UNDENOMINATIONAL TEACHING IN CARMARTHENSHIRE.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.1
SIR,—I think that you ought to know the following par- ticulars with respect to the Council schools of Carmarthen,.
shire :—
Early in the year 1904 the County Council inquired into the religious teaching given in their Council schools, and obtained a Return. At that time there were (excluding British schools) ninety-two Council schools in the county educational area. I enclose a copy of the Return, which relates to seventy-six schools out of this total of ninety-two. You will see (1) that in only four schools was there any Biblical instruction given in accordance with a scheme ; (2) that in more than half of the seventy-sii schools there was no Bible instruction or Bible reading at all ; (3) that in eleven schools there was not only no Bible reading or instruction given, but no Lord's Prayers repeated, and no prayers, Grace, or Benediction given or hymns sung at assembly or dismissal. I am credibly informed that neither the County Council nor their Education Committee (on both of which Non- conformists are in an overpowering majority) have, since this Report, taken any further steps in the matter. " Their attitude towards religious teaching may be gathered from the following resolution, which was on the 10th of this month passed at a meeting of their Education Committee :—" That we, the Carmar- thenshire Education Committee, desire to express our approval of the Education Bill so far as it establishes the two principles— namely, public control and the abolition of religious tests—and that we are further of opinion that no system of national educa- tion will be satisfactory unless it provides for secular education alone."
—I am, Sir, &c., T. W. BARKER.
Diocesan Registry, Carmarthen.
[Carmarthemhire is, we are glad to think, an exception, but it is an exception which shows the need for making the teaching of the simple truths of Christianity obligatory in all State-supported schools.—ED. Spectator.]
Previous page
