South Yorkshire Times, January 25, 1958

Religion in Schools
Headmaster from Conisbro’ on Importance

Stressing the importance of religious instruction in schools, Mr. H. Marshall, of Maltby, headmaster of Station Road Junior School, Conisbrough elected president of the Rother valley National Union of Teachers, at the annual meeting on Monday, said he regarded the morning service as the most important item in any kind of any school, whatever its kind or creed.

Modern Needs

The meeting was held at Listerdale Primary School and Miss E. Bolton, retiring president, installed Mr. Marshall to succeed her in his presidential address. Mr. Marshall was concerned mainly with the part primary schools can play in the adaption of modern education to modern needs. He pleaded that elementary science should be an essential part of primary education beginning even in the infants’ school. Mr. Marshall outlined in detail the principles and methods he would use and said that his scheme would aim to provide a basic understanding of general scientific principles and a

Practical knowledge of topics which include temperate measurement, conduction and convection of heat melting and dissolving evaporation and condensation, direction by the and sun, compass and stars; air pressure air content breathing  and burning; expansion and contraction of solid, liquid and gas; reflection and composition of light; vibration and sound: asteroids, satellites, planets, stars and star constellation.

Mr Marshall stressed the importance of religious instruction not only in the primary school but in the secondary school as well. He regarded the morning service as the most important item in the date of any school, whether it’s kind or creed.

Mr. Marshall hope that all children of 11, entering secondary schools, would be accustomed to hearing the Bible read beautifully; know a wide range of good hymns and good hymn tunes, and have become familiar with the main outline of the Christian year, or at least with the story and meaning of Christmas, Good Friday, Easter Day, Ascension Day and Whitsuntide.

Mr H. W. Omar, headmaster of Thrybergh Junior School thanked Mr Marshall.