The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-12-24
Compulsory Education in France.

compulsory ANON0SAOA hA NAASOs
Several days since the letter of pari.
correspondent was published in one Of oul
leading dailies in which it was stated tha
there was an almost universal desire il
France to establish compulsory education
This is simply and absolutely absurd, YET
NO doubt the writer of it was gravely and
honestly in earnest and, no doubt, nine.
tenths of his readers thought it was very
probably as stated.
Compulsory education is, in this age
what the torch, the arena and the cross
were in the time of Caligula, what the
and what the gallows and the confiscation
act were for long time throughout the
later history of Ireland. Compulsory edu-
cation is the latest and most civilized style
of persecution. This age has grown toe
refined to put you to the torture for being
q Catholic as they used to do in Japan, OF
to harass you with the most oppressive
civil disfranchisement as was the case in
many Protestant countries until the sense
of shame finally outlived the rancor OF
bigotry. But persecution suppressed at
one point, breaks out at another. Dis
covered in one shape and rebuked by the
better instincts of humanity it assumes a
different guise and insolently plays the role
Of Virtue before sympathizing world un-
til again detected.
Now the education dodge claims to be
based upon the highest grounds of public
welfare. The people must be educated for
the strength and stability of the State.
For instance Prussians are all we'll educa-
ted, and Prussia whipped France. There
fore the French must educate up to the
Prussian standard. Therefore they must
introduce compulsory education or they
can never expect to attain that end, and,
therefore, our correspondent concludes, all
France is in favor it.
= Now there are some little difficulties in
the way of all this that ought to be over
looked. First, it is the education of the
whole man, not merely of his intellect,
that gives Elm superiority. His whole
manhood must be developed to make him
master. The compulsory system may
teach you arithmetic, but can it give you
fortitude and love of home and reverence
for your father and all those grand q uali-
ties that make the patriot, the man and the
soldier. For instance, let the best army of
Prussians or Hessians that ever entered
France he opposed on fair ground to an
army of Irish veterans, commanded by
such Irishmen as Wellington, Andrew
Jackson and Pat Cleburn and who would
hesitate as to the the banner under which
Il I, 80 H. .I,ark L
there are few men in this country who
would doubt as to the issue of the
contest unless the Irish were outnumbered
very heavily. And yet the Prussians
would proba bly, be an men of fair educa
ton while the Irish, thanks to the repres-
sive policy of English misrule, would be, as
\ general thing, very illiterate. The Irish
any physical superiority, but because of
The greater development among them of
hose finer qualities of the soul which
make true men. They would have rever-
,nce for God against a coDceited and dis |
gushing skepticism on the part of their
,nemy. They would have the love of home
which home education always gives, op-
JOoCu " Ihdt AAulhCLCuCc " UOuCbOIC tc6
Which must ever be fostered where the
State absorbs the functions Of the family and
ellis its youth that their father is of second
ry Importance. The difference would
imply be that the Prnssian is the more
ducated and the Irishman the better edu-
ated.
By~compulsory education Catholicity is
Il "a mi -. | I
re snatched from its sheltering care and
orne by force into places where they are
xpoeed to lose the Faith. The 1aw-giver
says to father, "your chill
rem may retain your faith if they choose.
10 one will force them to give it up" G
Yes" answers the father, I" but they l
lay not choose to do so, and do not wish 9
hem to be exposed to that danger. I have :
right to teach them my faith, free frcul i