, 1892-06-28
SOME SCHOOL TALK.
The Interesting Discussion at the
Unitarian Church.

L. r. ByrRe G. b. Lane, N. HOag-
land, p. ID. Moore, L. p. Venen
and Others TaIk-The Question
OfReligiOn in the Public schools.
The public school discussions at the
Unitarian church are growing in interest.
Last Sunday evening, Notwithstanding the
tropic atmosphere, there was a fair at
tendance. The school board the teachers
in the city schools, and those of other call
ings and professions who take an interest
in educational improvement were well rep
resented. The first speaker was County
Superintendent L. R. Byrne. His subject
was "Morals in;the Public Schools" He
acknowledged the magnitude of the theme,
hence he aimed only to touch briefly upon
the subject in the time allotted. The i'm
portance of moral influence in the public
schools, he said, is recognized in the re-
quirements that is made of each applicant
for license to teach, said applicant being
required to furnish a certificate of good
moral character. The value of moral
training in the schools none can gainsav.
He thought the teachers as a rule did ali
they well could in the way of moral train
ing, under the circumstances, though he
admitted there was room for improvement.
He thought that such teaching should not
be left to the teacher alone, but that the
teaching of the home should tell NIGHTLY
in the direction of good morals.
The address was followed by a spirited
discussion which was participated in by
Prot. q. b. Lane, Rev. n. HOagland, Hon
Z. ID. Moore and Prof. l.. 2. Yemen Mr.
Lane spoke vigorously in favor of a more
pronounced moral training, and quoted
Professor Bascom of Boston, an. educator
of many years standing, as saving that
the altitude of the public school system to
moral training as it has been and is, will
If persisted in, wreck the entire system al
do distant day. Morality Mr.. Lane said
was the very foundation of civilization.
The root meaning of our two words urbane
and polite are significant in this connec-
ton. They both refer to harmonious re-
lations between people who live in close
contact with one another. PoIiteness
means more than justice. Justice takes
man for what he really is, and no more,
poLteness respects him for his better possi-
bilitles, for what he may become.
Mr.. Hoagland emphasized the need of
moral training by referring to the fact that
the state does not punish people for max
ing mistakes in grammar or geography.
but it does punish them for falling 10
observe correct moral relations towards
their neighbOrs. When a person takes
property that does not belong to him. or
otherwise injuries another, the state pun
lshes the oHender-nnes him or puts him
in prison. 1t is Of vastly more interest to
citizens of Olympia that the school bows of
our town should be well behaved and well
trained in the ethics of "mine. and thine'i
than that they should fail in these things
but be perfect In memOrizing rules OF
grammar and arithmetic. When there is
MIN rrrfr oh
have no more moral sense than a robin.
Mr.. Moore thought that the work re-
quired Of teachers already should not be
made heavier. He favored the emplov-
ment OF more teachers. He suggested that
these additional teachers should be en-
gaged TO give special attention to moral
training, not only by precept, but by assO-
clatlng with the pupils on the playground
and outside of the sChOOlrOOm
Professor Yemen rose to ask as to the
meaning of the phrase, good moral char
acter." The candidate for a license to sell
Whlskey and beer must furnish a certificate
of good moral character" the same as
the candidate for the teachers desk. sun
pose Jack" or "Tug'' should brush mn a
little In grammar and geography, what
would hinder their saloon certificate of
good moral character from emitting them
to license to teach schOol2
Prof Geo. B. Lane, ex-state superintend-
ant of public instruction In the state of
Nebraska, was then introduced, and smoke
upon the subject as announced in the
printed program. The subject was
SHOULD anything about religion be taught
in the public schools ?" He introd 80
his remarks by referring to the faiIure to
legalze certain methods of religions in
struction in the public schools. One
occurred about twenty years ago, when
the school board of the city of Cincinnati
was enJolned from permitting the Bible to
be read without comment in the schools
The case was tried in the courts and went
against the defendants. Some years later
Senator Blair attempted to get a bill passed
providing that the fundamental features of
the Christian religion should be taught IN
the public schools. This proposed measure
was widely discussed, butfailed of adoption
Mr.. Lane then proceeded to give the argu-
ments against the teaching of religion in the
schools, from the religious point of view
1t would be secularizing religion and
would be a confession of ineffiCiencv on
the part Of the church to do its own proper
work. He then traced the evolution of a
child's mind from the time it first begins
to recognize things to the period of more
mature mental development when it has
learned to recognize ideas and symbols and
has begun TO classify its KNOWLEDGE for
more convenient handling. Thus from
the recognition Of things external to it,
by an impression on its senses 1t soon be-
internal
mental picture Of that thing, though it NAV
not be present to the senses. Then #
learns that certain sounds and characters
help the retention of these mental IMAGES
Then it discerns the likeness and dissimi.
larity of things and ideas, and begins to
unity or bring together the things that are
alike. Then principles are observed which
effect a wider unity. Finally, all that the
intelligent eye sees is thought of as a part
of one stupendOus whole whose BODY is
nature and God the soul. Only in some
such natural way would he favor the teach
ing Of anything in regard to religion in the
public schools.
Nature thus interpreted must lead to
that which is back of nature, the life that
is in all, hence, in this larger sense
teaching that helps one to discern facts
has religious bearing. But as regards
any special method of worship, rite or
ceremony, the public schools as such yerv
clearly have nothing to do. The address
which was given in an easy, extempore
manner, showed the marks of profound
thinking along the lines followed and was
listened to with close attention through
out.
On next Sunday evening the leading ad-
dresses will be by Professor L. P. Yemen
and Mr.. Geo. F. Stone. Mr.. Yemen will
discuss the question as to the proprietv of
establishing a department. of education in
the national cabinet, and Mr.. Stone will
speak Of the things we can agree to do for
the sake of educational improvement i'm
Olympia.
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Letters remaining Uncalled for in the
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