San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-24
ADOPT BIBLE:
READING AS
STUDY COURSE
Passages Will Be Selected
According to Ages Of
Pupils.
LASTS SIX MINUTES
Teachers to Read Scrip
lures Without Making
Comment.

Bible reading in the San Antonio
public schools will be conducted as a
systematic course of study and the
passages read TO the several. grades
will be selected from the standpoint
of the ages of the pupils. according tn
an announcement by DR.. jeremiah
Rhodes, superintendent of schools,
Monday morning. DR.. Rhodes, to-
gether with committee of five princi-
pals. is working out a systematic
course of reading for next year.
Since Bible reading has been made
compulsory in the San Antonio pub
lie school system, DR.. Rhodes saids
lit is my duty as superintendent Of
schools. TO see that it is made as
educational as possible. Reading OF
the Bible in the public schools would
not be educational if passages were
read at random or wherever the teach
er had opened the book. / would OBJ
iect to the introduction of anything
into the schools that did not have an
educational value. Hence, we are
working out a course of reading that
is adapted to the age of the pupils
and is systematic in its arrangement.
Because of the work entailed. do
not believe that a systematic reading
course can be worked out before neIt
year." I
Let Contract for Bibles
The bid of Mrs. +. p. Jaggi, repre-.
sentative of the American Bible SOD
ciety. to furnish 1000 copies OF the
King James version at a cost Cd
II IL cents a copy, delivered at the,
school board warehouse, has been ac-
cepted. according to an announceBent
from the school board office, Mon<
day morning. A copy will be placed
in each school room, there being be-
tween 500 and 900 rooms. The re-
mainder will be held in reserve for
requirements. The Bibles are TO be
delivered in time for distribution be-
fore the first Monday in April when
Bible reading as part Of the daily
opening exercises is compulsory.
Under the general plan of reading.
so far as it has been worked out. DR..
Rhodes said. passages OF the Scrip
lures that are not adapted for public
reading, such as the incident of Lot
and his daughters, and certain parts
of the biography of David, will be
eliminated. Dry genealogical tables
and other passages that are purely
matters of record. will. not be read.
Although the reading program has
not been worked out in detail. the
general plan has been outleined. Story
incidents from the Bible will be read
possibly TO the first three grades in
the elementary schools, and the phil
osophical passages will be read to stu
dents in higher grades. Perhaps. DIR.
Rhodes said, one year will be given 10
the poetry Of the Bible.
Read Bible Five Minutes.
The Bible reading period will not
occupy more than five or six minutes
daily, DR.. Rhodes said. Those patrons
who desire to have their children eS-
cused from this period must file a re-
quest in writing with the principal OF
the school. This principal. in turn,
will file copy of the request with
the superintendent Of schools. Bible
reading will be conducted by the teach
er in charge of each room. The pas
sages are to be read without COM
ment of any nature.
IF a systematic reading course,
were not worked out" DIR. Rhodes,
said, "the reading of the Bible would
have but little educational value be-
cause the teacher would be prone to
select passages at random and with.
out regard to the mental ages of the
pupils in her room. Pending the for
mutation of a systematic course Of
reading. however, the teacher must Be
left TO her own initiative