Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 March 1900 — HE WOULD LEARN OF GOD. [ARTICLE]

HE WOULD LEARN OF GOD.

For This Reason a New York Atheist Kept His Son Out of School. Because he feared that his son Carl, 12 years old, Would learn about God in the religious exercises held in the public schools, Carl S. Bitner of 547 East Seventeenth street. New York, refused to allow him to attend exercises there, and as a result was arrested by .the educational authorities. Bitner has five children, two boys and three girls, the oldest 15 and the youngest two. He said that ho and his children are atheists. The difficulty became apparent when Carl's teacher gave him as a dictation exercise an extract from Shakspoare in which the word "God” appeared. Young Bitner' wrote the lines correctly, but loft out "God.” The teacher thought he had done so unintentionally, and ask him to again write the extract. Ho did so, but left out the same word. She called him up to her desk and asked him why he left the jvord <mt. Bitner said bis father forbade him to speak or write the word, as there was m> such thing.' Miss Marlin nt first did not believe the lad, and took him to the principal, who sent him home with a note. In court Bitner said this was the third time he had been compelled to take his children nwuy from the public schools because the teachers insisted on religious teachings. He said Jte was an atheist and didn't want his children to learn nonsensical ideas about things that do not exist. He thought that everybody in this free country had a right to his utvn convictions in matters of religion. The magistrate in a few words informed Bitner that nothing would be taught his boy ill the public schools flint he should not know and said if the boy were not sent to school fie would be arrested again.