BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 April 1941, Page 7

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

DEVOTIONAL OBSERVANCES. In dealing with religious activities in the schools the annual report of the Bible in Schools League states:— “There is evidence of increase in the number of scholars receiving religious instruction and in the number of those using the daily observances in the primary schools. In round figures these can be estimated at 100,000 and 50.000 respectively." All the education boards provide facilities for at least half an hour of instruction weekly, and with the addition of the Southland Board during the past year, eight of the nine boards provide for daily devotional observances. Already a number of Southland schools have initiated this method, thus following the example of over 400 schools in other areas. Appreciation is expressed of the co-operation and commendation of staff-teachers in touch with these voluntary religious activities. A considerable number of schools under the Wellington and other boards open the school day with the Lord’s Prayer. "It is well that the secularly cf the primary school has been alleviated by church and home influences and by much voluntary religious instruction in school, yet no system can be accepted as satisfactory until it can be truly defined as Christian education.”