The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-08

comment, and that there was no con-
straint or compulsion upon the pupils
to participate therein.
III.
No official action was taken by the
| school board as to the character of the
morning exercises in the school, nor
as to the reading of the Bible in any
version until March /, 1895. On this
date, at a meeting of the school board
motion to adopt the Bible as text
book in the Waverly school was lost
A motion was then made that the
teacher be instructed TO read the Bible
in the school at the opening exercises
in the morning. This motion was
amended to the effect that the teach
er be instructed to proceed in the mat
ter at his own discretion, and thus
amended, the motion was carried. 1t
is evident that the custom of reading
the Bible in the school as a part of
the morning exercises had been tacitly
recognized by the directors, although
1t received no official sanction until
March 1st, and the action of the board
at this time lodging the matter in the
discretion of the principal virtually
left the question where 1t was before.
with the additional feature that the
practice was approved by the direc-
tors. The bill of complaint in this case
having been filed March 10th, 1895. and
the opinion on the demurrer having
been announced April 1st, 1t may be
contended that the record of the pro-
ceedings of the board of directors had
April 4th would not be evidence.
1t was admitted because it tended
to throw some light upon the position
of the board in the past as to the mat
tcrs referred to and was fuller and
clearer statement of the attitude of the
directors on the main question in the
case. 1t Is important to remember
oil L.
was on May 90, 1895. At the meeting
of April Mr.. Stevenson. the plaintiff,
member of the school board. made a
motion that the secretary be instruct
ed to inform the teacher that he must
discontinue the morning devotional
and religious exercises, the singing of
devotional or religious hymns and the
reading from King James version of
the Bible or any other version of the
Scriptures in any way in our public
school, either during school hours. or
before or after such school hours, and
that he request all persons visiting or
addressing the school to avoid speak
ing upon or discussing subjects relat-
ing to religious matters, or to exist
ing political parties.
This motion failed and the follow
ing motion was carried: Resolved.
That we, as a school board. do not
believe nor understand that Professor
Hanyon is offering to the pupils of
Waverly school any sectarian or de-
nominational teaching, nor in the OPEN
ing exercises of the school violating
any provision of the constitution of
the state Of Pennsylvania or any law
of the state, nor the spirit of the opin-
ion of Judge Gunster in the Waverly
school case as handed down on Mon
day, April |: and we request him to
continue the reading of the Scriptures
hin1Cp1f
or others in the opening exercises in
the school as heretofore, and to be
careful 10 observe the opinion of Judge
Gunster in regard to sectarianism and
denominationalism in the school,"
1t was the custom in the Waverly
school, as in other schools that when
strangers, especially public men, visit
ed the schools, to invite them to adj
dress the scholars. 1t appears that in
December, 1894, minister of the Cos
pei was one of the visitors and he was
requested to make an address. He
prefaced his remarks with prayer
and made an address of religious
character. At the close he asked "all
who were followers of Jesus to raise
their hands" At another time a min
lister of another religious body spoke
on the use of the cross in the Catholic
faith. Such themes are undoubtedly
proper subjects of instruction in the
pLt1per p'ace, put they are not suit
White th an hi duu,eSs no no the scholars IN
place. The speakers committed, as it
We're, breach of privilege. Neverthe-
less these few instances were isolated
and exceptional. The indscretion of
the speakers cannot be charged to the
principal or to the school directors
The evidence sustains this statemont
1v
nv.
~, ne "hiS aleSatloh IN the plalntihs s
plll ol complaint that is sustained by
the tNiuehcc lS' lhat the prlncipal of
oit puDllc school OF WaVerlN. with the
apProVal OF the school board. permit
UI n the reaulhg OF portions of the
nipIe: III me version commonly known
as NlhS james as a part or the daily
opeHiIS exercises or sad school All
.ie otner material aNerments of the
plll IAN TOT the want or sutiicient evil
uence 10 sustain them.
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
rbo rood;r, 80 A.. ,, e,
In ai.t,,,, ''ilS -, the iioly scriptures
n,ooi,,tr a,.o',Ii, as part OF the
AZ, ,,rt .;oi, ~ = ~ 'ui Puoii' SChoolS
,,isio,I '' "'e any 'olatltutlohal pro-
49, ~ - no' m 'oi'ldNentlon or
.i ~ !. 9ec'ioh D. nor ol Aftlcle y,
TT
IL
Inc injunction IN this case should be
dehled ana the bill dismissed.
,o,,,,,oc,r
DlS'' SSloN.
|.
1t may be truly said that the dacisior
in this case has been deIaved much
beyond the usual period of lime In
which our court disnoses of cases tbat
comes before if. The final beor,ing uaS
in 1898 A larre amnunt of ntbar T,ass
ipo l,,ci,,,o, ,'S.,,,.,,,I. -, g., - 20