Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-04-07
The Bible in Schools.

In another column viii be found commune
cation, making some suggestions relative to the
use of the Bible in schools. 1t is an important
question, and should not be hastily or thought |
lessly discussed or determined Just now the
public mind is considerably agitated by its
sudden appearance in one of the public schools
in Boston. Some children, in the Elliot
School in that city, were punished for refusing
to repeat the ten commandments, according toI
the requirements Of the teacher. These children
had been brought up in the Roman Catholic
religion and were directed by their parents,
and by the priest, to refuse to repeat the COM
mandmcnts. Thcy made their refusal a matter
of conscience. The legal aspect of thequestion
is in the way of being determined by tae Coarts
of that city
AS the case appears in Boston,we can but think
the teacher was right. 1t becamea question Of
discipline, entirely distinct from any intoler-
anoe Whateger may be said of the propriety
of requiring recitation Of the Decalogue, as a
school regulation, after such regulation is
once established, the government, the discipline
of the school, and the subordination of the
scholar to the authority Of the teacher in en-
forcing ell-known rules, must be held to fully
Justify the punishment, in some way, OF the
disobedient; and this more especially, when the
scholar goes to school, expressly instructed by
parents and priest to disobey, and rebel, against
the rule known to be settled and acted upon,
and hitherto, by the scholar himself, conformed
to-, We cannot, with any regard for the main
tcnance Of proper government in schools, recog-
nize the right of parents and religious advisers,
to send pupils to school for the express purpose
of multiplying any regulation Of the teacher,
whether wise one or not. The only safe rem
edy for reforming any abuse of that sort, IS by
remonsrancc to the authorities controlling the
teachers, and if that fails, by withdrawing
from the school till new authorities can be put
in power, or the old ones made to sec their error.
The suggestions of our correspondent respect
inc the use Of the Bible in Schools, are at first
blush plausible, and to a certain extent are no
doubt sound We don't think the Bible should
DO used in schools as reader,-that is-as Il
book to be Rad through in course, as q mere
Evolutionary exercise. Yet we do not found
this objection so much on the sacred character
of the book, as on its ill-adaptation to such a
use. Some portions, however, Of the sacred
record furnish the highest and best examples
for such exercises, and we would not have
these excluded because they are inspired. We
cannot think the man or boy who reads his BIZ
Bile every day any worse for that familiarity
with the inspired page, although he may become
no better from it; nor can we conceive how a
scholar is to be made worse by any such daily
acquaintance with its great truths The light,
trihing, thoughtless, or positively bad boy may
make it a matter of joke jest, or sneer, but we
believe this would very seldom happen; as I'M
frequently, in fact, as it does in Sabbath
schools, or family prayers.
AS the Bible is at present used in our schools,
we cannot believe that its sacred character is
debased OR its religious influence lessened. IT.
chief, almost only use, as far as our knowledge
extends, is as morning exercise, either with OF
without accompanying prayers according to the
inclination of the teacher 1t is regarded as q
spiotjh s&sfcise) recognition of Divine Prov
idenee on the part of the teacher and th'
school, before addressing. themselves to The
studies and Rotations Of the day. And if re
ligion, a recognition of God, and belief ii
His providence, is matter of very-day life
and not alone the business of Sunday, then WI
believe no school can be better conducted, NJ
pupil better educated, than where the duties O
the day are commenced by reading selections
from the Bible, and recognizing the constant
care of the Being who inspired it. The Bible
if it is anything, Is the Chart of our faith, thu
Rule of our life; and as the thoughts, emo
tions, passions, acts, of every day Of our exist
ence make up that life, the Chart cannot bC
too familiar to our eye, the Rule too fresh ant
clear in our recollection.