Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-13

William w. Conner.
July 1. 1900. Since Mr. Rodrick became Ill
some months ago Mr.. Conner has been act
ing secretar-- of the board. His selection
was the unanimous action of the board,
and the members of the board stated after
the meeting that the promotion was in
tended fitting recognition of his faith
full and efficient service since his connec-
ton with the organization. The salary of
the secretary is $1,000 per annum, and the
salary vacated is s1,4O0.
Religious Training in Schools.
The board gave a hearing to the interests
opposed to the introduction of religious in
struction in the public schools, but decided
to defer action on the question until Gen.
Boynton. president of the board. is able to
meet with the board. Gen. Boynton has
been confined to his home by illness for
several weeks.
Rev K. C. Russell headed a delegation
of seven representatives of the Church of
the Seventh-day Adventists and filed a
vigorous protest against any change in
the public school system in the matter of
religious training Mr.. Russell, in his re-
monstrance declared that the position of
those presenting 1t is not one of histiity to
religion. the church, the state or the pub
lie schools. The church and state, 1t is
contended, are both divnely ordained, but
LOT enliTeiy instinct purposes, one LOT Spir-
itual and the other for temporal ends, and
the prosperity of both depends upon the
faithfulness with which each follows "the
divinely ordained plan of a complete sep
aration the one from the other" The move
ment to introduce religious teaching into
the schools is designated a violation of
a fundamental principle of the Christian
religion"
Signed by All Glasses.
Mr. Russell states that the 128 petitions
which were sumbitted in support of the re-
monstrances had been signed by 1852 per-
sons gathered from all classes. Many of
them. he said, were members of the Baptist,
Methodist, Episcopalian, Catholic. Unttar-
ian and Peoples churches, and number
OF the signers were Hebrews. In comment
ing upon the numbers arrayed on each side
of the controversy, Mr.. Russell declared
that religion is not a matter of ma jorities
that those who had signed the petitions had
done so as individuals. and not In repre-
sentative capacity, and that the conscience
of one man is as sacred the conscience
of many.
Prof w. W. Precott addressed the board
In support of the protest and said that the
present situation presents grand opportun-
ity for the board to examplify Christian
principle by holding that there should be
liberty and complete separation of church
and state.
Addresses in the same general line were
made by Mr. A. I. Jones and Mr.. w. A.
Colcord. Mr.. Jones urged in the interest of
domestic tranquility that the whole ques-
ton be excluded even from a decision. The
matter, he said, was outside the province
OF the board, and he insisted that the Sys-
tenn now in vogue provides sufficiently for
the teaching of religion in the schools.
Mr.. Colcord asserted that because there
are homes In which religion is not taught
II does not follow that the state, some
institution of the state should undertake to
teach it. The home. the church and the
private school are the natural. legitimate
and proper places for teaching religion"
Other petitions protesting against the in
PRODUCTION of religious instruction In the
schools were received by the board from
the Brotherhood of Ohav Shulum Hebrew
Congregation. the Grave Evangelical Luth-
eran Church, A. S. Solomons, s. s. Bur-
dette and l.. Burdette. A letter was also
read from Rabbi Louis Stern protesting
against the plan.
Tribute to Late Secretary.
Resolutions in respect to the memory of
the late Mr.. Rodrick. secretary of the
board. were adopted, and it was ordered
that the flags on all school buildings be at
half-mast for a period of thirty days. The
board put on record a tribute to Mr. Rod
rick in the following words:
He was man of gentle disposition
quiet In manner, honest and fair in all of
his relations with man, painstaking and at
tentiye in the smallest detail of his Of
fcial duties. and possessed pre-eminently
those qualities that command respect and
appreciation. He was generous, unassum-
ing. conscientious and true. The members
of the board of education tender to his
widow. from whom kind and loving hus-
band has been taken. it's profound SYM
pathy and firm belief that Mr.. Rodrck
has received a crown in that eternal king
dom where only the faithful can abide"
letter was received from Thomas c.
Noyes, president of the Washington Base
Ball Club. placing at the disposal of the
board the National Base Ball Park for the
drill of the High School Cadet Battalion of
May % and "a. for which the board ex-
tended a vote of thanks.
School Commandments.
Announcement was made of the dates of
the commandments of the various public
schools as follows: Mckinley Manual
Training School. Lafayette Theater, June
IS; Normal, No. 2, Miner School, June ID.
10 o'clock: Armstrong Manual Training
School, June 10; Business High School, La
fayette Theater. June 10; III Street High
School. June 20; Central. Eastern and
Western High Schools, Convention Hall,
June 81; Normal School. No. /. Franklin
building, June 81, 10 o'clock.