Prior to 1962 prayer and Bible were encouraged in schools. There was not a school in America that did not have prayer and Bible every day. Our Judeo-Christian heritage was taught boldly and accurately.

The founder of Public schools under the Constitution was Dr. Benjamin Rush. In 1791, Dr. Benjamin Rush wrote a document stating that the reason we should start public schools in America is to:

• Teach the Word of God. In 1791, Dr. Benjamin Rush wrote a book titled, “Use of the Bible in schools.”
• Benjamin Rush lists as one of the reasons the Bible should never be removed from America’s schoolrooms, “Because if the Bible is removed their will be an explosion in crime requiring educators to spend so much time on discipline at the expense of academic education.” Phonics and the alphabet taught in the New England Premier was taught by connecting each letter of the alphabet with a rhyming sentence that taught Christian doctrines or Bible verses.

Furthermore, the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 is considered part of America’s “Organic Law.” Article 3. states,

“Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.”

The very same Congress that passed the First Amendment passed the Northwest Ordinance, which required:

• Christianity to be taught by the newly-admitted states in their schools.
• Language from the Ordinance is found in state constitutions for 100 years
• This Ordinance single handedly refutes the myth of “separation of church and state.” That myth holds that the government cannot “endorse” religion over non-religion. This Ordinance unmistakably does so.
• The myth says schools are no place for religion. This Ordinance unmistakably says schools are necessary to teach religion.