Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-02-26

I
New York prayer case APP
lpeared as new doctrine in a
new area-with unknown i'm
plications.
The courts opinion, written
by Justice Black. said:
In this country, it is
no part of the business of gov
eminent to compose official
prayers for any group of the
American people to recite as a
part Of a religious program
carried on by government
This ruled out the New York
prayer, composed by State
officials. Critics said it must
mean the court would also rule
out the Bible and the Lords
Prayer. Others said the ruling
was narrower.
AS the Juror over the ruling
died down. 1t appeared that
some Of the critics were adopt
ing a wait-and-see attitude.
The next step, 1t appeared,
would be UP to the court In the
two cases to be argued this
week.
The Maryland and Penn
sylvania cases reflect the deep
differences that exist over the
use Of religious materials in
public schools. Courts in the
two States have split on the
question.
In the Maryland case, the
States highest court. in a 4
to-3 decision, upheld the con-
stitutionality Of the Baltimore
practice of starting the school
day with the Bible or the
Lords Prayer, or both.
Atheists Fight Practice
William ]. Murray III. now
an eleventh grader. and his
mother, Mrs. Madalyn Murray,
who identify themselves as
atheists, contested the practice,
which is required under a 1905
school board rule.
In the Pennsylvania case. a
hree-judge Federal court ruled
unconstitutional a State law
requiring reading each day of
at least 10 Bible verses. The
practice was to follow this with
recitation of the Lords Prayer.
The practices were contested
by Edward l.. Schempp and
Sidney G. Schempp. the par
ents Of children in Abingdon
Township pa public schools.
The SchemppS we're identified
as Unitarians.
The main issue in both Of
the cases is whether the pub
lie school practices are barred
by the Constitutions First
Amendment, which - in very
broad language-prohibits an
establishment of religion and
guarantees the free exercise of
religion.
The two clauses forbid diff
ferent kinds of government
encroachment Upon religious
freedom. The establishment
clause" unlike the free exer-
else clause" does not depend
upon any showing of direct
government compulsion affect
ing individuals.
Reading Of Bible Verses
Thus, the arguments ad-
vanced in the Maryland and
Pennsylvania cases are along
two lines: whether there is or
is not an establishment OF re-
ligion, and whether there is or
is not coercion upon the indi-
vidualS involved.
The parents contend that II
the -denominational New
York prayers use was all cs-
tablishment Of religion, then
use of the Bible or the Lords
Prayer, which are sectarian
materials, certainly is barred.
rs it any more the business
of government to require the
reading Of a prescribed number
Of verses from the sacred work
Of any religious sect as part
of a ceremony each days pro-
gram in the public schools. -,
asks Mr.. Schempp in his brief.
Religious Freedom
School officials, in the two
cases. take the position that
the brief opening exercises are
insufficient to constitute IAN
establishment of religion" aid
are merely intended to start
the school day off on a sound
moral note.
At the same time, however,