ANGLICAN DAY SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3188, 12 September 1917, Page 5

ANGLICAN DAY SCHOOLS

AN INITIATION EDUCATION IDEALS OF THE CHURCH, Tne initiation of what may prove a very kig'factor in education took place at St. Mark's Schoolroom, Duilerin Street, yesierday afternoon, when the first of the parish day schools for . boys and girls, established under the newly-created. Diocesan Church School Board, was formally opened. The gathering was attended by His Lordship the Bishop of Wellington (Br. Sprott), the vicars of most of tne surrounding Anglican parishes, lay members of the Synod, and a large'gathering of St. Mark's parishioners. The undertaking is tho establishment or revival, of the old English' Church school, and'is virtually the reply of ' the Wellington Diocesan Synod to tho challenge of the anti-Bible-in-Schools party to prove its/ sincerity by providing schools of its own for the expression of those religious ideals which they thought should be introduced into all schools. The Rev. C. F. Askew, vicar of St. Mark's, presided. He said that it gave him great - pleasure to appear boforo them to say a few words on .what he folt was an epoch in the history of the Church—the oiiening of the'first school ■under the auspices of the Wellington Diocesan Church School Board. (Ap-

J)lau6e.) It was a yery important day in the history of tho parish, and perhaps of education generally in New 'Zealand, ifor he cherished the hope that beforo very Jong such schools would be established throughout tho length and breadth of the diocese. That day had been looked forward to with much pleasure by many people, but three-.people who were thoro present were exceedingly interested. He referred to His Lordship the Bishop of WeHTngton, who had taken - a very real interest Lp the establishment of the schools; another person was the organiser and secretary, Mr. Eranklin„,the vicar of 1 Roseneatli, to whom thev were greatly indebted for his energy, zeal, determination, and enthusiasm, which had enabled them to make a start with the very important work. ' Yet another on the platform who had had his heart's desire satisfied was himself, the vicar of the parish. One name that should also bo mentioned, and the bearer of which was nmong them, was that of Mr. Birch, who had ~ engineered the proposal very ably through Synod, and in that regard they would all rejoice in tho knowledge that he had recovered from the slight illness he had suffered from. As to their, part, they were fortunate as far as the school itself was concerned, fortunate in having so largo and convenient a place, with plenty of fresh, air. At one time they had too much fresh air, and had been troubled with' draughts, but now tliey had a pro- _ per system of ventilation, which provided plenty of fresh air without draughts. They had not got the stoves fixod that day, but in a day or two they would not only have a well ventilated but a comtfortable r<jom the weather was not propitious. ' Tliey wore fortunate, too, an. their playground. Many would ask:, • "Where is it?"- Ho referred them to the finest playground in Wellington—the Basin Reserve—which provided a ground for-the children. > They were also fc-rtu-nate in their teachers. All present knew of Miss Holm, and her sister, Miss Eva Holm—knew of their high Christian character, and the fact that they possessed sterling educational qualities of no mean ■"order. It gave him great pleasure to Trelcome them as teachers of St. Mark's Day School, apd he could only hope that •fno sacrifice they were making, was one tliey would never have cause to regret. (Applause.) Some would say: "But why 6tart this school in the parish?" It was because they: believed there could bo no real education without religious instruction, and the religious part being emphasised.. That instruction would be of a definite character. The day's work would begin with .{prayer- and end with prayer," and not only that, but they, intended that tho spirit of religion ~ should permeate the school, throughout the day, and after the scholars had left school.' They held that,it was of paramount importance .that., religion should be taught in'the schools, and in opening.the school of St. Mark's parish lie hoped that- many other schools of the . kind would be established in Wellington and throughout the diocese. (Applause,) 1 ' A Better Tone. In speaking to the children, that morning, he' said he hoped that the children. ' of tho school .would have a. better tone than those of any other school. Ho had told thpin (the children) that there were always certain brands of New Zealand butter and .cheese that brought a little more than 'Canadian butter and cheese; therefore, he expected that tone would-be a. little bit higher, a littlo better, than any other school. He hoped that before very < 3ong thescliool, which would accommodate ' 200, would be too small for all who .wished to attend. He wanted the fame

' of the 6chool to go'out to all parts of the diocese. He asked that Qod's blessing would rest upon the effort in St. 1 illart's parish, so that their children ■would s be brought up as' they would have them brought up, in tho grace and knowledge of Jesus" Christ, Whose servants they were.'' (Applause.)

The Bishop's Address. Dr. Sprott expressed great pleasure and joy at the event they had accomplished that day. There had been other schools, notably the Waiiganui School, which was famous throughout the Empire, tile Diocesan Girls' School at Marton, and a school at Hawcra, which had been most successful.. There was also a'school at Jlasterton about • to make a start. But 'those schools had not been established by the Wellington' Synod (save the' Girls' School). St. Mark's was the first to be established under the new School Board. !A. 6chool was being established at Tailiape and another at Marton, bo that tho mofement was progressing, and the board was to be congratulated that in such a very short time some half-dozen-schools were actually in view. (Applause.) He. was ono. who had been actively concerned in the Bible-in-State-Schnols movement, and . he could give the. assurance that it was a movement that would be revived again. One of tho arguments used by those 'opposed to the movement liad been that they were not sincere, and •.that if tliey were sincere why did they mot establish schools of their-own? Their reply to that was the acceptance of the tost of sincerity—they were establishing schools of their own. (Applause.) He agreed with the vicar when he -aid that secular education did not accomplish ail they desired. They (the Anglican Church) liad always insisted on religious instruction—(applause)—but /at the same timo they proposed to insist on efficiency. Il'ho vicar, of St. Mark's was in sympathy with,that principle he knew. They would ihave'nothing to do with any scheme that did not provide for efficiency in secular education—they were not going to father any second-class schools. (Applause.) ]«'iom lie records of the teachers, they w,re all perfectly satisfied that efficiency jn tho school was assured and seemed. The nrinoiples of ideal education were 6(?i. forth in every' child's catechism, and who had compiled that catechism was a master of I he theory of education. It iiegnn by drawing out. the child s nature, not as a child of the devil, but as a child aT God. More was needed. There, was (o lw an atmosphere, a religious atmosphere, in their .schools, not. merely at morning n.ml evening prayers, but an atmosphere that would lx> most influential in the d'ormsthn. of character. •The Power of Suggestion. They were learnihg more and mors about the power of suggestion, and' the su;*gwition that, would' be given in tho school, that would permeato the atmosphere, was all that was true, good, honourable, lovoly, reverent, and devout. That atmosphere would influence the fihildrer.'s sub-conscious nature—the influence of the teachings mould unconsciously mould their naturo and character. 'There was no fcecuritv perhaps in this etlicfl, this atmosphere. It depended on .the ti-achers—it would bo the influence of the oharaoter of the teacher on those who were, taught. He wished to stato that he hoped that their people would insMn the movement generously and contiauou'fily—not a mere spurt—as !t was , araonf the most important, works that had ever been undertaken, and he looked forward with hope for thoir helv ar.«i Irupjart until every ooncoivaMe la

the diocese had its church school to loot alter their dlrildren. Training for Character. The Church of England had for ctnturies trained their children, and ho ventured, to say that Gucli training had brought out the best elements in English character—its duty to tho State, its ciuty to God. Their education had given them that sense of duty, a sense, he fear-, ed, owing- to the woeful ohanges which hud taken place, their people were nearly losing. fie congratulated the peoplo of St. Mark's, and asked God's richest blessing on tho 6chool, irhich he folt was going to prove ,to be a great and permanent blessing on St. Mark's parish. Mr. Birch expressed his pleasure at being present, and hoped that many, otlier parishes would follow in the stops of St. Mark's. Nothing was of value that was not the result of earnest effort, and l\e hoped that the efforts which had had io/ be made to establish the school would enhance its success. He' mentioned that a church school was to be established in his district after Christmas.

Open to All Anglicans. ' The Kev. R. Franklin (organiser) expressed, his gratification at the opening of the school, as he had been questioned by subscribers as to when a start was. going to be made. Now he had something tangible, and was sure that the J movement would grow when the people appreciated the work that was to be done i at this school. One point the vicar had missed in his category of fortune was that they wore fortunate that the school had been established in that parish under |he care of the Kef. Mr. Askew. It should, however/be remembered that it was not entirely a St. Mark's School, though it happened to bo in St. Mark's parish. Any child could attend from any other parish. The school was to be under State inspection, as they realised that to be efficient they must put it under the inspection of the State. That was not only possible but essential, otherwise every child might be prosecuted for attending a school not approved of by the State. (Laughter.) Mr. Franklin also emphasised the desirability of the spiritual as well as the material side of a child's nature, which they hoped to do, with God's blessing. ' The gathering concluded with the singing' of a hymn by the children, the pronouncing of the _ Benediction by _ the Bishop, and the singing of the National Anthem'. Refreshments were afterwards provided as an aid to social intercourse.