Catholic school teacher move

Councillors were divided over whether a Stirling teacher at a Catholic school should be found a job elsewhere after leaving the faith.

Stirling County Council’s staffing committee had recommended that Mr Gerald Spiller, principal teacher of English at St Modan’s RC School, St Ninians, should be moved to a non-Catholic school.

He was originally appointed as a temporary teacher with the approval of the RC Church but he did not receive that backing when the education committee sought to make his appointment permanent.

Mr Spiller later wrote to the committee informing them he was no longer a member of the RC church. He told the staffing committee:“I realise, of course, that I entered the service of the committee as a Roman Catholic and, as I have now ceased to be one, some change in my position is inevitable.”

In early 1939 , the matter came before the county council’s education committee. Member

Mr JS Wilson believed Mr Spiller should resign. He said the teacher’s application to join the staff of another school would be `favourably received’ providing he gave evidence he was accepting of the Protestant faith by becoming a member of the Protestant Church.

Others felt Mr Spiller should resign and have his name added to the teacher waiting list.

However, Rev JM Munro, Camelon, was of the view Mr Spiller should be transferred to another school in the county“at the earliest opportunity” as the staffing committee had found he was“good teacher and a good man”.

Mr Munro explained that Mr Spiller was educated at a Protestant secondary school in Aberdeen and went to a non-Catholic training college before taking up a job in Stirlingshire.

“No one denied that when he was appointed he had not a certificate from the RC Church but when it was suggested he should take some training in religious instruction, in accordance with the ideas of the RC Church, he travelled for a period of 18 months every weekend from Stirling to Aberdeen and studied under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Aberdeen,,”said Mr Munro.“At the end of that time he received a certificate from the bishop,”

Mr Munro said he was a Protestant and believed in“free religion”, adding:“You cannot just say simply to this man at this juncture that he must join a church before we take him into out employment.

“We cannot dictate to the man what branch of the Christian Church he should join. The lad has been trying to follow his conscience.”

Rev Walter McIntyre asked the committee what faith Mr Spiller now followed. He wanted to know if the teacher would be able to give religious instruction at a Protestant school if he was given a temporary appointment at one.

Rev Alexander McAra said anyone should be allowed to change their creed, adding:“They should not just throw this man on the scrap heap.”

The recommendation to transfer the teacher to another secondary school was agreed..