Americans will be able to move toward reinstatement of prayer in the public schools if congressional action on a proposed constitutional amendment reflects the will of the majority as expressed in polls. in fact, a Gallup Poll as recent as June 1982 showed 79 percent of the people favored President Reagan’s proposed amendment of that year. The prayer initiative, you might say, is a symbol of the fact that this country has considered itself a nation under God for more than two centu ries. This despite a Supreme Court split decision o 1962 which ruled that offi cially-sponsored volun tary prayers in the schools violated the con stitutional separation oz church and state. The proposed amendment re sponds to that and subse quent decisions on relatec subjects. Actually the Senate Judiciary subcommittee has approved two optional proposed amendments: – One (S. J. Resolution 73), directly requested by President Reagan, would allow recited “volimtary” prayer in public schools. – An amendment sponsored by subcommittee Chairman Orrin G. Hatch, R-Utah, would allow only silent prayer or meditation in public schools. Hatch’s measure would bar the state and federal governments from “encouraging” any particular form of prayer or meditation, and provide that nothing in the Constitution should be interpreted “to prohibit equal access to the use of public school facilities by all voluntary student groups. His proposal is designed to allow student religious groups to use public school buildings for group meetings during non-class hours. Hatch believes his amendment has a better chance than Reagan’s of winning approval of the full committee. Some observers say S. J. Resolution 73 has virtually no chance. One would think that if the Senate and the House are entitled to ask for divine blessing upon their work (each has daily prayer by a paid chaplain), then so should the school children. Yet there is much opposition in the full Senate Judiciary Committee. What the public has to say about the amendment proposals could have a bearing on the lawmakers’ action. That the people still have clout was demonstrated recently by the turnabout they influenced with their mail to Congress on the interest and dividend tax withholding bill. If you prefer the Reagan-backed measure for recited voluntary prayer, why not make your wishes known through the senators and congressmen who represent you in Washington? The same goes if you favor the Hatch plan or no amendment at all. But you’ll have to hurry. Judiciary Committee Chairman Strom Thurmond, R-S. C. says he plans to put the issue at the top of the agenda. Some interested groups are seeking a delay, which may or may not be granted.