§ MR. HOLTasked the Vice President of the Council, Whether he can inform the House what is the scheme of religious instruction adopted by the London School Board in their Schools; how many children are under such instruction; how many have been withdrawn by their parents; and whether pupil teachers have such instruction; and, whether other School Boards and Public Elementary Schools generally, have adopted a systematic course of religious teaching?
§ VISCOUNT SANDONSir, my information on this subject, of which I have no official knowledge, is derived from a copy of the scheme placed in my hands by the London School Board when they invited me to deliver Mr. Peek's noble prizes for proficiency in religious knowledge, which, I may remark in passing, have been invaluable to the children in the London board schools, by securing a thorough annual examination in knowledge of the Bible and its teaching. Provision is made in the scheme for religious teaching from the Bible, and the syllabus covers a large amount of Bible instruction; it provides that the children should be acquainted with the history of many of the leading characters in Scripture, should be familiar with the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, as well as with various portions of the Old Testament, and should learn by heart many passages of Scripture—to my mind a most valuable provision, it being, as far as my personal opinion goes, very important that the memories of children should be stored with many such striking passages, as guides to their future life. I am informed that only about one child in every thousand is withdrawn from this religious teaching, so we may say roughly that all the children in these schools in London receive it. Pupil teachers, to whom I think special attention should be paid in these matters, also receive this teaching. As to the other school boards in the country, I believe, judging from Returns made to this House on the Motion of hon. Members, that many of the leading school boards have adopted a course of systematic religious teaching from and of the Bible. A Return was moved for last week by the hon. Member for Plymouth (Mr. S. Lloyd), which will give the syllabus of religious teaching adopted by the school boards of London and of some eight of the leading towns of England. I cannot say whether the other public elementary schools — that is, the voluntary schools — have generally adopted a similar systematic course of teaching the Holy Scriptures, as I have not the information which the Parliamentary Returns give me respecting board schools. However, I hear so much of arrangements being made for regular inspection and examination by voluntary effort that I trust such may generally be the case. If I may be allowed to 602 express a personal opinion, I should say that systematic teaching is just as much needed in the Bible, where it is taught at all, as in secular subjects; and I trust that where parents desire such teaching it will be given systematically, that children will be taught by heart many leading passages of Scripture, and that examinations will be instituted, as in the case of the London School Board.