Exercise

Teacher, Lord’s Prayer, Exercise

From the book The Clergyman’s Hand-book of Law, about Teacher, Lord’s Prayer, Exercise (1): “A public school teacher, who, for the purpose of quieting the pupils and preparing them for their regular studies, repeats the Lord’s Prayer and the Twenty-second Psalm as a morning exercise, without comment or remark, in which none of the pupils are required to participate, is not conducting a form of religious worship or giving sectarian or religious instruction.”620 Substantially the same rule applies in Pennsylvania (Stevenson v. Hanyon, 7 Pa. Co. Ct., 585; State v. Board, 76 Wis., 177; 44 N. W., 967; 7 L. R. A., 330; State v. Scheve, 65 Neb., 853; 91 N. W., 846; 59 L. R. A., 927). However, similar religious exercises conducted by Catholic teachers have generally been held sectarian and not permissible in public schools (Dorner v. School District, 118 N. W., Wis., 353 (Nov. 27, 1908); County v. Industrial School, 125 Ill., 540; 18 N. E., 183; 1 L. R. A., 437; 8 Am. St. Rep., 386; O’Connor v. Hendrick, 184 N. Y., 421; 77 N. E., 612).

Resources

Notes and References

1. Charles M. Scanlan, The Clergyman’s Hand-book of Law. The Law of Church and Grave (1909), Benziger Brothers, New York, Cincinnati, Chicago

See Also

• Religion
• Church