SCHOOL BIBLE LESSONS
- ■: '■— ' ■ DISCUSSED BY EDUCATION BOARD. \ A PROPOSAL REJECTED. ; Finality appears to have been reached with regard to the Bible' in schools question, so far as the Wellington Education Board is oonoerned. Yesterday afternoon, following upon notioe of motion given at the previous meeting of the board, Mr. J. G. W. Aitken moved to. the effect that the regulations governing the hours of instruction in schools be amended to permit of Bible lessons being given during school hours. The plan of giving these lessons before,- or after, the, usual school day had been tried, and proved a failure. It was now-suggested that if provision was made whereby, if it was desired, Bible lessons might be given during school hours,, it could be left to the school committees to .please them-selves-'whether or not they , introduced theni. It would be entirely optional. School. committees were in close . touch with the parents, and in a position to know whether there -was a desire, on the part, of the people of their districts, for Bible lessons. The system proposed had proved very successful where it had been tried elsewhere in New Zealand. Mr. Wm. Allan seconded the. motion. Mr. W. H. Field, MJ?., asked whether the proposal was contrary to,the Act. '. Mr. Vile: Entirely contrary to. the spirit of the "Act. s The chairman (Mr. Robert Lee), hoped that the board would oppose the proposal by a decided majority.; They had founded a secular system of education, and it would be well'for the peace of . the education question if the system were kept secular. The . State did not lay itself out- to.,provide religious teaching, "and the position, of the schoolmaster was in consequent free from the influence of denominationalism in religion. Where religion was part; of the school course, tho; teacher. was, in too .many cases, the vassal of the priest. His'own experience of affairs in. England was. that it was exceedingly difficult for a man to obtain a good" position unless he were in holy orders/--' It was only by completely separating religion from' the State schools that the teachers' interests as a professional man could be properly safeguarded. By. examination, emoluments; and social standing,: the teacher: should stand on an equal plane with the teacher of religion. If they allowed religious teaching to comd. into. ths : schools," the time would come when, appointments to schools would be subject -to religious for religion was as intolerant to- day as it was .in the past. From the Nolson system they would pass/ on to'the J^ew'South Wales : 6ystem, and .so on to denominationalism... • ■ Ht. \ile, who opposed the motion, considered that there .was room;,for the inculcation ,of more reverence: in the children: than -it present' existed. The syllabus gavethe teachers quite enough to do, and if bible .'lessons. were given by, clergymen during, school hours, the ; teacher would- feel morally, obliged to be present, and he. did not. think that tho teacher should be placed in such a position. ■ Other members : having ' spoken' against the .proposal, Mr. Aitken replied at some length, , and the motion was' ihen put and lost by _nve. votes to three: Messrs. Aitken,-: Allan, .and Kebbell supporting the motion, while the chairman,', and Messrs..Hogg, Field, Elder,' and Vile opposed'it :
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Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 727, 28 January 1910, Page 8
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539SCHOOL BIBLE LESSONS Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 727, 28 January 1910, Page 8
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