JAMES H. CAIN, B.D., graduated from Wesley Theological College, Adelaide in 1944. He secured his L.Th. diploma from the Melbourne College of Divinity in 1954 and his B.D. degree from the London University in 1959. He is at present engaged on Post-graduate studies in Education at the Melbourne University. Mr. Cain has served churches at Whyalla, Stirling East and Queenstown in South Australia and Camberwell in Victoria and has been at Ringwood. Victoria since February, 1958. Since 1954 he has been one of the two Churches of Christ representatives on the Council for Christian Education in Schools in Victoria and is chairman of that Council's sub-committee on School Chaplaincy. He has been a Chaplain in the Army since 1951.

      The second term of the school year 1960 began in a splash of autumn sunshine and on the second afternoon of the new term the whole student body, together with the reaching staff, of the Heidelberg High School in Victoria, was assembled in the school auditorium. The Chief Inspector of Secondary Schools was upon the platform and he was addressing a new member of staff--these were his exact words,

      "On behalf of the Education Department, I now receive you into the school and welcome you as Chaplain. The Department places at your disposal all the resources available to any teacher in its schools and entrusts the pupils of the school where you will work to your leadership and guidance in the worship of Almighty God and the understanding and application of the Christian faith."

      This was a part of the "Commissioning Service" of the Rev. R. K. Eisenberg, L.Th. (a Congregational minister) as Chaplain of the school. He represents all seven churches affiliated in the Council of Christian Education in Schools. The service was conducted by the Director of the Council, Rev. Dudley Hyde, LL.B., Dip.Ed., a Methodist Minister, assisted by Rev. David Drennan, a Presbyterian minister, and carried the approval of Church of England, Baptist Church, Salvation Army and Churches of Christ. In all that has taken place to make this possible we clearly discern the Hand of God because this is not an isolated appointment--it is part of a whole new movement--there are some 13 full time salaried chaplains now working in Secondary Schools in Victoria.

      Education in Australia, as expressed in the Education Acts in 1872 in Victoria, in 1875 in South Australia and Queensland, in 1880 in New South Wales and in 1885 in Tasmania was to be "FREE, COMPULSORY AND SECULAR." The reason for this last condition must be sought out in the history of Education in both England and Australia, and also in the prevailing intellectual climate in England and on the Continent of Europe during the last half of the 19th century and the first quarter of this century.

      The Australian States were originally British Colonies and it is not surprising that the "motherland" exercised a great influence upon the development of Australian life. This was particularly evident in Education. About the time the Australian colonies were being settled at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century views of education in England distinguished clearly between the needs of "gentlemen" and the needs of "workers." For the sons of "gentlemen" the traditional Classical Education was deemed appropriate, for they were to become the leaders and rulers of society.

      For the sons of the "workers" the reason for education was moral and economic; its purpose was to discipline them to righteous and sober living and to teach them to respect their leaders who were their social superiors.

      In most Australian States the situation was further complicated

by the existence of a large convict population. It, is hardly to be wondered at, that, with such limited views on the value of education. it was not considered suitable for convicts at all. From the outset some private families brought their own tutors from England and gradually, as the need grew greater, a large number of small schools began to open. However, for the sons of the poorer families what few schools were available ' within their means, were in the hands of poorly qualified teachers.

      The question of Church control of schools was inevitably raised, and although there was no established church in Australia, English tradition was strong and in 1826 a "Church and Schools Co-operation", under Anglican domination was set up to provide schools in New South Wales. A bitter denominational struggle ensued. A solution, suggested by Governor Bourke, of a system which should provide schools with separate secular and religious instruction, was unfavourably received. The outcome was that the government continued to subsidise all schools through grants administered by various educational societies and with the accompanying overlapping and rivalry, considerable waste of public funds resulted. Just a little over twenty years later two Boards of Education were set up in New South Wales, a National Board, to supervise the establishment of Government Schools, and a Denominational Board, representing various religious bodies, to administer the government subsidy to Denominational Schools. For "The Settlement of Pt. Phillip", which in 1848, was still part of New South Wales, a denominational Board was considered sufficient. Later, when the State of Victoria was founded, a National Board was set up there, too. In 1862, in Victoria, both National and Denominational Boards were replaced by a single Board of Education. Meanwhile in England in 1870 an act, which provided for a system of National Schools, was passed. The Australian States soon followed England's example and centralised. Systems of Education were set up under State Departments. Victoria led the way with the Education Arts of 1872 which went further than that of England, it declared that Education was to be free, compulsory and secular.¹

      The period, the latter part of the 19th century, also saw a major upheaval of religious thought. It was an age of Rationalism and was marked by a good deal of confusion; both within and without the Church. The period was characterised by a vast increase of, knowledge as also by an influx of new ideas. Knowledge, indeed, had increased so much and over such wide and varied fields of learning that it was no longer possible for anyone to master it all. Specialisation became the regular thing and indeed, was the only practical way of coping with such a vast increase of learning. This led to a divorce between faith and many forms of human activity and thought. It was an age of conflict. For men sought to retain their inherited and instinctive beliefs and at the same time to reconcile them with the new knowledge that was being forced upon them. This sense of crisis was not confined to the ordinary church member, it, was also recognised by the leaders of thought of that day. Henry Sidgwick wrote, "I feel convinced that English religious society is going through a great crisis and it will probably become impossible soon to conceal from anybody the extent to which Rationalistic views are held, and the extent of their deviation from traditional opinion."² Bishop Westcott too, referred to this sense of crisis, "For it seems to be commonly admitted that once again we are approaching a great crisis in the history of human society and human thought; and many look

with doubt, or even more than doubt on the adequacy of Christian theology to meet and reconcile the conflicting elements which are rising around us."³

      This situation, as men entered the last quarter of the 19th century presented a challenge to Christianity, the like of which it had never faced before. Many failed to recognise the strength of this challenge and the intensity of the crisis. To many within the Church these new views were but a cloud on the horizon which would soon pass. The faith as they understood it and as taught in the average church appeared to meet the needs of the average Christian, so why be alarmed about the demand for change? It is always a subtle temptation to equate what is found convenient to believe with the truth itself. Thus the ultra-orthodox took up a position of uncompromising opposition to the new knowledge, denouncing those who were willing to make quite moderate concessions as traitors of the faith. It was in this crisis that the Church and Learning, at least for a time, parted company.

      However, it should be said in all fairness that all the ignorance and refusal to face the whole of truth, was not on the side, even of the ultra-orthodox, in the Church. There was much ignorance on the side of those who made extravagant and untested claims for the new learning. John Stuart Mill himself once remarked: "The future of mankind will be gravely imperilled if great questions are left to be fought out between ignorant change and ignorant opposition to change."⁴ Nevertheless it was during this time that the Church lost hold and often the respect of the learned of the Community. The extremists among the advocates of the new knowledge began to feel, and to say quite openly that the Faith as taught by the Church was outmoded and had little or no relevance to life."⁵

      Now it will be remembered that it was just at this time that the Australian States were centralising their systems of Education and the Education Acts that were promulgated could not fail to be influenced by this prevailing climate in the world of religion and thought. So we find the phrase, "Education shall be free, compulsory and SECULAR."

      Much has happened since the heyday of Rationalism to bring more sober judgments to pass. We have lived through the conflagration of two World Wars and an Industrial Depression of great severity. Bitter experience has forced us back to abiding spiritual values. The new knowledge, which boasted so much, bloated beyond reason, has itself been deflated and thinking men and women all over the world have turned back to the Church. However, it is a wiser Church towards which they look, a Church that has emerged from the challenge of this new knowledge with a new respect for all learning, a Church that welcomes truth and is more intent on losing herself for Christ's sake than in saving herself. Indeed wise people everywhere see in the Church and the Gospel that has been committed to her the one hope for the world.

      However, history seems to show that the "Secular" clause in the Victorian Education Act has had quite a chequered career. As early as 1900 we find a Royal Commission set up in Melbourne to "suggest what Religious Instruction should be given in State Schools in Victoria." The printed report of the Commission clearly shows that the question was not a matter of whether any religion was to be taught, but, what kind of lessons were to be taught. It appears, that at this stage, that a Denominationally Divided Church was a greater hindrance to Religion in schools than any "secular" clause in the Education Act. This sentence, for instance, appears in the

report, "While voluntary Religious Instruction of the children has proved to be utterly inadequate to the necessities of the country . . . ." This clearly shows that some Religion was being taught in some Victorian State Schools before the Royal Commission of 1900. Nevertheless the findings and suggestions of the Royal Commission appear never to have been implemented, and as the twentieth century got into its stride we find that religious teaching was severely hampered in our Victorian State Schools.

      It was during the early years of the new century that the "Bible in State Schools League" was formed. Its able advocate was a Methodist minister, Rev. J. Nicholson, who travelled throughout Victoria advocating Bible Lessons in our schools. Through the Press, upon the Debating platform and from the pulpit he campaigned with unabating fervour. Two factors loomed large against any real gains for the cause of Religion in Schools at this stage. The first was the active opposition of the Rationalist Movement, which at the time was a force with which to be reckoned. The second was within the Church--for the Church was not only sadly divided, but the denominations were extremely suspicious of each other. The public didn't know which denomination to trust or even if it could trust the Church at all. So in the Parliamentary Debate in the Assembly of some forty years later when the Act of 1950 legally gave the Church the freedom to enter Schools under the guidance and jurisdiction of the Minister for Education, we find the late Mr. D. Whately, the representative for Camberwell, saying,

      "In my view the inclusion of the word secular in the Victorian Education Act was due to the materialism of the day and to a feeling of hopelessness that had grown up among Victorian people as to the possibility of securing unanimity among Christian bodies."

      But better days were ahead, for this period also marks the birth of what is now called "The Modern Ecumenical Movement" with the "World Missionary Conference" at Edinburgh in 1910. The various Christian Communions were at last beginning to understand the sin of division and a new era of understanding and trust among the Churches was being born.

      The next step in the fight to get Religious Teaching into our State Schools was taken when the "Joint Council of Religious Instruction in Day Schools in Victoria" was founded. During 1920 two preliminary conferences were held, convened by the Rev. Prof. D. S. Adam, M.A., D.D. and Professor Meredith Atkinson.

(It is interesting to see from the minutes of this Joint Council that Churches of Christ were members of it from its inception and W. B. Blakemore, B.A., was our first representative.)

      Once this Joint Council got its legs, things moved very quickly. In 1921 it was decided to appoint two paid organisers, one to cover the Country areas and one to cover the Metropolitan area. Mr. S. Trend was appointed as Metropolitan organiser and Mr. J. M. Mankey the Country organiser. Later, the Presbyterian Church made an office available in the Assembly Hall Building. By this time Mr. G. E. Peart was the secretary and Bishop Booth of Geelong (later Archbishop Booth) was chairman of the Council.

      Some time in the early nineteen forties, just prior to the Rev. Rex Mathias, M.A., Dip.R.E., being appointed Director of the Joint Council, a number of Committees were set up to prepare a syllabus for all grades in both the Primary and

Secondary Sections of the School. The only committee to complete its work was that committee which prepared the syllabus for the top end of the Secondary Schools. It was on the basis of this syllabus that the three volumes of "Plan For Living" were prepared at the Council's request under the editorship of Rev. Rex Mathias. The syllabus for the lower end of Secondary Schools was never completed, though that for the Primary School was completed in all grades in the years that immediately followed. In 1944, Rev. R. Mathias was appointed the first director of the Council. Mr. Mathias, who for nine years had been a reporter for the "Argus" was admirably suited for this work which at this stage required a writer's understanding and ability to complete "Plan for Living" and to prepare the Primary Syllabus. It was at this time that the name of the Council was changed to its present one, of "The Council for Christian Education in Schools in Victoria" and shortly after this the Council moved to new and more spacious offices in 31 Queen Street. The two years of Mr. Mathias' directorship were significant years. They marked the launching of a public appeal to establish the Council's finances. £8,500 was subscribed and it was at this time that the idea of Chaplains in our Secondary Schools was first mooted. A scheme of "accrediting religious instructors" was developed and all those entering our schools to teach religion were required to teach on the basis of the Agreed Syllabus. Some of the early ground work to secure the Amendment of the Education Act was begun during these years. In 1946 the Rev. H. R. Trenaman, M.A., Ph.D., became director of the Council and although his health broke down not long after his appointment he produced the Primary Handbooks, doing a good deal of the actual lesson writing himself. In 1948 the Rev. L. M. Thompson, M.A., Dip.Ed., became Director and Mr. Thompson's great achievement was to secure the Amendment of the Education Act in 1950 which gave the church the opportunity to go into the State Schools of Victoria.

      Across the years negotiations had been taking place both within the Church and with various Education Authorities. Increasing cooperation from the schools was received during these years, in spite of the "Secular" clause in the Education Act. It has often been asked, "How did the Church get into the schools to teach religion before the 1950 Amendment to the Act?"

      Technically lessons in Christian Education were taught in the school buildings "outside of school hours." The 1928 Education Act provided for four hours of secular instruction each day, "two of which shall be consecutive and before lunch and two of which shall be after lunch." Actually schools assembled at 9 a.m., although they were not legally obliged to be in session, say before 10 a.m., so the period between say 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. was technically outside of school hours. It was during this first hour of the day that the religion that was permitted before the 1950 Amendment of the Act was usually taught. But religion in schools needed a more secure foundation than this because any headmaster could refuse, if he wished, to allow teachers of religion into his school. So the amendment to the Act was sought and in 1950 secured.

      The genesis of the 1950 Bill to amend the Education Act of 1928 goes back to the time when Col. W. S. Kent Hughes was minister of Education. He was a staunch advocate of religion in schools and just prior to the time when the Amendment was before Parliament he wrote a letter to the Council

for Christian Education in schools declaring his own views that the teaching of religion was an essential part of any complete system of education. He said,

      "It is vain to expect children to be truthful, honest and chaste if we are obliged to abstain from giving them any real reason why they should be so. We have now had experience of over seventy years of secular education, which bias produced, in my opinion, some most unfortunate results, and is to a certain extent responsible for a great deal of the materialistic outlook of our community today. No civilisation of any kind has ever been founded without a religious basis of some kind."⁶

      The newly constituted Victorian Branch of the World Council of Churches took the initiative, and in close association with representatives from the Council of Christian Education in Schools, under the fine leadership of Archbishop Booth, pressed for reform of the Education Act. The advantage of the Victorian Branch of the World Council of Churches taking the initiative was that through the World Council of Churches all the non-Roman churches spoke with a single voice. And spoke with one voice at a time when it was becoming clear that it was the will of the people that the Education Act of 1928 should be amended to allow regular teaching of religion in our State Schools. It was at this opportune moment that a Gallup Poll revealed that an overwhelming majority of the population of Victoria was in favour of religion being taught in our schools. The question put to a cross-section of the community in all Australian States in the Gallup Poll was, "Do you think children in State Schools should, or should not be, taught about God, Christ and the Bible?"⁷

      Eighty-six per cent of those consulted answered in the affirmative. The Country Party was the government of the day, and the Hon. John McDonald, as Premier showed himself to be a courageous statesman by allowing the Bill for the Amendment of the Education Act to be introduced. The members of the Liberal Party were mostly in favour of the Bill and, after a little initial stalling, the Labour Party, under the leadership of the late John Cain came into line and declared the Bill to be a non-party matter and instructed its members to vote according to their conscience. This lifted the question of "Religion in State Schools" above Party Politics and the subsequent readings of the Bill, as it passed through both houses, was little short of the miraculous. Some twenty-six members from all parties spoke in favour of the Bill and many told touching stories of their saying prayers and learning Christian things at their mother's knee. Indeed supporters of the Bill in the Visitor's' Gallery, had to remind themselves that they were in Parliament house and not at a Church meeting. The Hon. P. P. Inchbold, who was minister of Education at the time, in introducing the Bill said,

      "Today we have a united Church, united in a common cause and prepared to sink any petty differences that might arise in order to do this thing, namely, to place within the knowledge of the young people of the State a knowledge of Christianity, of the Holy Scriptures and a knowledge of Christian Ethics."⁸

      Thus this important Bill, which amended the Education Act of 1928 passed through both houses without opposition. The vital part of the Amendment reads,

Regulations XLII Religious Instruction in State Schools.

      1. Accredited representatives of religious bodies, other than teachers in State Schools, may, with the approval of the minister,

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give religious instruction in State Schools.

      (a) During school hours

      or

      (b) Subject to the provision of Clause 2 during a period, not exceeding thirty minutes, immediately following the hours of instruction provided in Regulation XLIV.⁹

      Furthermore the Act explicitly stated "The Council for Christian Education in Schools" shall be the accrediting body for any applicant who has agreed to give religious instruction . . . . according to the Agreed Syllabus." The Council comprised representatives of the seven major non-Roman churches, Baptist, Churches of Christ, Church of England, Congregational, Methodist, Presbyterian and The Salvation Army. One of the reasons why the 1950 Amendment to the Education Act had such a smooth passage through both houses in our Parliament, was the fact that there existed such a Council which could speak with one voice on behalf of the Churches. The need for concerted action, in this sphere of religious education in schools, resulted in a venture of unity which was to grow and mature in the years immediately following the victory of the Amended Education Act of 1950.

      The years between 1950 and 1960 could be called "The Years of Expansion", for these years saw rapid growth and phenomenal expansion in the activity of the Council. As already mentioned, Rev. L. M. Thompson, M.A., Dip.Ed. was the Director of the Council at the time of the Amendment to the Act, and to him, along with Dean H. T. Langley, M.A., who was the chairman of the Council is due much of the credit for the splendid preparation that resulted in this victory. These two men gave statesmen-like leadership and it was towards the latter part of their terms that the expansion of the Council really got under way. In the 1954 Annual Report of the Council they could report no less than four great forward moves.

      (1) The appointment of a lecturer at the Theological Colleges of the Council's constituent churches, to train students for the ministry in methods of Religious Education and Practical Teaching. The Rev J. R. Barrie, B.A., B.Ed. was appointed.

      (2) The appointment of an Assistant Director of the Council to engage in survey and organisational work and to assist instructors "on the job" in the schools. The Rev. Dudley Hyde, LL.B., Dip.Ed., who had had a good deal of experience 'in Christian Education in another State was appointed.

      (3) The appointment of some "part time" instructors to supply a core to the staff in places where population was dense and voluntary instructors were few in number. An honorarium, raised by local church is paid.

      (4) The appointment of the first full-time, trained and salaried chaplains in certain large and important Secondary Schools.

      All these moves were of vital importance but none was more courageous and far-reaching in its vision than the appointment of full-time salaried chaplains to Secondary Schools. By 1960 the Council had no less than thirteen full-time chaplains. The fact that a Chaplain is on the staff of a school as the supervisor of Christian studies (he takes all classes if the school is not too large, but is assisted by local ministers if it is), as the leader of the school's corporate worship, and as counsellor and friend, interested in all phases of the school's life, means much to the tone, morale and spiritual welfare of a school. The

Minister of Education has commended such appointments, indicated his Department's approval and offered his Department's cooperation in this ambitious venture. A generous gift from a layman, donated through the Anglican Church, to initiate and undergird this work has made for a secure beginning.

      Nineteen-fifty-seven was an eventful year for the Council. In February of that year the first Annual Teachers' Service was held in St. Paul's Cathedral. In March of the same year, Rev. Dean H. T. Langley, M.A., retired, through ill-health, from the Chairmanship of the Council after fourteen years of loyal and unstinted service. In April, after eight years' conspicuous service to the Council, the Rev. L. M. Thompson, MA., Dip.Ed., also retired. Canon T. W. Thomas, B.A., Th.L., became the new Chairman and Rev. Dudley Hyde LL.B., Dip.Ed., was appointed Director. In November of this year, His Excellency the Governor of Victoria, General Sir Dallas Brooks, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., K.C.V.O., D.S.O., K.St.J., officially opened the Council's £100,000 Expansion Appeal at a Garden Party at Government House. Some £87,000 in cash and promises over three years was received.

      In 1958 the Council moved to its present spacious offices in Kelvin Building, Collins Place and the Service Centre there was officially opened by the Director of Education on the 12th August. The Service Centre includes, a lending library of resource books and reference books, a collection of pictures, display of flannelgraph material, film strips and other teaching aids, together with exhibitions of pupils' project books, posters and expression work. It is equipped too with black boards, 35 mm. strip film projector and a tape recorder. Also during this year, to cope with the growing business side of the Council's work, Mr. R. W. Gleeson, A.A.S.A., A.C.I.S., was appointed Business Manager. Then two trained teachers have been appointed on a half-time basis to assist in the large training programme of voluntary instructors.

      The greater part of the colossal task that devolves upon the Council of bringing Christian teaching to some 425,000 children in our Victorian schools, is still and probably always will be, carried out by a vast and ever-growing team of dedicated voluntary instructors. This great team of some 2,658 dedicated Christians is still unable to cope fully with our ever increasing opportunities. A recent survey conducted by the Council revealed that some 20 per cent of the children in our State Schools did not receive lessons in Christian Education in 1959 and this, simply because there was no one to teach them. So this year, 1960, the Council has launched a great appeal for new volunteer teachers of Christian Education. This Appeal called "Operation 1,000" has linked with it a great training programme to equip with the techniques of teaching those who offer their services and to improve the techniques of those already engaged in this challenging work. Training Courses are being held in country as well as Metropolitan centres. These regional courses are in addition to those held annually at the Melbourne Teachers' College.

      So much accomplished!

      So much yet to be done!

      As we look to the future surely we can see that the years beginning with 1960 will be "Years of Consolidation." Expansion will not stop-- chaplains will be put into our secondary schools just as quickly as opportunity and finances permit. We will continue to prosecute diligently the great task of regular Christian teaching in our schools by a continually growing team of voluntary teachers. Our training

programme, both in the Theological Colleges and in country, city and metropolitan centres must be continued--but all this said, surely our immediate task for the years ahead is one of consolidation--especially in the realm of finances. The wonderful start given the Council's expanding programme by the generous gift of some £87,000 by the business community cannot be expected to be repeated for a good many years. The Churches must accept, with ever increasing earnestness the prime responsibility of this great work. In the final analysis, surely it is the Church's privilege and responsibility to pay the price for this vital ecumenical service to the young people of our generation. Most Churches have, or are realising their responsibility in this direction and it is heartening to see larger contributions for the work of Christian Education in our Schools coming from them. We look with confidence to the years ahead for we discern the "Hand of God" in this thrilling story of the Council's work over nearly half a century.