The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-05-12
The Catholic Schools in Cincinnati.
NEW ORLEANS. SUNDAY, MAY ~, 1873.

auO buSpcCU Iu6C CueT0 ID NO Guy IN u
Union in which Catholic education is on
more satisfactory basis, or in which it Ia
tougher difficulties to encounter from out
Bide. think we may learn more than on
lesson from the experience of the Catholi
Church in America in the matter of pop
elar education: The public school-tax i
Cincinnati for last year amounted to $50,
poo. Of this the Catholics-such is thei
proportion in that community-contribute
1880 900, or more than one-third of tn
whole rate. This large sum goes to tn
management and formation of schools
which the Catholics of Cincinnati are de
barred by their consciences from entering
Fhey have, therefore. their own schools
which they have built and support entirel,
ht their own expense, without any assist
hnce whatever from the State. The educa
lion which they give is known to be excel
ent but it is based on religion, and is no,
controlled by the State and paid officials
The consequence is, that not only are they
taxed by the State.
Thus, for instance, the Cathedral school
obliged to pay to the State an annual
TAX of S12O, and the schools of another
parish f2OO. The people-or the bare
majority which calls itself "the people," OF
father those who manipulate the majority
lend pull the strings, or, in other words, the
public educational system-is perfectly
consistent with itself. Having decreed
hat religious, should give way to secular
education-which is called the best-that
4ystem which is now asserting and per-
Petuating itself by relentless aggression,
It is endeavoring to absorb and destroy
Hyery other system, by doubly taxing Ca
pom them for the support of schools which
Rhey cannot use, and Of a system which
they cannot tolerate; and secondly, by
laying another heavy burden upon them in
Fhe shape of a tax, which islevied upon
lhe Catholic school buildings.
The advocates of the public school sys-
em might give one turn more to the vice
p whioh they have managed to place the
religious system-and that would be to
pake education in public State schools
compulsory on all, and so shut up all
purely religious schools. This has been
actually under consideration, and would be
3arrled, but that it is impossible to impose
tyranny of this kind upon the Catholics
III Cincinnati, who form at least one third
81 the population.
l need not point out to you how the sys-
em recently introduced into Epglapd-
om,nat!y by way of experimenting, but
$aI!y with the Intention, on the part of its
hief advocates, of supplanting the denomi-
RATIONAL system-must tend, by it's own in.
erent law of development, to the destruc-
lon OF religious schools altogether. You
E!ave lost your building grants; you will |
|pse your support, grants you will then he |
Pxed, like the Catholics of Cincinnati. for
our school buildings; and, in addition to
lis, an enort VIII be made to force your
Fi'iaren into the State schools, on the ground
That last tyranny of the modern doc
Sine on popular government-that the peo-
le belong to the State, and that their edu-
|Rtion must be taken out of the hands of a
Eenighted clergy, who are and must remain
progressed and open hostility to the neu
&mc!ples and the modern form of progress.
ne. speeches made by Liberal and Con-
|ppular education in Ireland embodv this
4 AKIN and advocate this tyranny; whether
Pnslstently or not with their own princi-
/ es and preferences, it is not necessary to
fquire. "
The second lesson which 1 learned from
~ visit to Cincinnati is the method by
ilch the Catholic schools are filed.
hen you hear that out OF Catholic 6
ppulation of 900, at least 10000 chill
Fen are receiving education in Catholic
fhools, you Will wonder both at the num-
ef OF the children and at the industry of
II clergy, which is able to secure the at
Inuance OF such numbers, and to compete b
EESessfuiiy with the public schools, upon 8
men so large sum of.public money is t
pnually lavished.
~, - cincinnati (etery church and school in s
|nich has been built up under the charge
the venerable Archbishop who still gov b
Ihs that diocese), the school-houses, as Il
LIE, are close to the church, or to the Il
rests house. In each parish one priest is il
|peclally charged with the schools. and he
pes not merely pay flying visits of inspec- m
pn 10 them, but passes a considerable part y,
Tue day himself, teaching in the school. tx
many of the schools the priest teaches
NY from till 4:30. The actual presence BIZ
~ hvlng teaching by the priest at once w
uses the tone and character of the school. es
le parents feel that in sending their chill ar
ca 10 De educated there, they are not turn
= tnem over to a number of paid teach
>, nor even to Brothers and Sisters, but to
y, sne clergy themselves for their educa- an
w. H. Inc defaulters at school are known to
she priest by name. Their absence con- pa
,Hs MIN personally; and he makes it his th
siness to ascertain the reason, and when m,
y engaged in the school he is visiting the ali
, zen at their homes. This personal in Gt
' ese and solicitude reacts upon the tr,
rI as well as upon the children. ha
, ne3' again, not only are the priests the mai
20 ana character of the school, but they ge
10 administer correction and reproof to fh
., children. Thus the regular master, in ma
a. OF imposing punishment upon the rol
'aten, reports them to the priest and ro,