointments to schools. 1

The teaching profession in the public schools of the United States is mostly in the hands of the gentler sex. The Eastern Teachers' Agency (50 Bromfield street^ Boston) was one of the many that regretfully testified to the widespread and scandalous boycott practised against Catholic teacher& in those • old Eastern States' that are now set up as shining examples for New Zealand's imitation. The Agency just referred to writes as follows to the Boston ' Republic ' :— ' The prejudice against Catholic young women is very marked. It is more difficult than one would believe to secure appointments for Catholic girls. Some of our brightest applicants are Catholics, yet not only can we not get them appointments, but find it impossible to obtain trials.' A specific instance will, perhaps, best illustrate the depth and intensity of the religious intolerance in the matter of teachers' appointments that exists in the States where the project urged by our Bible-in-sohoois League is in full operation. The following illuminating letter is (says the Boston ' Republic ') the last of three that passed 'between a young man, who was seeking a position as teacher, and the superintendent of a public school in a Massachusetts town :—: — , _, ' Hyaivnis, Mass. 1 Mr. Chas. H. Early. ' Dear Sir,— The chairman of our Committee has learned that you are a Roman Catholic. I write to ask if this is true. If true, I shall be obliged to withdraw my offer of a school, as the Committee in question will not aoq<uiesce in your appointment. My position is just this. Personally 1 am not opposed to Catholics • teaching in our schools. In fact I have two in my service. In Cotuit or Ostorville a Catholic would not be acceptable to the parents or people generally.' I assume that, if you are a Catholic, you would not care to teach where the people would be bitterly opposed to you. Of course, you could not find your work congenial under such circumstances', nor could you do your best work under such circumstances, nor could you do your best work under the community arrayed against you. ' Mr. Boyden thinks you are a Protestant, for I told him I could not appoint a Catholic, as the prejudice against such was so strong. You will understand that, in my appointments, I cannot ignore the wishes of the parents. For my part Ido not share in such prejudices. Kindly reply before Saturday. Yours truly, • (Signed) F. W. KINGMAN, Sup*. 1 Here is something for the free and independent electors of New Zealand to read, mark, and inwardly digest. A pourod of experience is worth half a ton of theory. A pound of actual Bible-in-schools experience is worth half a ton of the fine-spun gossamer theories that our BibJe-in-schools Executive has been spinning and setting afloat upon the breezes of New Zealand. The introduction of a Pan-denominational Protestantism into our public schools would create a hundred Rongaheres for the one that was before. Our Bishops spoke with the lessons of bitter experience before their eyes when they said : * Religious tests for teachers and for members of School Committees are the natural and necessary corollary to the scheme that is at present before the country,'