FREEDOM...BACK IN THE DAY II

In 1962, WAY back in the day, I began my formal education at McCloud Elementary School in Jackson, Mississippi. My teacher was Mrs. Grace Mauldin. She reminded me of my maternal grandmother. As we countrified people say, she was a big boned woman. She wore plain dresses and shoes. Remember those plain, black, lace up that older women of that day wore? Most of you younger folks have only seen these in pictures. She could be nurturing and, in the blink of an eye, all over you like white on rice if you failed to meet her expectations. She was exactly the type of teacher I needed.

One of the requirements of the class was to memorize, and be able to recite in class, two passages contained in the best selling book ever printed…The Bible. We were required to learn the 23rd and 100th Psalms. There was no instruction as to what these words meant or how much importance we should place on them. It was simply an assignment to get us to exercise our minds. What might surprise you is that NO ONE complained! Would that be the case today?

I doubt it. The ACLU, Freedom From Religion and every Federal Judge in the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals would be screaming about their favorite sacred cow, separation of church and state. Of course, their diatribe would include how every individual that practices any religion other than Christianity, including atheism, is made to feel inferior, even outcast, when subjected to the injustice of memorizing words from the Bible. Mind you, no instruction whether to accept or reject the concepts of it is provided or required…just to memorize the words to exercise the mind. Think this sounds far fetched?

In 1928, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania passed a law which stated, “At least ten verses from the Holy Bible shall be read, without comment, at the opening of each public school on each school day. Any child shall be excused from such Bible reading, or attending such Bible reading, upon the written request of his parent or guardian.” On February 27, 1963, some 35 YEARS after passing, the US Supreme Court was asked to rule in the case of the School District of Abington Township, Pennsylvania v. Schempp, who contested the constitutionality of the law.

Edward Lewis Schempp, his wife, Sidney, and their children, Roger and Donna, were Unitarians. They attended the Unitarian Church of Germantown, Philadelphia, PA. The children attended Abington High School. Each day, between 8:15 and 8:30am, students under the supervision of a teacher, would select 10 Bible verses and read them over the intercom system. This was followed by recitation of the Lord’s Prayer and flag salute. There were no questions asked, no comments or explanations made and no interpretations given. Participation was voluntary, a fact known by the parents as well as the students. Mr. Schempp and his children testified as to “specific religious doctrines purveyed by a literal reading of the Bible which were contrary to the religious beliefs which they held, and to their familial teaching."

The children testified to doctrines which were read to them at various times as a part of the exercises. Mr. Schempp also testified he considered having the children excused from these exercises but decided against it, fearing their relationships with classmates and teachers would be adversely affected.

Dr. Lewis A. Weigle, an expert witness for the defense, stated the Bible was non-sectarian. He also stated the Bible was of great moral, historical and literary value, a point “conceded by all the parties, and is also the view of the court.” (I guess this is a good reason to not to read it…?)

The great majority of the remainder of the court’s ruling pertains to previous rulings regarding religious issues. We will look at more of these in the days to come. It appears that each time, the Bible and Christian based values took it on the chin. Oh, by the way, the court ruled in favor of the Schempp’s… and this law, which had been on the books for 35 years, was struck down as unconstitutional.

When reading the following statement made by the court, I wonder how they could come to such a conclusion.

In Zorach v. Clauson, 343 U.S. 306, 313 (1952), we gave specific recognition to the proposition that "[w]e are a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being." The fact that the Founding Fathers believed devotedly that there was a God and that the unalienable rights of man were rooted in Him is clearly evidenced in their writings, from the Mayflower Compact to the Constitution itself. This background is evidenced today in our public life through the continuance in our oaths of office from the Presidency to the Alderman of the final supplication, "So help me God." Likewise, each House of the Congress provides through its Chaplain an opening prayer, and the sessions of this Court are declared open by the crier in a short ceremony, the final phrase of which invokes the grace of God. Again, there are such manifestations in our military forces, where those of our citizens who are under the restrictions of military service wish to engage in voluntary worship. Indeed, only last year, an official survey of the country indicated that 64% of our people have church membership, Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce, Statistical Abstract of the United States (83d ed.1962), 48, while less than 30% profess no religion whatever. Id. at p. 46. It can be truly said, therefore, that today, as in the beginning, our national life reflects a religious people who, in the words of Madison, are
earnestly praying, as . . . in duty bound, that the Supreme Lawgiver of the Universe . . . guide them into every measure which may be worthy of his [blessing. . . ].

That was Freedom...back in the day!