CORRESPONDENCE. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Otaki Mail, 24 February 1919, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —In the last number of tho Danville “Normal Instructor,” New York, which is one of the leading State School teachers’ journals in America, the following extract appears: “In nearly every part of the broad British Empire provision is made in the official syllabus issued by the various educational departments for the children to learn in school hours the Ten. Commandments. Many of the State School authorities encourage the displaying : of the laws on the walls of tiie schoolrooms. Our attention is called to this by-a. circular from Wellington, New Zealand, sent out by the. ‘Decalogue.. Committee, ’ urging that this,'laws' of 'that State be made'conformable with those of other parts of; the Empire," and provision be made for the repetition or memorizing of these in the school. They urge that a‘a knowledge of these laws is. in the interests of character building and good citizenship, and is also an aid to good government.’ ” As the children in the State Schools of New Zealand are not taught the Ton Commandments, which are the foundation of our British laws, I beg to suggest that parents and- school commit-' tecs at once-petition their own members of Parliament, (and also candidates for same) to urge that the Government Printer be instructed to print, and supply free to all State school committees sufficient copies of the Ten Commandments for each of the classrooms, with - 1\ recommendation that they be learned by. the scholars. —I am, etc., A NEW ZEALANDER. p.S.—Nearly all New Zealand Education Boards allow school committees to display the Ton Commandment charts, but unfortunately these charts are unprocurable in, New Zealand. —N.Z.