A member arose at a Board meeting, and began: "Mr. Chairman, I wish to
draw the attention of the Board to the question of religious
instruction in the school, for I reckon that our children are being
taught a lot of Popery." I could see that he had been in consultation
with other members of the Board, and that he had a majority behind
him. I tried hard to smooth matters over, but they had made up their
minds, and he carried his resolution that, in future, the new Vicar
should be authorized to enter the school for the purpose of religious
instruction only one day a week! I think this small indulgence was
accorded only as a result of my efforts in his favour, though I was by
no means pleased with the innovations myself.
I put the matter before the Vicar, asking him if he thought his
novelties were worth while in the face of the opposition of the
village and the loss of his religious influence with the children. He
would not go back from what, he said, he regarded as a matter of
principle, and could not see that he was throwing away a unique
opportunity, but he agreed to withdraw the unwelcome Server.
In spite of the fact that every detail of the new school building had
been submitted to, and approved by, the Education Department, trouble
began with an officious inspector, who on his first visit complained
of the ventilation.
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