Intermountain Jewish news., 1925-10-29
American Rabbis Confe,
On Religion in Public
Schools
ocoutiuued from Page u

hN the chairman 10 all the representa-
tivcs OF this committee Of the Confer
ence throughout the forty-eight states,
twenty-seyen replies have been re-
cciyel
A summary will disclose that In four
states bill was defeated. that In one
state bill was vetoed by the governor
after having passed In two states pro
posed legislation died before reaching
the floor In three states laws existing
we're made more drastic; In one state
y law already passed declared uncon-
stitutional the rest Of the states re
port no problem.
Canada has It's own and very serious
problem for Jewish children. Under
the law, the school funds are divided
proportionately between Catholics and
Protesiants. Repeated efforts to allot II
portion To Jews have failed. Even If
successful VI would he doubtful II an
adequate secular school system could
be established and maintained by the
amount that would he allotted. Jewish
pa rents therefore. have TO choose be
tween Catholic aud Protestant schools
to which to send their children.
Bib,~ R-sdiW< in Majority Of States
II must hs remembered that this
summary is Of agitation or efforts at
legislation during the past year only.
II may I've safely said HAT the ma jority
Of the states Of the Union have Bible
reading "a N part Of school work either
through legislation or, where there Is
no legislation, through the partisanship
OF individual teachers with acduies
cence on the part Of school authorities
1t may also he safely predicted that in
not few states agitation and efforts
towards legislatures and doubtless fur
ther bills will he passed.
The demand for religious instruction
is increasing. PreSeni conditions
painted as being very bad particularly
among the rising generation. make this
demand for religious instruction more
and more powerful. 1t is claimed that
church and home no longer meet re
auircments, and the public school must
he made use of to give moral as well
as educational training.
To most people moral instruction
aside from religion is iBconceivable
nK raslf an
declare that the authority Of religion
must he the basis of moral training
that we should be holy because th'
| Lord our God Is holy" The problem
! Is whether moral training. based OI
religion. can be given without sectarian
ism and without danger to the funda
mental American principle of the sepa
ration of church and state. While
doubtless the agitation throughout th'
several states of the Union, that re
suits in the various bills for the intro
duction Of the reading Of the Bible and
OF similar character, is motivated OF
the part of a great many people by q
pure and sincere desire to protect the
moral standards Of our country b!
proper moral training Of the rising gen
Grafton, yet it is also true that much OF
the agitation is carried on by persons
who have n desire for sectarian az
grandizement and for the official recog
milton of their own particular form oi
denominational belief. 1t is the first oi
these with whom we should should ally
ourselves, the latter of whom we should
beware and from whom we must de
| fend ourselves.
Four Methods Employed in Providing