New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-10-19
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The Irish C0nvention-The American Sys
tenn of Public Schools Bitterly De.
Observation-Disclosures Admired

Tho Irish COnventi0n-Tke American Sys
tenn Of Public Schools Bitterly De.
nounced-Resoiution Adopted.
Sr. LOUIS, October lS-In the Irish con
vention there was debate upon the follow
ing resolution:
Resolred, That the present system OF
public schools, ignorin. all supernatural
authority and making God, the first knOwl-
edge, the last thing to be learned, is curse
10 our country and a tiOodgate of atheism,
OF sensuality and OF civil, social and ma
conal corruption to the country, and false
TO the church; that education TO he effective
must be religious
Mr. Kelley, of Virginia, thought the re-
ISOLATION should be recommittet to the
committee, with instructions to modify it,
It was by virtue of his Office as mayor of
Richmond that he was president of the
board of public schools. He had been
elected mayor by constituency which was
about eighty per cent Professionals. The
Bible was not read III the schools of Rich
mond, and he had the assurance Of the
board that no religious instruction was
taught in them. He was not in sympathy
with the resolution, norRould he vote for
il without stultifying himself, which he did
not propose to do.
Father Phelan, of St. Louis, defended the
resolution, and said: We have nothing to
do with Richmond or it's schools. If reli-
gious instruction ia excluded from them, as
Mr.. Kelley said, they are the most objection
able of all schools. The public men of
America were educated in public schools
and are exhibitions OF the system, and they
are the most corrupt and dishonest of any
country in the world. Men can steal in this
col ntry with IMMUNITY, provided the amount
is large enough. That the children OF this
country go heels over head to the devil
must be attributed to the education they
receive in public schools, which does not tit
them for the temptations of the world. In
these schools men of science are honOred
and eulOgized, but the name of Jesus Christ |
Is not allowed to be mentioned with rever-
ence. The children turn out to be learned |
horse thieves, scheming Counterfeiters and |
well posted in all schemes of deviltrv
Mr.. Hardie, Of Pennsylvania, denounced !
the resolution, as it contemplated the union |
OF Church and State. |
President Dwyer said the resolution !
meant no suoh thing, and he did not wish |
such an impression to get abroad. He ad-
yisod that the resolution be changed 80 as |
to simply favor Catholic schools.
Mr.. Hanley proceeded and said the Cath.
olics had gained great victory in driving
the Bible out of the public schools.
Father Graham, interrupting, said the |
church did not drive the Bible out of the
schools. The purpose was to put in them
correct version OF the Bible and the Cath
Ole catechism.
Mr. Hanley-Exactly; now I ask you is it
just or right that we should introduce our
Catholic chatechism among Protestants,
when we will not allow the Protestants,
who are in the majority, 70 use Bibles in
the schools!
Mr.. Chance, of Delaware, thought this
was fling in the wrong direction. They
might favor Catholic schools, but they
~, p,vs Mt an %haD oh |
Father Butler, of Kansas, thought the
went too tar. 1t should not be
orgotten that the public schools of this !!
country had served as a model for Catholic
,arochial schools and in that respect had
lone good The main difference between
hem was one of religion only.
Father Phelan again spoke. and said he
bought delegates from the East had not q
tudied this subject enough He frankly I
confessed the Catholics stood before the I
ountry as enemies of public schools, and
he reasons therefor should be stated. He
Onsidered these reasons were embodied in !
he resolution. They must sav they would as | v
Don send their children into pest house, | b
r bury them, as let them go to public ii
choOls. They were assured they would
,se faith. They were afraid the child who
1T home in the morning would come back {.
18th something in its heart as black as he'll. d
Father MangOn-The public school sys- s.
I'm is a nuisance. The words il the yese- 81
,tione are none toe strong. 81
Mr.. Chance moved to reeommit the res II
Iutions with instructions to report on
lvoring Catholic schools. which was e,
dopted 5
The following was substituted 20. the u u
1ucatiOn resolution:
That the system of State education now
established in most States, by its failure to
rovide proper religious instruction Tor the | a.
Dung, and its enlightening the head to the -
atire neglect OF the heart culture. meets ! u
18th our unqualified Reproduction. That it "
njustly taxes large classes of our people | "
ho cannot, without danger to the faith o.
i'd morality of their offspring, avail them III
Ives of its advantages.
The resolution was adopted unanimously.
A. NJ. Kelley. OF Richmond. was elected | G
esident, and NJ. J. Griffin, Of Philadelphia, el
cretary. eI