The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1910-01-29
A Clean Cut Statement from
Prof. Munson of Interest
To Us All.
CHARGES UNFoUNDED

MuuHnh hH- gwen az the following
statement whtyn thoroughly covers the
/ controversy that has been going on
/ ior the pnst turr months, rrof Nun
,uu auN-
Editor Tucumcari News:
In response to request for state.
mcnt regarding the reported teaching
of religion aud scctarian doctrines IN
the Tucumcar. public schools permit me
10 say that thi, charge il absolutely
without foundation, that at no time
this year has any such instruction been
given ia these schools
took occasion la the first teachers
meeting 81 the wear 10 caution the teach.
crs against anything that might SAVIOR
of sectaran ~ religious instruction Nv.
iug to the fact thH' We have children
uf 80 many denominations an. creeds
IA school. TIN, caution has been strict
~ observed. There has been no bible
reading or religious exercises of any
Kind whatever ~ the schools with the
exception of the reciting of the Lord :
prayer IN Que of the rooms ON assemb.
ling ~ the morning, neither have any
of the children been at any time re-.
quired to 'copy, learn and sing any
songs of u ,cctariau OF religious char
acter.
About November !, member Of the
school board informed me that com.
plant had been made that certain songs
containing the name Of Jesus Christ
were being sung ia the schools. con.
ward Christian Soldiers was mention.
ed in particular as one Of the objec
tionable songs. Investigated the mat
ter and found that this song had been
sung at the request of the pupils in
one Of the rooms.
In December, while preparing for
the Christmas exercises IN the schools,
was again interviewed by the same
party, this time over the telephone, and
Informed that songs Of a Christian cnar.
acter were being sung in the schools
and that the practice must stop aud
that all preparations for Christmas must
cease. | asked him If he was opposed
to Christmas exercises of every kind
aud he Informed me that he most Ger
tninly was referred the matter to
the Bunrd anu gave 10 no further AZ.
tentlou. iu lew days | was aga u
called up over tur telephone aud ga.
iutu"d that ~ us much ~ the piar-
tlrc of singing these obicctional son-s
siili continued he proposed to take the
matter tu santa re. On investigation
at 'hi, TINE | round that IN one ct
b" ru"ns the utlic children had aso
ed permission TO sing Jesus Wants
Air ioi ~uuhcim aud that the teach
cr had permitted them TO sing II. /
again r"tcrrrd the Wn'tcr tu the Beard
aud asked the teachers TO refrain from
singing any none oi these songs till
the matter could bc' adjusted.
la the meantime ihc matter had been
referred to the Hon j. T.. Clark Tor
rltorial Superintendent of Public In.
structiOn, aud he was requested 20 come
10 Tucumcnri and investigate the mat
ter. When Mi Clark arrived he inter.
viewed both sides of the controversy
aud instructed "a, 10 hold our Christ
mas exercises IN accordance with the
plan he had sent out from Santa Fc,
but To exercise caution IN the singing
of songs containing the name of Jesus
Christ, a. the party who had made the
charge threatened to bring suit IL tho
practice was not discontinued. Since
this time no songs containing the name
OF Jesus Christ have been sung in our
schools.
At the Christmas exercis held in
the high school auditorium on Christ.
mas Eve the songs sung were "lIoly,
Holy, Holy aud lit WAS upon "A
Midnight Clear. Neither OF these
songs contained the name Of Jesus
Christ. Again the complaint went 10
santa fe that we were singing reli.
gious songs In the Tucumcari schools,
and that suit would surely be brought
II u did not discontinue. then placed
room on the first floor of the high
school building in charge of teacher
aud announced that any pupils who
did not care 60 attend chapel could
30 to this room during the chapel per.
iod. Charges were then made in this
connection that had made intimati ions
hurtful to the feelings Of certain per.
sons. When this latest charge came q
my attention ! concluded that IL would
be impossible for me TO give any kihd
Of moral instruction or 20 hold any hind
OF exereises that might be constraed
M "religious' or as "hurtfnl 10 ths
feelings Of certain persons. - Aftsr Z,
conference with the Beard we decide,
to discontinue All chapel exercisea untl
'he wishes Of the patrons Of tho seh.o
could be more definitely aaeertainsa.