SPREAD OF CHURCH SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 85, 3 January 1918, Page 6

SPREAD OF CHURCH SCHOOLS

MOVEMENT DEPLORED.BY THE TEACHERS' INSTITUTION CHECK TO NATIONAL UNITY » The founding of sectarian schools is viewed ivitli apprehension by the executive ol' the New Zealand iidueatioiial; Institute, in a review presented to the conference of the institute yesterday, tho executive dealt with the great urgency of educational problems at present, and expressed its opinions of sectarian schools in the following terms: . "As the / national intelligence develops ther'o will grow up thesenso of national unity, the community of interest that will recognise that each individual is but a citizen of the body politic, that the interest of all is the interest of each, nnd that only when each is assured of the opportunity to make the best of what powers lie has in him' 5 can the welfare of tho 'whole receive the highest measure of achievement. It is on' education that all this depends, and the condition of its attainment is tho devising of a national syStein of education that shall become the guiding spirit of the national life. i Church Schools.

"It is impossible, in this connection, to regard without regret and misgiving' the check that is ' being given to tho jiowtb of this spirit through the establishment by some denominations of church schools. For forty years our system of primary schools has been welding our people into a united nation. In intellect, character, and publie spirit at least the equal of any nation in tho world. This wholesome growth is now to bo and all the evils of sectarian differences aro to be imported to sow strife and dissension (among a united people. It is difficult to seo any adequate reason for this movement. It cannot bo" tho desiro to spread the light of .religious teaching among tho masses of tho people, since the churches have, except in isolated instances, fused, and still refuse, to mako use of the opportunities .for tliis work that the Education Act allows. Neither will 'it extend the benofit of this teaching to the children of the poor within the churches—financial necessities alone will prevent that in most cases. The inevitable result will, therefore, bo that ff, unfortunately, tho movement should attain large proportions, the community will suffer a twofold division into sectarian camps and ,into social strata. • Thus tho civic and moral development of the people will be retarded by the introduction of the worst of the evils which wo have fondly hoped were left behind in the older countries.

An Imported Idea. ' "It is worthy of .note that this Movement does not'tafeb its rise or find, its support chiefly ahiong the native-born population, but among those who, unaccustomed to our atmosphere, have been unable to assimilate the spirit of unity that has hitherto animated our ■people. The movement, if it grows, cannot fail to hinder the development of the national spirit, which can iina _ its best expression only through a national system of education. Such a system "must be properly graded according to tli© development of the pupil, each stage being based 011 'the foundation laid in the previous one, and tho various courses so co-ordinated as to eliminate the waste of energy, and the hindrance to progress that arises trom the present piecemeal lack of 0 -anisation, which can only he aggravated by introducing into the field of education tlio evils _of sectarian animosity and social distinctions."