The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1900-02-15
RELIGIOUS SERVICES
Are Not Permitted In New Antioch
Schools--Teacher Removed
by Board.

The trouble in the New Antioch
public schools between the Board and
teachers over the religious services,
which was taken to conrt, has been
settled by the discharge of the teach
er. Miss Pulse, the teacher in charge,
is Highland county lady. The fol-
lowing article on the situation is from
one of her supporters in New Antioch
and will be of interest to many in this
county:
"In regard to the so-called religious
war between the teachers of our pub
lie schools and the school board, it is
due Miss Pulse, against whom the
board first directed their wrath, to
say the accounts of her religious
teaching in the sworn statements of
the board are false, as Miss Pulse
simply read a few verses of scripture e
without comment and a prayer. and
even this was not within their per-
sonal knowledge as sworn to by the
clerk, Milan Thatcher, for he has not
been in the school room in school
hours nor has DR.. Whistler, the pres
ident or any other member of the
board. This is the first time she has
ever met with opposition on account
of it or had it construed to mean
teaching a theological opinion or
dogma. Miss Pulse wants it under
stood that there has been no disturb
ance among her pupils on this subject.
Her patrons would like to know what
religious question is at issue. They
never heard of any trouble until the
board, about four months after school
began, told Miss Pulse that they would
pass a resolution barring her script
ure reading and prayer. AS the no.
tice was so unreasonable and illegal
she gave it no heed, having previously
told member of the board that she
could not and would not teach a school
where such demands were made, nor
would she sign such a contract, but
signed another making no such de.
mands, which they claim is lost. An
other notice was sent to her and Miss
Durham, her assistant. ordering dis.
continuance of any religious services
whatever. Miss Durham simply had
her pupils to sing or repeat in concert
the Lords Prayer as found in the
the third reader. The teachers were
between two fires, the INDICATION and
wrath of the patrons should they sub
nit, and an agnostic board with al
power. The teachers then held their
opening exercises of five minutes just
before school hour, eight o'clock. The
whole district condemned the action
of the board and presented petition
demanding the resolution be repealed
but the board needed not the remon.
STRANGE and appealed to the court tc
enjoin Miss Pulse, and dropped Miss
Durham to handle later. The dis
trict has 2lS voters, of whom 3(
signed the petition, while a number o.
/ others joined in condetnning the ac
tiOn of the board. There is not, Sc
far as any one is able to find out, {
single outspoken member of any
: church justifying the action of the
board. Neither is the board repre-
sented by single member of any
5 church. All are outspoken against
churches or the sacred scriptures. II
is simply agnosticism VS.. the Bible
The injunction was not sustained by
the court, and Notwithstanding the
fact that the judge ordered, ''If the
board should be convinced that the
resolution was injudicious and ill-ad
: vised they should repeal it," and theil
boasted intentions in court to do moth
!, ing to molest the schools or stop the
, teachers, as they were doing goot
work and the school satisfactory, the,
deliberately called a meeting and dis
.. missed Miss Pulse without giving he
. a chance to submit, and permitted
: Miss Durham to continue if she woult
submit. To avoid all farther troubl,
she rendered her resignation, whicl
I was accepted. 'Agnosticism will rul,
l or Destroy" ~
A Day of Rejoicing.