Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-12
EDUCATIONAL REFORM.
Provisions of the Bill in the
British Parliament.
TO AMEND PRESENT LAW
Proposed Enforcement Of Church and
State.
ALLOW RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION
1t Must Be After Hours and at the
Expense Of Those Desiring
=. That It Be Given.
ALLOW RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION
By WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
Tor The Star and the Chicago Recor

| BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
written Tor The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald
LONDON, June II, 1905
The liberal party is doing it's best to
carry out its pledges made to the people of
the united kingdom during the recent cam
paign.
No sooner was the house of commons or
ganized than a bill was introduced by the
president Of the board OF education to
amend the education law to satisfy the de-
mands of the non-conformists, the Cath
olcs, the Jews, the nonbelievers and other
taxpayers who do not want what is called
county council religion taught in the pub
lie schools The consideration of this
measure has taken as much time as the
rate bill in Senate, and the discussion
has been so prolonged that the government
has decided to apply the cloture rule and
discuss 1t by Compartments sections
as we would say, giving each section linn
tied time for consideration The bill salts
fes nobody. however. There are forty-seven
pages of amendments pending, and apart
from many other objectional features 1t
provides for an appropriation of s., 00o,OO0
annually from the imperial treasury
contribution from the national government
to support what has been declared In par
lament to be 1.-THE most costly educa tionll
scheme ever devised"
The chief object and the original purpose
of the bill is to abolish and prohibit sec
tartan religious instruction at public ex-
pense: but far 1 can ascertain there
Is very little cause for complaint on this
ground In the city schools. Here and there
among the country parishes. am told, the
catechism and other doctrinal text books
are among the required studies, and oral in
struction and admonition Is given by the
teachers who must be orthodox members
Of the Church of England in order to Sc
cure employment The appl.ca ton of the
religious features of the existing law.
therefore, Is a good deal like the applica-
ton Of the prohibition laws in the United
States. 1t depends entirely upon the dis
position of the local school boards. who
have complete control of the matter under
the limitations OF the law, and can do
about as they like.
Present Educational Law.
The existing law, which was enacted in
1902. provides that county councils Chat
Is the educational authorittes) shall not re-
quire that any particular form of religious
instruction worship or any religious
catechism or formulary which Is distinctive
of any particular denomination shall or
shall not be taught and no pupil shall. on
the ground of religious belief, be excluded
from or placed in an inferior position In
any school. college or hostel provided by
the council. and no catechism or formulary
distinctive of any particular religious de-
nomination shall be taught in any school.
college or hostel so provided except in
cases where the council, at the request OF
parents and scholars at such times and
under such conditions as the council think
desirable. allow any religious instruction to
be given In the school, college hostel
otherwise than at the cost of the council:
provided that in the exercise of this power
no unfair preference shall be shown to any
religious denomination"
Ia DrOyjda5 that scholar bal
be compelled to attend or abstain from at
tendance upon any Sunday school. place OF
religious worship or instruction in religious
subjects in the school or college else
where. and that the times for religious
worship or for any lesson on religious
subject shall be conveniently arranged for
the purpose of allowing the withdrawal
of any such scholar therefrom."
1t Is also provided that assistant teachers
and pupil teachers may be appointed. II 1t
is thought fit without reference to reli-
gious creeds and denominations. and "reli-
gious instruction given In public ele-
mentary school not provided by the local
educational authorities shall be IN accord
ance with the conditions of any trust re-
lating thereto and shall be under the con-
troll of the managers.
Those the principal points in the
listing laws. which. as you will notice, does
not actually require instruction in the doc
trnes of the established church. but as
sumo from beginning to end that the parish
authorities will see to 1t that such instruc-
ton Is given. And l have said. the
amount and character OF the religion
taught varies in different schools according
to the piety and sectaran prejudices and
preferences of the local educational author
tiles.
In the city schools, speaking generally
what may be considered religious instruc-
ton Is limited to the reading of the Bible
and a prayer by the teacher, the singing OF
hymns and the recitation or the Lords
Prayer and the Ten Commandments by the
children in unison, and in some cases the
Apostles Creed. The latter IS naturally
objected to. In some of the schools, but In
only a small proportion, as l understand 1t.
there are some familiar talks by the teach
ers and superintendent and occasionally
by curate or some other clergyman upon
those simple easily understood moral
all denominations and the foundation of
character
Provisions Of the Pending Bill.
The pending bill to amend the law does
not prohibit that. 1t apparently proposes
to continue this sort OF instruction-"the
skeleton of religion James Ramsey
Mcdonald. one OF the labor members. OK
pressed 1t. And whenever the parents
wish. children may be further instructed
! twice a week after regular school hours.
| at their own expense In the eatechisms
| and other religious subjects. but attendance
| shall not be compulsory on the part of the
| children. nor on the part of the teacher.
The latter may be governed entirely by his
| or her own wishes. and any compensation
| he or she may receive. must be paid pri-
| vately and not by the educational author
| tiles from the public funds.
! The bill expressly prohibits the expendi-
| ture of a penny of public money for relg
| fous instruction. but permits it only at the
expense of and upon the formal petition
| OF the parents of the children. The public:
| school rooms may be used for religious in
structlon not more than twice a week, and
| the parents of children are held RESPONSE
| BILE for any wear and tear and damage
| that may be done to the property In the
| meantime. Whenever the parents of four
| fiftbs of the children attending school
| desire facilities for religious instruction.
| they may be furnished at their own ex-
| pense. But children whose parents do not
| desire those facilities may be excused from
| attendance The regular teachers may be
| permitted to give the instruction desired,
| but they are not required to do so. Nor
| shall any teacher voluntarily give religious
| instruction at such times or manner as
| shall interfere with secular instruction or
| his or her regular duties
| 1t Is also expressly provided that a teach
| er shall not be required. as a condition
/ of appointment to subscribe to any re-
| ngious creed. or to attend or refrain from
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