A Year Later

In an 8-to-1 decision last year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Champaign, Ill. school board had violated the Constitution when it permitted religious instruction during school hours and on school property (TIME, March 22, 1948). Champaign thereupon closed down its formal religious program; churchmen and educators waited to see how other communities would react. Last week, a survey by the National Education Association gave the first comprehensive check.

Replies from 2,639 public-school systems throughout the country showed that 1,931 (73.2%) had no religious instruction program. Of these, a sixth had recently abandoned such programs. Commonest reason: last year's Supreme Court decision. Nonetheless, more schools (about 13%) had religious education than in 1940.

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