THE SCHOOL QUESTION.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 119, 31 May 1876, Page 4

THE SCHOOL QUESTION.

(From the “ Waikato Times’') The efforts of our School-masters under the present system of secular education to steer clear of anything which may trench upon the religious element in their teaching is sometimes ludicrous. We were somewhat amused the other day in entering a School not a hundred ipiles away to witness the following. A class was then up to spell, and we asked the master to show how far the boys Were able to define the meaning of words when spelled. The first word spelled was “ creation.” “ Define It,” “ Bringing, into being from nothing.” “ Stop 1 That is a religious idea. That is forbidden. Try again.” * “ That power in matter by which it evolves into higher and perfect forms.” “Hold! That is an atheistic idea. That is. forbidden.” “ Well, by Jupiter, that is the .” “ Stop, my boy, that is a Pagan idea, prohibited in this school* Spell soul.” “ Now define it.” “ The immortal substance—*——” “ Hold on ! That is a religious idea ; prohibited.” “ Define sin.” “ A transgression of the divine law.” “ I can’t allow that, that Is a religious idea.” “ That is what my book says.” “ Well, all of you bring new books to-morrow.” “ Master, where can we get the right kind of books ? ” “ From the Colonial Government when the General Assembly provides a national system of education for Now Zealand.”