The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, MAY 16, 1908. THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2192, 16 May 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, MAY 16, 1908. THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

There appear to be all the elements of a pretty squabblo in the report of the CVlangapapa school committee’s meeting last night which appears in this issue. So that the position may be dearly understood, it should be explained that the power of fixing hours is conferred by Parliament upon the 'Education Boards. In the case of our own districts the Hawke's Bay 'Education Board has fixed the hours at five iier day. During the past twelve months it has been the custom of the local committees to place the school at the disposal of local clergymen and others oil one day of the week from 9 a.m. until 9.30 a.m. for the purpose of imparting religious instruction. This lias been done at the express desire of the householders who elected a committee pledged to carry out the plan referred to. That tho experiment has been successful appears to bo generally recognised and many who were in the first place opposed to the introduction of the Bible into schools are now amongst its warmest supporters. There is, it must be borne in mind, not tho slightest compulsion upon any child to bo present during the Bible lesson, but as it takes place in the ordinary school hours the majority of those on tho roll naturally attend. No-one can fail to admit that Bible lessons are valuable to the child, for apart from the spiritual question involved, as well as the moral teachings of the Bible, the historical and literary value of the Scriptures. must also be taken into consideration. Since the Bible has been introduced into the local schools .there lias not been the slightest friction either between the teachers on tho one hand or the clergymen on the other, but all have worked together with the utmost harmony. Moreover, it has not been claimed, either by masters or inspectors, that the work of tho children has suffered by reason of the odd half-hour being deducted, from ordinary lessons once a week. Under all the circumstances, therefore, it seems, a thousand pities that anything should have occurred to disturb an arrangement that gave so much satisfaction. Unfortunately, the abuse of the privilege accorded to the iiible-in-Schools party on the part of a school committee near 'Napier, which, instead of taking lialf-an-hour for scriptural lessons, took an additional fifteen minutes, brought about a complaint from the Inspector. His letter to the Board drew attention to the fact that tile practice we have referred to was a direct violation of the Board’s own regulations. According to the Act dealing with this question, only secular instruction can bo given within the hours fixed by tlie Board. It thus became necessary for the Bible lesson time to be altered so that the Scriptures should be taught either before 9 a.m. or after 3 p.m., 0 r else that the Board should readjust the fixed hours 6o that the half-hour at present taken for Sable lessons would not be included. An attempt in the latter direction was made at Monday’s meeting of the Board. Pastor Kies moved a motion whereby the half-hour could bo

left for scriptural teaching at tlio oxpressed wish of the Committee and with the approval of teachers and Inspector whilst Mr Dartou wished tho matter to bo decided directly by tlio householders. The Chairman ruled both motions as out of order, claiming that tho Board had no power to dologaLo its powers in regard to tho fixing of tho school hours to any other 'body. He, therefore, compelled tho members to vote straight out on the issue and a majority thereupon decided against altering tho present hours. This means that the authorities of any school in the Hawke’s Bay district which permit scriptural lessons between the hours of nine and three are violating the law. The teacher of the Mangapnpa school very properly brougjit the question before his committee at last night’s meeting and, as seen by our report, the committee has frankly decided to defy tho Hoard and go oil with the scriptural teaching. In taking this stand tlio members have, to our mind, made a gross blunder, which, if persisted in, will do more harm than good to the objects they have in vioiv. Til matters ol this kind lho constitutional method is always the. best and in tho present iustanco the proper course is to take steps—should such an extreme course he found lieccesary —iy change the personnel of the Beard and secure one which will give effect to the committee's wishes, it is all very well to talk in heroics of defying authority, but it is only a question of time when the stage'is reached where the law must bo assorted and those who have defied its injunctions must withdraw as gracefully as may bo possible from an untenable position. Tlio chairman of the Board possibly hail/ good reasons for rilling that it had no authority to give either the committee or the householders the option of deciding ns to how one halfhour per week was to be utilised, but until they are given wo should doubt their value. But for that ruling the present poVftion in all probability would not have occurred and it is this aspect of the case which" appears to us should merit first consideration. 1