The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-09
"N0 RELIGION"
SAYS Mr.. THOMAS
Board Member Opposes 1t in Pub
lie Schools.
ADDRESSES CITY TEACHERS
PROF. BYRON CUMMINGS DIS
CUssEs HooDLUM PROBLEM.

= EACHING Of religion in the public
schools was denounced by Ma
thOnihah Thomas of the board Of
education at meeting of all the city
teachers which was held yesterday
afternoon in the Lafayette school build
ing. Two speakers, Mathonihah Thorn
as and Professor Byron Cummings, both
members of the board of education, ad-
dressed the assembly.
MIR. Thomas was the first speaker and
was warmly applauded for his re-
marks. He said in part:
America is the only nation where
a declaration for religious liberty would
have been possible. 1t was one of the
rights sought by the patriots OF the
early history of this country, and il is
still the inaHenable right of every
American citizen The principle of re.
heious liberty is that while 4 may be
firm in my religious belief / have no
right to interfere with the belief OF all
others l am naturally of a religious
nature. / believe my religion with all
my soul, but l believe that you should
have the right to believe your relig-
ion, whatever il may be. with all your
soul. The early heroes of our COun-
try I believe to have been Just as truly
inspired in their efforts for liberty. po-
hticaI and religious. as were amy of
the men Of ancient times. And / think
that the best teaching that can be given
teaches him TO love his country. his
coUntrys flag and its institutions above
all else. 1t is the province of the teach
er TO teach this, but il is not the prov
tnce nor is it the right of any teacher
TO thWart the individuality of the
child. nor to shape in any way its re
iigioUs belief
Says Board Knows No Religion.
Since so much of unpIeasantness has
come up locally in regard TO this mat
ter of religious interference, l wish To
state that so far as the present board
/ is concerned it has not get learned re-
! ligious distinction, and / hope to be
( far from this city when it shall learn
such distinction. I do not know and [
! do not care what your religious belief
! is but I do demand that you shall give
| to my child when / place him in your
/ care the best that is i'm your power. /
| do ask and expect that you shall in
huence his character and his mind, but
/ his religion viii rest with the bone
| i realize that to whatever height
| he shall attain to a great extent YOU
/ Will be responsible. The best of re-
wards await you in the record made
| by your boys and girls who are already
! showing to the world the kind of train
/ ing you are giving them. Everything
/ IN the surroundings of this place con-
] duces to a higher and nObler life. The
/ air, the soil, the grandest mountains
/ IN the World. valleys between. all tend
/ to lift the soul of man upward 1t is
| your part to do the same You have
/ the full confidence of the board of edu-
/ cation. and whatever lies in their power
/ for your help in the noble work in,
! which you are engaged they viii do"
Cummings Talks of Hoodlums
| Professor Byron Cummings followed
! with a brief talk in which he admOu-
/ ished the teachers to do all in their
( power to encourage pupils to seek more
! and more of an education instead of be-
| ing content with the grammar grades
! only. Referring. to the hoOdIum Gle
ment in the city he said that there are
/ few of these SO-called hOOdIums who
! have not at some time been within the
| doors and under the influence of the
/ city schools. And in those there were
! few who did not have in them some
/ ideal to which a teacher might appeal
! if the right chord were touched TO
arouse these dormant ideals is one of
the great opportunities Of the profess
| sion and although at times the effort
/ may seem fTUitlesS. the future of the
I nation depends on the extent to which
| the nobler ideals slumbering in this
| very class are aroused This is the
class which needs the attention of
! teachers more than does that class
which shows the wholesome effect while
/ yet within the school environments
/ These are the things for which We are
/ in the profession. Otherwise we might
| eXpend the same energy. nervous force
| and vitality with far greater results
and more material compensation