Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-19
SUPT. MOORE'S
ATTITUDE IS
SUSTAINED
JOS. SCOTT TELLS TEACHERS
HIS INTERPRETATION
HE HAS DELVED DEEPLY INTO
SCHOOL LAW
Frank F. Bunker Makes Excellent
Speech on Conception of Educa-
ton and Its Real object.
Pedagogues Show Interest

Yesterday the sessions of the Los An
geles city and county teachers in the an
nual Teachers institute were augmented
by the opening of the Southern California
Teachers association with it's hfteentn
annual session last night.
The program throughout the day was
one calculated to bring much good to
the children under the charge of the
teachers who participated in the events.
One of the principal events of the ses-
sion was the speech of Joseph Scott,
president of the board of education, who
made a stirring address, straight to the
point, indorsing the position taken by DR..
Moore, the superintendent, on religious
training in the school. Mr. Scott is well
known for his Straightforward speeches.
and yesterday was no exception. He said:
Assigned to me for this mornings s
program is the topic of Moral Educa-
tion,' the subject having been allotted
to me about two weeks ago. L have
lust returned from a weeks absence to
the northern part of the state. and on
my return 1 am confronted with situ-
alton in our department which cannot
be ignored by me unuer the topic OF my
address. Since my return l have been In
receipt of a letter from most es-
timable gentleman in this city, per-
sonal friend of mine, expressing the hope
that /. as good Catholic would see
that the name of Christ was given due
consideration in the Christmas exercises.
/ was not aware that was serving on
the board of education as a good Catholic
or in any other capacity than as good
citizen, and this is the first time any
reference has been made to the character
of my religion during my three years
career as member of the board of ed
ucation.
Demanded by Statutes
ST have been compelled on previous
occasions to give some attention to the
constitutionality of the law of the state
of California in reference to this matter
of sectarian or denominational education,
and | am compelled to the belief that
we have no right under the law to at
tempt any doctrinal or dogmatic teach
ings as to the divinity of Christ Four
of my children attend the public schools,
and it is needless to say it would be an
uplift to them and to their parents if the
beautiful story of Christmas, With all its
pathos and piety, could be introduced into
the Christmas exercises but having a
conscientious belief that my oath of Of
flee debarS me from conSenting to any
thing of that kind, I need only say that
/ concur in the opinion of DR.. Moore,
as he has given it to me in reference
to his order issued to the principals of
the different schools. l do not know
his exact phraseology; probably he does
not recall it himself Certainly no one
who has taken it at hearsay can be ex-
pected to reproduce it exactly; but he
advises me that the order is similar in
character to what has been issued on
previous occasions, namely. prohibiting
any doctrinal or dogmatic reference to
Christ.
'That 9S per cent of our children, ac-
cording to the judgment of learned di-
vines, believe in the divinity of Christ
does not justify me in thwarting the
law Might was never right lin foro
conscientiae'; and while we Christian
people are in the overwhelming majority
in this community and every other, we
must still. support the rights of the Jew
and the agnostic. A member of this
board, H. w. Frank. is member of
the Hebrew religion. He has rendered
most excellent service as a member of
this board and has been stalwart and
loyal citizen of Los Angeles for years,
and the constitution guarantees him the
right that the religious opinions of his
children shall not be affected by any ex-
ercises in the public schools,
All States Alike
81 am not here passing judgment on
the law itself. That is a different mat
ter. Suffice it to say that every state
in the Union has more or less drastic
constitutional provisions of a similar
character. I do not think can be
charged with having any religious af-
filiations with the Hebrew race. because
presume my profession of faith is more
or less known to all of you and is dia-
metrically opposed to our Hebrew fellow
citizens, so am compelled to suggest to
our Christian brethren clerical and lay,
that they deal with the question at Sac
ramento and before the voters of the
state and not submit to the members Of
the department of this board of education
the temptation to violate their oath of
Office for the purpose of obtaining favor
in the sight of a certain portion of the
Christian people, Remember that the
lowest creature that walks is the cow
ard and the lowest of all towards is the
moral coward. man can simply do his
duty and then face the consequences
without finching, and 1 believe Or. Moore