Page:The Conscience Clause in 1866.djvu/20

16 says: "It has been a subject of conversation between myself and the managers and teachers of schools—how to meet the religious difficulty which impedes the progress of education in Wales and (1897) the conclusion to which we came in every instance was—that the religious difficulty was one not felt at all by the parents of the children; but was one put forth by other people outside the schools, who rather make it theoretically."

Mr. Stammers is asked:

"4903. Can you state what has been the general practice of the clergy and managers of Church schools throughout that large area as regards the treatment of the children of Dissenters?—Generally speaking, with the exception of a very few schools indeed, the children of Dissenters are treated with the greatest possible liberality; wherever the clergy and the school teachers are aware that children have not been baptized, which is the case with a very large proportion of the Welsh people in the district of which I speak, they are not in the habit of putting those questions to them which would involve their saying that their godfathers and godmothers did that for them which they did not do. A very large proportion of the clergy make the basis of their teaching to consist of the Bible, combined with the Creed, the 's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the explanation of those Commandments, and the explanation of the Lord's Prayer; that, in fact, is our own practice at the school of which I am officially the superintendent; it is the basis of our own instruction; I found it so when I went there, and during nearly eight years that I have been there I have seen no reason for altering it &hellip;" (4908.) "The attendance at the Sunday Schools and the attendance at Church is in almost every instance with which I am acquainted perfectly voluntary."

In the whole diocese of Llandaff, Mr. Stammers knew only of two schools where the Conscience Clause was embodied in the trust deed. (4928.) "Decidedly the great majority of the clergy are opposed to the adoption of the Clause. (4931.) Judging from his own experience, Mr. Stammers thinks that the establishment of Church schools throughout Wales would not be distasteful to the parents of the children who might be expected to attend them." (4945.) While on the other hand