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Consecrated Christian parents will agree that their most important earthly responsibility is the proper educatlon of their children. They realize that the youth must be trained in bible pl‘ll’l- ciples if they are to be co-laborers toâ€" gether with God, reflect honor to their home, and render service to their fellow men. The constant prayer of such par- ents is, “Lord, save our children." The world today is faced with the problem of delinquency. There are’ not only delinquent juveniles of course: there are also delinquent homes. In the final analysis,“the correction of this delinquency, the answer to the problem and .our success inthe Christian life depends on the regularity of our daily spiritual habits. Against this background it is dif~ ficult to argue against religious instruc- tion in the schools. In our correspon- dence columns last week a reader wrote that. “Religious instruction (in the schools) can be taught without stirring up the -old prejudices that date back to the Spanish Armada . . . no child will suffer from the teaching of the scrin- tures, no matter how poorly it may be done. No child will be enticed from the religious practices of his family by a weekly lesson in the scriptures.” The majority of parents will go along with our correspondent so far. Unfortun- ater there is a problem. In spite of what our correspondent writes. it cannot be denied that there is a growing concern at the current trend to introduce relioious instruction in the schools. The old old prejudices are in fact revived just as swiftly in our mod- ern society whenever religion becomes an issue, as in the days of the Armada. The proof of this is to be found in the correspondence files of the Honourable ‘W. J. Dunlap, former Minister of Educa- tion, Province of Ontario. For some years now religious instruction has been presented in the elementary level in the public schools of Ontario. Of more recent date. this has been extendâ€" ed to the high schools as a result of certain depart-mental regulations which were amended in 1957. Several high schools have taken advantage of these relaxed regulations to institute some form of religious training for high school students. As soon as the amendments were made known the Minister was swamped with correspondence and petitions and briefs, many of them strongly in op- position to the extension of religious training in public schools. However. re- ligion is now a part of the regular school programme. Parents who object to this in principle for whatever reason have only one recourse, and that is to ask the principal that their children be ex- empted. But to do so could lead to harm and unnecessary discrimination against those children who voluntarily absent themselves from these religions exercxses. It is the most difficult of problems. We cannot help but recognize that the motivation supporting religious instruc- tion in the tax-supported schools of the Province is well-meaning an'd laudatory. We also feel sympathetic to the corresâ€" pondent who says that “no child will sufi‘er from the teaching of the scrip- tures.” In fact we feel strongly that religious instruction must always be a. very good thing. TU. 4-3714 SEPTIC TANKS PUMPED and CLEANED Complete Septic Tank Repair Service Accurate Septic Tank Service R. R. 1 Willowdale HU. 5-1313 ME THE LIBERAL, Richmond Hill, DOMESTIC - COMMERCIAL FLOORS - WALLS - WINDOWS MAINTAINED IN FIRST CLASS CONDITION BY WEEK, MONTH OR CONTRACT ESTIMATES FREE - N0 JOBS T00 SMALL Phone Our Motto Satisfaction Prop. “-4 . An Independent Weekly: Established 1878 \â€"4 Subscription Rate $3.50 per year; to United States $4.50; 10c single copy Member Audit Bureau of Circulations Member Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association J. E. SMITH, Editor and Publisher MONA ROBERTSON. Associate Editor “Auul-hnrizpd as second class mail, Post Office Department, Ottawa” Richmond Hill Commercial Cleaners FRANK PASSER “Authorized as second (Eb: liberal Ontario. Thursday, January 14, 1960 ME. 5-1000 Jim Hope Against this petitioners who have sent briefs to the Minister of Education have stated that, “In our view the most grave implication is that now the state is embroiled in the contentious arena of religious education. The public schools and high schools of the Province are supported by the taxes of people (Roman Catholic Separate Schools ex- cepted) .with a wide variety of religious convictions. Yet, in effect, a portion of their tax money is supporting the teach- ing of a particular “brand” of Chris- tianity, which may or may not coincide with their own religious concepts. These petitioners declare the preservation of religious freedom requires that the state should not be identified with any par- ticular religion or religions. Religious liberty, they claim, is a source of strength to the state. Where once the public school system, they say. was an important instrument in blending the various cultures and traditions of our people into the fabric of national unity, it now may well become a tragically devisive factor. T e next step, they warn. compulsory a tendance at relig- ious instruction for all â€" is ominous- 1y closer to reality. And with that, they conclude, the public school system will be well on its way as a means to impose religious conformity upon the commun- ity. Is there any solution to this awk- ward problem? Can religious instruc- tion in the schools be applied satisfac- torily to assure the parents of Orthodox persuasion, minority Christian church- es, Jewish or other religiouslviews, that should their children attend these class- es the training offered would not under- mine their own distinctive or unique religious culture or tradition? We can all agree that the primary responsibility for the religious train- ing of children rests on the parents and then the church. To place the responsi- bility otherwise tends to subvert the home and weaken the church. However we cannot be unmindful of the many considerations in connection with this problem with which we must reckon, and uppermost is the conviction- that religious training is good for children, that many children get none at all in the home, and do not attend church, and for these in particular, some relig- ious training in the school must be helpful. It would seem that the answer would be that where communities wish to have religion taught in the school, it would be better if the instruction could be given by the teacher on the basis of a carefully prepared course of study approved or prepared by the De- partment of Education which would bear in mind the diversity of religious traditions in Canada. Have you heard of the New Castle reading experiment? It concerns teaching in the prim. ary grades with the aid of films. Its innovator, Mr. Glenn McCrac- ken of New Castle. Pennsylvania claims it is a superior method of teaching a child to read, espec- i'ally the child who experiences difficulty. Richmond Hill Public School Board approved two years ago of trying the experiment in one of its first grade classes. This year there are two first grades using it, and one second grade, the lat- ter in the second year of the experimepg. And Richmond Hill board has the distinction of having many eyes focused upon the local ex- perimental classes as there are only a few schools in the Toronto area trying the new method. Though schools in Peterhorough, Whitby, and Niagara Falls, to name a few, have such classes. Visits A Class Just before Christmas I was permitted to visit one of these classes along with Miss Mabel Brown ASSistant in Charge of Primary education to the Super- intendent of Schools in Regina, Sask.. and Mr. Barthol and Mr. Mcher of Clark, Irwin, Ltd. publishers of the basic texts, the Laidlaw Series, used in the read- ing course. Principal Duard Rose, who in 1957 after a visit to New Castle recommended to the local board that they inaug- urate the system, and Principal Newman of McKillop Public School escorted us into Miss Foc- ler‘s first .grade room at Mc- Killop School. Twenty-three little first graders were present, seven be- ing home with the whooping cough. One young brown haired miss had been appointed to change the film strips in the pro- jector. The film and projector were all the additional classroom equipment needed except for the dark curtains across the win- dows. The projector costs $100.00, the film strips $25.00, and the curtains around $175.00. Thus the outlay, for permanent, reusable equipment comes to $300.00. A strip is flashed onto a screen which can be rolled up in order that the film can also be seen on a chalkboard for underlining. The colored image. fifty inches wide by forty inches high, in this instance was of a dog finding a kitten in a trunk. Before having the children read the sentences under the picture the teacher asked them questions concerning it. thus drawing them into a group‘discussion. Then the child- ren were asked to find the “doing word,” the verb; the “being word,” the subject. Later {he sound of the words was em- phasized. Individual children were permitted to go to the board to point out particular words. or phrases. I was struck by the diversity of work that could be incorpor- ated in such an oral reading les- son by the use of film ---- sounds, spelling, sgntence construction as well as reading by sight. There Religious Education ln Schools Dear Mister Editor:- Religious Education has been almost eliminated as a part of our educational system. It is so restricted that it is hard to real- ize that Christianity is the basis of our whole system of elemen- tary education. America is the fast bastion of Christianity in the world. We have the freedom of religion, but is our Christianity just a veneer? Why do we deny our youth the religious background which will strengthen them morally and spiritually and insure the future of a nation? The Jewish and Catholic Church provide two to three hun- dred hours a year of religious study, but our Protestant ch‘ild- ren cannot be reached by church school alone. With the ever increasing crime waves. juvenile delinquency, and antiâ€"Semetic outrages of the past, we as Protestants could not af-' ford to waste time bickering and stumbling ovgr sectgrignism. , .1 u»uu..,.... Great numbers ofi boys and girls in every community do not attend Church school and are from homes where religion is not taught. Many of our teachers and parents are from such homes and feel inadequate I’m sure as tea- chers of religion. LOCAL BOARD TRIES READING EXPERIMENT (By Jane Fort Manning) .Ju...’ v- ___ I speak for a large number of parents who are concerned about the situation and would welcome the help of a clergyman in giv- ing religious instruction in our schools .. .. “NJ; “‘4 “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every crea- ture” is a command not only to the preacher but for every Chris- tian parept_. n . ‘1 -,,_‘ I see visions of great blessings in our way of life if we humble ourselves and in humility do what we can to obey this great command. in théir effort to give religious instruction in our sghopls. Christianity has changed the destiny of nations so it is my challenge for the New Year to the Home and School Associav tions in York County to give your support to your School Board and the Ministerial Association Dear Mister Editor Your editorial and advertising staff must have short memories. and have committed a blunder of the first magnitude by featuring Paul Robeson as the headline at- traction of the motion picture “Caravan in Russia". The write-up on page one of ‘_. tfie January 7th issue states: "The ’most absorbing portion is a visit Objects To Paul Robeson In Film “Dear Mr. Editor ” Elsie Kojola President, York Simcoe Home and School Council {Peaking [Jel‘éona was a feeling of sociability, but under control, engendered by the lesson and everyone familiar with children in the primary grades knows how gregarious they are and how they like to vie with each other. Longer Attention Span The outstanding feature was the long attention span of the children during the lesson. All appeared interested in the lesson and were anxious to give the an- swers required, even if not al- ways correct. Some educators be- lieve this is the important point in the New Castle method. Pri- mary children are known for the brevity of their ability to remain interested in listening to other children reading aloud from a book. or in reading alone them- selves. The conventional method of teaching primary reading can coount on an attention span of onâ€" ly 10 to 15 minutes. The children I saw were attentive for thirty ful-l minutes during our visit and their enthusiasm hadn't really a- bated when the lesson ceased and other work began. The New Castle plan does not consist just of the film strip course in the primary grades but correlates the entire reading with the films. Some special in- struction is also necessary for the teacher. Only All Experimeni Local educators have empha- sized that the plan is only an experiment and the time for its total evaluation is not yet ripe. Members of the board and Sup-- erintendcnt Gordon McIntyre, as well as the principals and tea- chers involved, are keeping a close touch on the findings of the provincial Department of Educa- tion as a study is made of the method both here and in the Uni- tedIStates. Some experts believe the am swer to teaching good reading practices depends still, as in the past, on the teacher. And there is no gadget to compare with a dedicated. competent, primary teacher. But it must be admitted modern gadgets are often im- provements and certainly the New Castle method could be helpful in primary work if only to provide a large, clear page for all the children to see at once and learn together the many facets involved in learning to read correctly. Some of these fa- cets could be neglected for the sheer want of time as the tea- cher hears each child read indiv- "dually. ‘ ilms Here To Stay In this day when films play such a large part in children's lives, it seems something like the New Castle film experiment is here to stay. Film strips of course are already modern tea- ching aids but are usually an ad- junct, not the nucleus around which a whole reading program is built. Richmond Hill Public School Board is to be congratulated for “trying something new.” There must be pioneers even if in the long run their for a better or with Mr. and Mrs. Paul Robeson in Yalta a seaside resort which steals the show.” The advertise- ment on page two has Paul Robe- son’s name as the headliner in large black type. Your staff must have forgotten that a few years ago Robeson’s concert tour across Canada was cancelled due to the indignation of patriotic organizations and the danger of disturbances if he had appeared. A travel movie of Russia show- ing the Bolshoi Ballet, the col- lective farms and other features of Russian liferis worthwhile to give us a glimpse of what prog- ress the disciples of Lenin have accomplished, but Paul Robeson basking on the sands of Yalta should not be a part of it. He is an anachronism â€" a frustrated artist who exchanged his Ameri- can birthright for a mess of com. munistic and atheistic pottage, and .who has lost the good name he once had among his own race in the USA,» and Canada. The only type of movie he should be featured in is one en- titled: “Traitors of Democracy,” which would also include Lord Haw Haw, Tokio Rose, Alger H155 and the rest of those psychopaths who stabbed us in the back. I could have understood public ad- ulation to Robeson in a Spadina district ethnic group newspaper but for it to appear in Richmond Hill’s only publication which. has a circulation catering to Canad- ians of the highest patriotism has shocked me deeply. Somebody goofed and how! .. Yours truly Henry C. Hall NOTE: The motion film. “Caraâ€" van in Russia" is an independent production. That the producer is a member of our staff is merely incidental. The advertising of the film is the producers’ business. There was no expression of adu- lation for Paul Robeson in our news report. If our correspond- ent will re-read the report he will agree there was no expression of any kind by this newspaper. The report reproduced the press re- views which were given by three internationally known New York newspapers. The description quoted by this correspondent was reproduced from “The New York Times“. Nothing which has ap- peared in our columns should be construed in any way as an en- dorsement of Paul Robeson, his feelings or actions. We are sure too that the New York papers re- ferred entirely to the artistic in describing a concert given by Robeson to Soviet children. The producer of the film in any case came some months ago from Britain where the same fee“ come"!ng R':‘>eson have m been aroused as they have it” must have forgotten I years ago Robeson’s ur across Canada was due to the indignation : organizations and the disturbances if he had one I/g thén films play part in children's something like the the samé fee‘ings :eson have never new even 1 is a] 3 it 01: aw.” There n if in the abandoned old or new. North America, as indicated by the fact that Robeson is now setâ€" tled in Britain. And a few years ago we were engaged in the cold war which has since thawed con- siderably. Referring this matter luv: .u..._, . .__.,V to Mr. Delmer, he says “Robe- son is only one of thousands of people who cross the screen dur- ing the 90 minutes presentation of this film. We met him in the Crimea and witnessed a concer which he gave to 1500 soviet chil-‘ dren. It was great art, it happen- ed we recorded it and it would be foolish to eliminate this look at Soviet youth because of pre- judices against the man Robeson. The prejudice is I believe strong- er in the U.S.A. but still four thousand Americans went to see the film in the first six days of its appearance. Our correspondent is absolutely right when he says that “a travel movie showing the Bolshoi Ballet, the collective farms and Other features of Sov- iet life is worthwhile" â€" this is just what “Caravan in Russia" is. Except for Mr. Delmer,we on this newspaper have not yet seen the film. â€" Editor. by Rev. Calvin H. Chambers SINCERI’I‘Y The words, “blessed are the pure in heart”. have been almost exclusively identified with sex and morality, in our day and age. But this is to limit the full mean? ing of these great words of our Lord. Purity of heart has to do with sincerity of purpose and single mindedness, The opposite of purity of heart is double-mind- edness and instability. There is a great deal of faulty thinking about sincerity. Many people claim that this is all we need. and that if we possess this spirit, everything will go well with us. But this is sheer un- thinking sentimentality. Does it make any difierence what a per- son believes? Most emphatically! A person who builds with straw may be sincere, but his house will not stand the cold of winter. A person may be sincere in what he believes, and yet have a philoso- phy of life which is contrary to the revealed will of God. It is possible to be sincere. but to be sincerely wrong. Our sincerity must be based upon our response 'to what God has done for us in Christ. If a man or woman professes to be a Christian, it means that he has to the interests of God’s King- dom, and sees all of life as a challenge to live to the glory of God. If he is sincere in his pro- fession, he will not be ashamed to take his stand boldly for those things which advance the work of Christ’s church, and uphold prin- ciples which are in keeping with the spirit of the New Testament. Christian sincerity has to do with our response to God’s call to be-. lieve and obey. Those who are sincere in the surrender of them- selves to God are “pure in heart”. God honours such sincerity with a knowledge of Himself in this life, and the promise of complete knowledge in the life to come. This is what the words, “for they shall see God”, means. What is the vision of God, which so many of the saints of the church claim to have had? Is it some mystical experience which only those who have the time to cultivate the “spiritual life," may hope to have? What does it mean to “see God” especially when the Bible reminds us that “no man hath seen God at any time”. The abili- ty to see is an amazing gift. Butit differs in every person_ One man may look at a painting and see very little to interest him. Ano- ther may be thrilled at what he sees. The artistic background and training of each man has a great deal to do with how they see the painting. a. man or woman professes to be a Christian, it means that he has accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, He is now committed to the interests of God’s King- dom, and sees all of life as a challenge to live to the glory of God. If he is sincere in his pro- fession, he will not be ashamed to take his stand boldly for those things which advance the work of Christ's church, and uphold prin- ciples which are in keeping with This is also true of “seeing God..’ When we are sincere in our commitment to God and His will, He permits Himself to be seen and known throughout the length and breadth of His crea- tion. Thus the psalmist could say, “The heavens declare the glory of God, the firmanent showeth forth His handiwork." The world had be come a channel through which the invisible God made Himself known to the psalmist heart. Think how often Jesus pointed to the beautiful things of nature in order to teach lessons about God and His Kingdom. He saw God 3in everything, u- y. ‘45.] .0.-. bove all our Lord pointed to Himself as the supreme revelation of the Father. He said to Philip, “He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father”. To those who seek to know the meaning of Jesus Christ, with sincerity of purpose, God grants the knowledge of Himself in the most persOnal and satisfying way. In Christ dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bod- ily, but only by faith which yields to God can His glory be seen “in the face of Jesus Christ”. AV. 5-4356 BA. 1-1186 Chase-Taylor Realtors Commercial lAND WANTED MR. ASHWORT H Industrial Free appraisal ich advance the work of hurch, and uphold prin- ich are in keeping with of the New Testament. sincerity has to do with use to God’s call to be- ‘ obey. Those who are the surrender of them- means. W i, which so 3 crultivate may hope I mean to and Faith Facts 5 ‘Who e to ‘ “see Bible hath Phone 'l‘Urner 4-1212 FREE PARKING REAR OF THEATRE Show Times 7 and 9 p.m. Continuous from 6 pm. Saturdays unless otherwise noted. Saturday Matinee 2 mm. Featuring A visit to the Kremlin - the Bolshoi Ballet starring Galina Ulanova - Soviet Farms, Schools, Folk Dancing - Hear Paul Robeson singing to 1500 Soviet Youth. Colorful - Surprising - Enlightening Greatest Panoramic Picture of Soviet Life to Reach the West CARAVAN Prices this engagement only Adults $1.00 Children 50c Reservations may be purchased at Box Office 6.45 to 9.30 pm. filly“! WI ho'l nadir 5% inch" high V -X X 1* 9 . k Tho wmarkabla ' ' 1 Mary com: ' Io Hfa on f ' the mm! H "1 ' 9 . v . ' zts , . calm-Some / " HURRY! HURRY! See the holiday hit! ' Mon., Tues., Wed. - January 18, 19, 20 3 Richmond MCCORMICK - NICK ADAMS 1” LE d0HN.L'EE MAHIN' MER‘WN LEROY - WARNER BROS Thurs., Fri., Sat. - January 14, 15, 16 mum Russ Tamblyn Man Young Torthomas Peter Sellers - Jesslo Mallhm - Juno Wm - Barnard Mlle: v um Puopoloonc .m. mqu 01 Slan Freberg - sewn-yum!“ Fm: - Ina Masaryk-hunch): Iromors Gnmm - so... u Peggy Lu me had SpMmul - Jame. Tom - Kumll 900" Magnum nainlmm Color - A 9111):! flatm- - ulna-Ila Gum Pol ree List Suspended for this En COMING January 21, 1960 .. . the wonderful musical adventure! Canadian Premiere PAUL DELMER’S Outstanding All Color Show with English narration ll-(HI mums A mom Pal Produoflon (tax included) The Scrgen’s Laugh‘tjme a U r LIFGtierflje I N! xhumli fl :ement 'n'no‘ufihig‘