Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-05-22

MS. little more care in building, and brick
or two Of extra thickness in the walls of our
houses may not be amiss, The tornado was
accompanied by rain, which fell in sheets.
The IrrcpressIbie Conaict I'm the Public
won schools. fyr- fvr
A contest has been going on for a long
b, time in the public schools of New York City,
over the use of the Bible in the public schools,
which opens conflict that, sooner or later,
is inevitable to the whole public school sys-
tenn; therefore, perhaps, it is wiser to inves-
tigate the danger than to shut our eyes to it.
The Board of Education Of New York ordered
the teachers to open all the schools by read
ing the Bible. The Board has the control of
the payment of the salaries of the teachers.
But the Trustees of the Wards have the ap-
pointmentof the teachers, subject to examine
tion and approval of the Board. The Trustees
of some of the Wards are Catholics, and those
Of the Fourth Ward forbade the teachers to
read the Bible in the schools, under penalty of
discharge The teachers were obliged tosnb-
& nit to the trustees or lose their places; there
fore the Board of Education withheld their
salaries for some months, vindcating their
regard for the Scriptures at the expense Of
the teachers, but finally yielded. Recently
the trustees have discharged nine of the
teachers, alleged to be Protestants, and ap-
pointed Catholics in their places. This has
brought the matter again prominently before
the public. A correspondent of the New
York, Times says that of the ffty-seven en-
ployes in the Fourth Ward Schools only four
are Protestants, and they expect dismissal.
The Times loses confidence in the popular
wisdom, and says 81 du l-LshhF
at is simply monstrous that the selection
and control of the ministers who are to fiji
our children to become citizens, should be
left to the scandalous lottery Of primary meet
ings, and to the passions of vulgar fanatics
But if we have public schools, supported
by taxation, they must of course share tn,
fate of all our public institutions. If tn
schools which are governed byoficers elected
by the people are to be ruined whenever tn
same motives and party machinery enter int
these, that have into other elections thei
doom is pronounced. Yet we believe this
admitted by the most distinguished advocate
of public schools. No one will seriously pre-
tend ehat it will be safer to trust the appoint
ment Of school officers to political Officer
whose selection is, as the Times says, left I
the scandalous lottery of primary meeting
and to the passions of vulgar fanatics, tina
to elect the school officers directly in tn
same way; and if school officers are elective
how are the elections TO be kept any NOR
sacred than other elections? 1t is more i'm
portant that the elections of Judges shoul
be kept secure from party influences an
motives than even the school system br
they have not been.
In town in the north part of the Stat,
which is distinguished for its magnificent an
perfect public schools, we recently noticed a
urgent appeal to the public from the arder
friends of the system, TO keep the school elet
which if they were allowed to enter-wo
ruin the public schools. If that were the ca
their ruin is inevitable. How are polite
considerations to be kept out. 1t requir
the majority to do it. Will they do it
making the appointments all of their ow
political complexion That was the way
was done in the town referred to, and tn
was the sanctity twas sought to presery
Or will it be done by an equitable diyisi'
between the parties That would be keepil
the question out of politics with avengeanS
No one who is not willfully blind 10 the il
perfections of pet system will pretend to b
lieve that any public election can be kept
cred from the considerations which have e
tered into all elections, even those involvi
our most sacred rights, If the school systC
is to be ruined by this, as its most arde
friends admit it becomes them to consit
what they viii do with the ruins, or whetl
the most threatening parts of the structl
had not better be taken down before the fol
dation is sapped.
But the enormity of the case at New "
consists in the fact that in one ward the Ca
olics have the control of the schools and hi
refused TO have the Protestant Bible read
them. There is one greater outrage -
use the fayorite American word-than Il
which may be committed: that is TO orr
the Catholic version of the Bible to be re
This would, OF course, ruin the schools for
Protestants; yet it is doubtful if any are
mented enough TO say that the Catholics ha
not the same right to impose their Bible
the public schools under their control, II
the Protestants have in the same case. 81
pose it be said by the Protestants that the Bi
is not sectarian book; the Catholics Q
with equal force say the same of theirs;
no 0ood Protastant would Dernit his child
attend school where Catholic Bible v
read This shows that Protestants regard
as sectarian book. SO do Baptists, "
have version in which the word common
translated "baptize," is rendered "immers
SO do the Hebrews, who believe the N,
Taatamant an irnnoatura