The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-04-18
Action To Stop Bible
Reading In the School

Reading In the School
/ From Tuesdays Daily.
Rev. Father Robert Hughes, pas
/ tor of St Johns Catholic church, is
! the plaintiff in an action to put a
stop to the reading of the Bible in
the public schools in Mankato. Sher
/ iff Anton Osten today served the
| summons and complaint on the
defendants, who are made up of the
/ board Of education and Superintend.
ent f. j. Sporty. The complaint
prepared by Attorney j. e. Regain,
reads as follows:
STATE OF MINNESOTA, County of
| Blue Earh, In District Court. Rob.
ert Hughes VS.. Independent School
District No. l of the City of Man
kato, Minnesota; and the Board Of
Education of Independent School
District No. 1 of the City of Man
kato, Minnesota; and f. J. Sperry,
Superintendent of Independent
School District No. 1 of the City
of Mankato, Minnesota.
Plaintiff for complaint in the
above entitled action alleges and
shows to this court:
"That this plaintiff is and for
many years last past has been a
resident and taxpayer of the city of
Mankato, in Blue Earth county, Min
nesota, wherein the said Independent
School District No. / of the City of
So, Inoo hot
! this plaintiff now is, and for more
than twentyeight years last past has
been priest in the Roman Catho-
lie church and as such priest has
been located in the parish of st.
Johns in the city of Mankato, Min
nesota, wherein the said independ-
ent School District No. l of the city
of Mankato is located; and that a
large number of the parishioners IN
said parish are in attendance at the
free common or public schools stu
ated in said Independent School Dis
trict No. 1, and f. ]. Sperry is and
was at all times hereinafter mention
ed, superintendent of said school dis
trict No 1 of the city of Mankato,
"That there are in the city of
Mankato, Minnesota, and in the said
Independent School District, No. /
certain free, common or public
schools organized in accordance with
and in pursuance to the constitution
and laws of the state Of Minnesota.
THAT the residents of the city of
Mankato who are taxed for the sup
81 cchnnlc nnna1IN n
titled to the benefits thereof of hav-
ing their children instructed therein
according to law.
Teachers Select Bible Portions.
"This plaintiff further shows to
this court that certain of the teach
ers employed by the said board OF
education of Independent School
District No. / having charge of the
said schools read to the said pupils
instruct the pupils attending the
said school sread to the said pupils
on each and every Monday morning
of each week during the school
year, when said schools are in ses-
sion, and during the hours fixed for
instruction of pupils, certain portions
of the book, commonly known as the
Bible, the said teachers themselves
selecting the portions so read, and
uniformly using in such reading the
translation of the said Bible known
as the King James version of the
Bible, and sing certain religious and
secretarian Songs, and offer prayer
to the Deity according to the GUS
toms and usages of the SO-called
"Ortbodox Evangelical Churches" of
this country and in accordance with
the belief and practice of such
churches, the pupils joining in the
singing Of such songs or hymns and
in the offering of prayer at the re-
quest of the said teachers.
Further Complaint Made.
"This plaintiff further shows that
he, and many parents of the children
of the said city of Mankato and the
said Independent School District No.
1, which children are attending the
said schools and are under he con.
troll of the said board OF education,
and teachers, and who
are lawfully entitled to the equal
benefits OF the said schools, are to-
gether with their children, members
VI Tic ItOIldu SulHOilC anu
conscientiously believe-its doctrines,
faith and forms of worship; and that
they believe the version of the
scripture referred to in this COM
plant to be incorrect as transla-
ton and incomplete by reason of he
omission of part of the books held
by the said church to be integral pof-
tions of the inspired canon. and the
form OF worship to be incorrect; and
that it is not only not beneficial to
the children in the said schools who
are members of the said church,
but likely to lead to the adoption of
dangerous errors, irreligious faith,
practice and worship, and that by
reason thereof the practice of read
ing the King James Version of the
Bible, commonly and only received
as inspired and true by the Protes-