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South Canterbury Times, Issue 2471, 18 February 1881, Page 2

Aktkii a season of lethargy the Bible-in-Schools association are beginning to exhibit signs of activity. The transfer of the portfolio for education from Mr Bolleston to Mr Dick appears to have quickened them into renewed life, and the recent School Committee elections have aroused their drooping hopes. They have applied to the Otago Board of Education for facilities for obtaining an expression of opinion from parents and guardians on the subject of introducing the Bible into public schools. The process proposed is to interrogate the consciences of the parents by means of slips of paper forwarded by the teachers through the children. The parents will be invited to give a Quaker’s “ yea !” or “ nay !’’ to the question whether they arc for the Bible or against it. The Education Board has decided to offer no objection. It is evident that the Association are driven to a sore extremity when they resort to such a disingenuous expedient as the one they now propose. If the majority is against them will they accept the verdict and abandon their efforts ? Will they promise to abide by the result ? If not it is simply an insult to ask the parents to vote. It is to be regretted that the Board did not sec its way to severely discountenance any proposal of the kind. Why should teachers be allowed to become barometers for recording the conscientious predilections of parents and guardians? To tolerate such a thing is to allow a most unjustifiable interference by an outside body with scholastic duties. If the Bible-in-schools Association are desirous of strengthening their cause, Jet them make their favorite hobby a test question at the next general election. In the meantime these well-meaning busybodies would be consulting their own peace and the cause of education if they rested on their oars and gave secular education a chance.