The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-02-01
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
FIVE give the following communication

Bishop McQuaid, OF Il chester, n. Y |
in response to the invitati N of a large |
number OF citizens, recently discussed the
question Of Popular Education from a |
Catholic standpoint. Such was the pres
sure to- secure admission that the drop
curtain had to be raised and the theatri- |
ca! stage IN the rear of the lecturers d. SIX
given up to those who could find sitting
or standing room upon it. No admission
by the doors was possible after hal past
seven, and many hundreds Who came 10
hear had to go away without hearing
There were upon the stage as listeners
several Protestant clcrgymen, one at least
| Of whom took occasion at the close to de
| clare his hearty concurrence in the de.
mand tor Christian free. schools The
Bishop spoke Tor two hours concluding as
follows: "After what you have heard
from me this evening, many may be apx
iOus to know what do these Catholics real
ly mean, and what is it that thew want
what are their views on this great cues
ton OF education. To the first place, we
are i'll favor OF education for the pc pie
We are IN favor Of the most general svs
tenn of education that can be devised
We favor system that will bring in all
|
taVor system that gives them defective.
injurious, poisonous education. Hencc,
under the present system formed by the
State, we cannot take the Stand upOn III
platform with our fellow citizens, we re-
tire to one OF our own. We buIld school.
houses and establish schools. THINK hat
here in this city of Rochester we need not
fear comparison with the public school
houses Of the city. Here are two school
houses OF St. Joseph's the largest school
houses IN the city; the school house at
the Cathedral on Frank strert the very
large and beautiful school house of St
Peters congregation and the not so large
but more beautiful schoo! house Of the
Immaculate Conception. We build school
houses large, spacious, roomy, well vent
illatcd, we'll provided with all the app'i
ances for impartipg instruction. We sup
lply teachers and books. And [ would
not fear,althOugh in these schools religion
holds first place like beautiful goddess
, presiding over ALL would not fear to
bring out the children OF all these schools
and place them side by side with tb'
children of any other schools in the city
for examination in those secular branches
which we are told are so valuable. We
know their value. Aud while thest
= branches are studied in our schools, we
! wish TO bring in the beautiful handm id
of religion to help the child and improve
it's mind, to mould its young heart, aud
!. to draw the mind and heart to God. Out
}. schools furnish the children al the othe'
schools do, and, furnishing this educa
ton doing the very th ng for which the
lStaEn
S we ask, and rightly and justly we ask,
: why it is that the money must all go il
one direction and none Of it come where
. SO many of the children are to be found
receiving the education the State means
! hey shall haVe, and receiving at the same
time that interdicted thing calletreligion?
But whilst we claim these rights for our
selves we are equally strong in our con
> victlons that the same rights belong t.,
Others. That whilst we bring religion
into our schools and mean always to have
lreliglon there, We say to our non catholic
fellow citizens, bring into your schools
whatever of religion you have-bring in
prayer and religious singing, Bible read
= ing. These means of good you hold as
I precious; we would much prefer good
6 Protestants of any kind to infidels and
s deniers of all Revelations we thank Con
5 for any and all truth wherever we find il
2 If-but the beginning of truth to day, We
9 pray God that this small BEGINNING O;
Q truth may grow into the funness Of all
2 truth.
I Now what is the meaning of NV
: speaking here this evenings? ! come here
\ as an American citizen, speaking &c
2 an American people. | have no other
9 Gcountry. I come before the America
a people, loving the country as dearly as
s Eany one else can. No one ever Travelled
through Europe who held his head high
n er and with more pride, or who spoke out
8 in praise OF this country than did when
there year ago. After my God and INV
b religion, my country is the dearest Object
of my life. | feel to night in nv heart
the blot and disgrace that is upon the
Icountry by the wrong and unjust system
OF pablic schools that is now upheld in
J, the land, simply and solely By the power
OF majority. do not wish to saya sin.
gle unklnd, hard Or threatening word, T
: come this evening to ask fair discussion
to ASK my fellow citizens to look at this
great question without prejudice, with
out blgotrY, having dispelled these ,t,n
fortunate clouds that have been in their
minds TOR SO many years past. If no dis.
cussion can be permitted-if from first to
last we can hear but the words. eve viii
Iit, we have made the law and the law
shall stand, and the might of majority
shall prevail in spite Of justice and truth !"
then Iawonld say ten or twenty years
hence the issue will not be with the Den
tlemen from Ireland and Germanv 81.
Though their right to stand here - "a
Igood as the right Of any man in the cam.
ltRY-tha issue will be =, ;tl. .l-L 80 NJ 81