BIBLE READING IN SCHOOLS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 670, 20 May 1914, Page 6

BIBLE READING IN SCHOOLS.

AMERICAN LAWS CONCERNING ® - SAME, The Editor. Sir, —I visited America two years ago and noted that the Bible in public svhools question was a very live one there. In the majority of the States some provision is made for a simple reading from the Bible by the school teacher. In 1913 the State of Pennsylvania, whoso population numbers 6,000,000, passed a law "Requiring teachers in public schools to read every morning ten verses from the Bible without comment." Any teacher objeeting to be dismissed. Catholiu schools do not receive State aid. The following are States in America where the Bible is read in the public schools, the comments being supplied by the superintendents of public instruction: —Maine: Bible daily- read in school for 270 years. New York: Read daily for 250 years. New Hampshire: Read daily since 1623. Vermont: We encourage Eible-reading in schools. District of Columbia: Bitle read and Lord's Prayer repeated Kentucky: Generally read. Tennessee: The Bible is our rock of public safety. Alabama: Custom in our schools neither enjoins nor forbids, Illinois: Ditto. Mississippi: The Bibla is not excluded and is generally read. Michigan: Ditto. Arkansas: Read in part of our schools. Texas: Read in some schools. Oregon: Ditto. West Virginia: No law prohibiting Bible reading. Florida: Ditto. Delaware: Bible-reading universal. Pennsylvania: The Scriptures must not be omitted. New Jersey: Read in nearly all schools. Georgia: The Bible cannot be excluded. Connecticut: The Bible has always been read. Massachusetts: Bible has been read in schools for 278 years. Maryland: Read daily in our schools. South Carolina: Generally read. Rhode Island: Universal custom to read the Scriptures. Indiana: The Bible shall not be excluded. South Dakota: May be read without sectarian comment. Virginia: Read in nearly all schools. Ohio: We thoroughly believe in it, as it hss a good influence upon our children. Missouri: Optional; charac-ter-building is an important factor with us. Nebraska: Encourage moral culture; generally read. Kansas: Read in part of our schools. Wyoming: left to 'ocal boards to decide. Colorado: Read in some schools. New York City: Ri<l9 observed for nearly three centuries; in Nero York all schools are opened by reading the Bible. Aa the Bible in public schools question is looming large in the political horizon I thought the gbove would be of interest to my fellow New Zealand-, ers.—l am, etc.,

S. PEARSON, 253, Cuha street, Wellington.