RELIGION NOT ESSENTIAL TO TEACHING SAYS HOLMES

"In answering the question, 'must a teacher be religious?', I must say no, a teacher does not have to be religious," said Professor Henry Wyman Holmes '03 at Phillips Brooks House yesterday afternoon.

There is no comparison about the matter," he went on, "for the great majority of schools do not require their teachers to stress religion. All that is asked of them is that they treat religion with a general decency. But by this I do not mean that the public schools are in any way godless.

"Personally, I am strong for religion," continued Professor Holmes, "and I resent attacks against sectarian schools. Teachers should have some responsibility over religion. When a man takes up the profession of teaching he devotes his life to the general betterment of his pupils. He becomes fundamentally interested in advancing man to his furthest ends. Religion is undoubtedly so closely connected with this purpose, that a teacher, in order to achieve his end, really must teach it.

"Freedom of intelligence, understanding and truth is essential; liberty in education and religion are underlying principles. Every effort in the world's history to force a certain type of religion on any one has proved a failure, for religion comes as near to the heart of the individual purpose as anything can. We are all ready to suffer many restraints, but we are not ready to surrender the right of freedom to any one Religion must also be free in its growth. Religious education based upon fear does not stand the test of reason, for it is absolutely wrong and false to the idea of religion and education.

"Every person should work out his own plan of life-his conscious purpose. It is the duty of teachers to guide men, but not along any definite narrow path."