Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1875-07-01
The BibIe in school.

They have little Tyro for presi-
dent of the School Board in our neigh
boring town Of Circleville, bigoted,
little man, who few weeks since is
sued an order to the teachers of that
city, forbidding them to read the bible
in their public schools, giving them
notice that those who were not loyal
to his royal mandate, should not re-
oeive pay for their services. We are
glad to notice that Sister DARsT, of
the Oircleville Herald, has taken this
little bigot in hand; and, supposing
that teachers in our county may be
anxious to know what is being done
in neighboring districts, we make the
following extract from Sister Darsts
paper of the 23d ult:
The BIBLE QUESTION Ander-
son seems bound to force the settle
ment of the issue he has raised. He
declines to acknowledge the re cleo
ton of Mr.. Lewis as valid, though a
majority of the Board elected that
gentleman at a proper time, during
Mr.. Anderson's intentional ABSENCE
He declines to sign orders for the pay,
of such teachers as persisted in read
ing the bible after his proclamation
all orders last month having been
signed by DR.. Wilder as President pro
tenn, and in various ways manifests
the spirit which kept him away from
the last graduating class, because for
sooth, public prayer was to be made,
and left the duty of delivering the di-
ploma to the graduates to other hands
than those of the President of the
Board. We do not know when Mr..
Anderson bought the Union Schools,
but is the party of the other part, the
tax paying public of Circleville salts
fed with the equivalent received for
the power granted? The first ques-
tion raised has sunk out of sight In
the more importent one, who owns
the Union Schools?
Six teachers, so far as we can learn,
continue to read the bible here. We
understand that in Columbus all the
schools are opened by singing, the
Lords Prayer, and if the teachers
choose, few verses of scriptures
All scholars are required to present
themselves before this exercise at roll
call on pain of q tardy mark There
are in those schools, young lady teach
ers who are catholics. They say the
Lords Prayer with their scholars and
no one is disturbed.
We understand that the original
form of DR.. Wilder's resolution was
something like this "That the Board
neither require nor prohibit reading
the Bible and prayer, but leave it to
the option of the teacher, and thai
such scholars as are not present al
this exercise be marked tardy." This
was after modified to, if possible, gair
the sanction of the Board officially tc
the practice they had informally sus
tained-the practice of excusing the
children of Catholics until after pray
er, but in vain.
If the Bible is read let it be read ir
this way, with due honor, not forced
outside the regular school hours, anG
put on the footing of an optional per
formance, to be disregarded with i'm
punity.
Is this unjust to Catholics or Jews
We do not want to be unjust to them
1t makes no difference that they are il
the minority, if there were but six il
the whole school, the principle is th,
same-we want to give them thei
rights-we dare not give them or an,
one else privileges. When Chineses
citizen sends his children to school
must we burn the geography that say
the world is round, lest we upset hii
religious ideas?
The matter has been brought befort
the Board There are laws on this
subject. Let the Board examine tht
laws and the facts and so decide
Then let all good citizens sustain them
Take the bible out the front door, i
it itlaWfully must come out.