RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 458, 29 May 1909, Page 3

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS.

A deputation representing the Christchurch. Ministers’ Association, waited on the Canterbury Education Board this week in reference to the question of religious instruction iu schools. Dean Harper said the deputation asked that school committees be given the power, if they chose to fix the hours of teaching on one day of the week, at four and a half hours, in order to enable half-, an-hour religious instruction to be given. The Rev. J. Mackenzie stated that the facilities granted under the Act of 1877, by which religious instruction was given outside of school hours, had not proved satisfactory. It was felt by many that children having to attend school for an extra half-hour, in order to receive religious instruction, were being penalised. The deputation asked that what is known as the “ Nelson System ” should be introduced. This did not involve any question of denominationalism, or interfere with the secular character of the general education given at the schools. The speaker pointed out that twelve months ago, 174 schools had adopted the system, an increase of 64 upon the previous year, and no doubt there had since been a substantial increase on last year’s figures. The Nelson system enabled half-an-hour from the school time to be devoted to religious instruction, and also assured full attendances. Parents generally supported the scheme, and it had answered admirably where it was tried. Mr Mackenzie stated that during religious instruction, the teachers were only nominally in charge of the classes. Mr Adams said the whole question bristled with difficulties, and particularly in regard to country schools, where there were larger attendances of Catholic and other children, whose parents had conscientious objections to their receiving instruction of the character named.

In answer to further questions, Mr Mackenzie said that the syllabus provided definite Christian teaching and moral instruction. If ministers agreed upon a common platform he did not think that either board or school committee could take exception to the ground proposed to be covered. The chairman (Mr C. A. C. Hardy, M.P.) asked whether denominational teaching entered into the deputation’s proposals, and was informed that it did not.

Mr Opie feared that half-an-hour taken from ordinary school work iu the week would mean a loss to ordinary education.

In reply to this, Mr Mackenzie stated that was not the experience. A number of teachers testified to the fact that the attendance of scholars was better on the day religious instruction was given. Mr Opi'e said that when the board’s teachers and responsible officers stated that the work of education demanded not less than five hours per day the deputation would see the board’s difficulty. Mr H. W. Perymau saw no difficulty in the way of granting the request. The chairman pointed out that the board was only administering the law as it found it, and had acted on the advice of its solicitors in the matter. The board was in sympathy with religious instruction, but it had only to deal with the secular side of the children’s education. They only bad the children for about 25 hours per week, and there were 20 weeks in the year when no work was being done at all. The deputation should not rely on the board’s system for the prosecution of its scheme. A good deal of carelessness was shown by people and churches in not devising plans for coping with the difficulty. Dean Harper pointed out that the idea of securing the attendance of children for religious instruction before or after school hours had proved most unsatisfactory.

Mr Hardy said he knew a number of schools where religious instruction was given regularly. Boys could be got for cricket and football, and he was satisfied they could be got for religious instruction as well. The deputation should not blame the board, because it was trying to administer the Act.

The deputation having withdrawn, the chairman said the request was practically an appeal from the board’s previous decision. The matter was an important one, and should be gone into fully. For this reason he moved that consideration of the request be deferred until next meeting. In seconding the motion, Mr Opie said the results of the present education system had been magnificent, and transcended anything of a similar nature achieved in the Empire. For that reason any change should be approached cautiously. The principle of the Sermon on the Mount was already being taught in the schools. The motion was agreed to.