tional leaders assuming law-making responsibilities. Heading up the government at present time is the Hon. George Price, a 45-year-old national who was raised to the office of First Minister in free elections in 1961, and later given the title of Premier, when the country achieved self-government. Mr. Price and his Peoples United Party are pro moting the cause of independence, having seen the emergence of other small countries throughout the world, and wanting the same. Whether this will be the best thing for British Honduras remains to be seen, but it raises for Christian missionaries the question as
schooling for the children of the emancipated slaves began. The Church of England naturally was the first to provide for the need, when the Honduras Free School was established in 1816. Baptists and Methodists fol lowed in 1828, but were unaided by the government. In February, 1850, the first Education Act was passed, entitled an “ Act to provide for additional schools for the benefit of every denomination of Christians in the Settlement of British Honduras.” For many years Bap tists refused to accept government aid, but eventually took it, as did all other denominations. Roman Catho lics pressed ahead of the others and today have 85 pri mary schools, ten high schools, and claim sixty percent of the entire population as followers of their faith. In this impoverished, sparsely-populated nation (one-tenth of a million people in an area the size of New Hamp shire) there are 158 primary schools, all o f which are being run by the churches (with two exceptions), and 133 of these are accepting government aid. The full cost of teachers is paid by government as well as fifty per cent of the cost of building, furniture, and equipment. When the Conservative Baptist Home Mission So ciety was invited to assume responsibility of this field from the Jamaica Baptists four years ago, we had some doubts about the Baptist School’s receiving State aid, wondering if it would compromise our stand on the sep aration of Church and State. We decided to accept what had been a normal pattern for many years, feeling that if the government did not restrict us in the teaching of Christian doctrine we could continue to accept help. As its first missionary, I made known our convictions to the officials in the Education Department, and re ceived assurances that no restrictions would be placed on us other than the required limitation of hours for the teaching of religion. I wondered if such a favorable climate would last when the country achieves independence, as presumably it will shortly. In January of this year, British Hondu ras was granted full internal self-government, with na
Still a British colony, Honduras is moving toward independence. to how long harmonious relationships will exist between the churches and the government. There seems to be no evidence at the present time that it will change in the foreseeable future. Desiring to publicize this unique religious climate and to sound out the government on the prospects for continuation, I asked the Premier for an interview on the subject. I submitted a number of questions to him, and he graciously and quickly pro vided the answers, in writing.
I asked if the government is entirely satisfied with the present arrangement, or if it would ever desire to operate the schools independently of the churches. The Premier readily accepts invitations to speak at church ceremonies. Here he is at the opening of a new church.
FEBRUARY, 1965
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