Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1854-10-19
PRAYER In school.

The following letter from the State Su-
pcrintendent of Pubic Instruction is in
reply to this question. us it part of
the duty of the Teacher in conducting the
Public Schoolto openitmornings by pray
er2''
We are glad that this opinion has been
called out from the Superintendent.
When there is snch an infinite variety Of
opinions, as in this country, upon reiig-
ious and moral questions, the law ought
to secure the widest possible freedom
There may be those who do not believe
in the efficacy of prayer, and especially
ofsectarian prayer, which cannot be avoi-
ded, if it is INDUCED in at ALL and they
| ought to have right to send to the.pub-
lie school, which their money aids in sup
porting, without their children being
obliged to submit to this kind of teach
ing.
Children are sent to school to learn
such exact sciences as there is no dispute
about-where all shades ofmorals agree
and are not sent to learn morality. The
teaching Of morals, except so far as to
preserve order, and protect the rights of
all under his care, is no part of teach
er's duty.
| We most cordially approve the opin-
ion given.-D.
| OrfIcE OF STATE SUPERINTENDENT, }
Madison, Wis.,, Sept Is, 1854
DEAR SIR
| Yours of yesterday has just come to
hand, and | hasten to reply, that it is
no part Of the duties of teacher in our
| public schools to open or close his school
with prayer, nor can he require any scho-
lar under his charge to listen to that ex-
ercise. Neither can school committee
or town superintendent, whose duty it
may be to examine applicants for teach
ing and grant certificates of qualifications,
require that such applicants shall conduct
such exercise in school or acknowledge
belief in any particular religious tenets,
before they will grant certificate. Such
a proceeding would be in diLect violation
of the Constitution and laws of the State,
and would be an assumption on the part
of school officers to have that done in
schools which the law says shall not be
done else. why should such q test be
imposed
Our present free school system, endow-
ed by public funds and adopted by the
people was founded for the purpose OF
securing to all classes of persons, without
reference to their religious, political, OF
other opinions, common English edn-
cation-distinctly regulating the idea Of
aiding. even in the most indirect manner
the propagation Of the doctrines of any
religious sect.
This is wide departure from the school
systems in other countries but is re-
garded by the great body of UT people
as tire wisest principle in our govern
ment In our schools, no sectarian in
struction can be allowed and, as there
is no medium between sectarian instruc'
ton and the broadcast liberation, in our
Schools the scholars should not be com
PEELED to listen to an exercise which their
consciences tell them is repugnant to the
doctrines of their church for prayer. as
we'll as any other religious exercise, may
be and often is sectarian. Neither should
the time of the teacher be thus occupied
which should be devoted to giving instruc-
ton in the branches required to be taught
in our public schools. 1t may be mat
ter of regret to some, that our laws have
banished from the school room religious
instruction; but i'll my view. such instruc-
| Al e IL
circle, the sabbath school; and the church;
leaving the school-house neutral ground
where instruction should be limited to
that ordinarily included under the head
Of intellectual culture, and to intoxicating
those principles of morality and virtue
in which all sects and good men belong
ing to no sect can equally agree.
Yours, respectfully
H. A. WRIGHT.
State Superintendent.