St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-21
Supt. Kiehle Issues Instruc-
tions for General Guild
anee Therein.
Where and Where Not the
{, Bible May Be Used in
the Schools.
Distinctions Drawn Between
Religious and Educational
= Training.

| system Oh state Scn0Oi6 satisfactory 10 4
large class of our fellow citizens who
have hitherto expressed great distrust
| of the Influence of the public schools
| upon the religions character of their
| children; and also important in the pos
| sible danger of putting the public
school administration in compromising
| relations with areligiouS body. There
fore such an experiment requires on all
sides a spirit Of intelligent confidence
| and entire frankness. 1t is in this in
terest and in answer to many questions
thatEc cali attention to such matters as
may be helpfuLin studying and direct
ing this experiment.
First-Fhe state has made ample pro-
vision for the education of her youth.
1t is her policy to make her schools sat-
iSfactory to her best citizens, and help
full toithem in their highest ambition in
training their children for the duties OF
life. She therefore requires all the peo-
pie to share the expense and desires
above all else that all the youth of the
state enjoy the advantages afforded. =
"Secoad-Piie attitude of the state is
one of entire organic separation from
religion as represented in denomina-
tons and She. therefore requires that
the distinctive work of the churches pc
entirely excluded from the public
schools, The language of the consttu
tiob is very explicit, and is as followSa
"But in no case shall the moneys derived
as afore said; or any portion thereof, or any
public moneys or property, be appropriated
or used for 19le support of schools wherein
the distinctive docIrlues- creeds or tenets or
any particular Christian other religious
sect n cat tod fnnpht ARTICLE z
Section 3.
70 take thisaas showing Indifference,
or.stilt more, opposition of the state to
matters and institutions religious, is
farthest from the truth; for in every
way possible the state expresses the
greatest interest in those religious
bodies whose purpose, with that of the
family,is to elevate and purify the
character OF the people. While the state
must forego, the exercise OF authority
in matters religious. in order to prOtece
the rights of all religious bodies, she
speaks in no uncertain sound requiring
that the pri ncipleS be carefully incuE
Gated in the minds and habits OF the
youth. It's her purpose in the admins
iStration of her public schools, to eX-
press the spiritnf the ordinance Of 1887
for the, government oEthe territory of
the Northwest 3 s
"Religieasnfosaiity and knowledge being
necessary to good government ana the happt,
ness of mankind schools and the means OF
education shall forever b. encouraged" :
SO decided in this attitude of the state.
as to the superior importance of charac-
ter building that she allows to those
other teachers who fully appreciate
their high calling all possible liberty III
theireheifspf methodss
W1th.tliis spreface proceed to define
the hiHstatfO3S within Which the public
schools must be conducted.
I.-LImitations by Statute.
A board of education may not law
fully bind themselves to require or APP
ply any religious test in the selection of
teachers; neither may they distribute
or classify pupils in departments grades
or classes according to their religious
faith. 70 do so Would iiaFe no other eX-
PLANTATION than the purpose to propagate
the tenetS ola distinctive Christian
sect. And what may not be done d-
rectiy, may not be done by indirection;
that is. the board may not occupy the
apartments of pafoehial school, and
have control Of it with an implied or
uneXpfesSeds understanding that the
teachers shall be selected from those of
a particular religious body, or that the
children. ofssa particular sect shall
must>be regarded as sacredly binding
by all acknowledgements, and in the eye
OF the law and at the bar of public senri-
ment wouldsbe Condemned as a viola
ton OF. the law. and would, therefore,
work a forfeiture of ali rights to any
share in the publics funds. The board
of education must be absolutely free in
the exercise of its authority for the Or
ganizatioH and conduct of a good public
school; and if the results are not salts
factory, the board must not be able To
say that they were limited by implied
conditions which the public understood
and approved.
He usstlons OF Expe dIency.
Beyond limitations and. duties deter
mined by statute there are many other
questions shichsmust Predetermined by
the board consistently with the purposes
for which the school is maintained.
Some of these have religious ele ments
and others have not. Fer example,:
First The Bible isa religious book,
and rs such 1t has. no place in the pub
lie schools TO proinulgate religious doc
trines; but, having merit Of great his
torical, moral aud literary value, it may
be used for: these qualities. If, how
ever, to anysciass of patrons this is OBJ
noxious, the. board should require the
QlSCOlllllludlce vi It's USE
Seeend-SisterS of Charity are re-
ligious persons, and. as such, have no
place i'll the public school to propagate.
religious doctrine Shut if they be women
of education and teaching ability, it lies
wholly within the authority of the board
of education to employment to do the
legitimate work of the school. If, how
ever, to any class OF patrons their pres
ence is obnoxious or unaeeep table by
reason of the significance of their re-
| ligious garb, the board must either re-
tire them or require them to wear the
usual garb Of teachers in the school
room.
Third-The same principle requires
that in case the color, or nationality, or
personal peculiaritieS ola teacher, other
wise well qualified, make him so unac-
ceptable to patrons as to interfere with
| the purposes of the school, his employ
ment must be discontinued.
Fourth-While public funds and pub
| lie properly may not be used to proga-
gate religious doctrine, the interest
which the state has in all voluntary
| organizations of "a benevolent and phil
anthropic nature has always disposed
| it to allow such bodies any use of its
buildings that would in no wise inter-
fere with their public use. In country
| districts it has been customary from
time immemorial to allow the use of
| school houses for religious worship and
| Sabbath schools as wella other meet
| ings. This practice is one of expediency
and propriety to be decided by the
| Judgment of the bOard.lsvs ess
The Faribault schools.
In view of the public Importance Of
the action at Faribault, have visited
the schools there, and by the courtesy Of
| the board of education and the
city superintendent have become
acquainted with the plan and
purpose of the board = in ac-
cepting the pupils Of the .parochlal
| rantnd in axnrassi1ar To tho nnhIia