The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-04-18
lPor the Jasper Weekly cen'irr
Our Common Schools.

OUt MINIMUM cSnOoa''
Mn. EplroR 1.-The school question. APP
pears 10 interest tie people OF DUBOIS
county more than any other ut present.
III understood rightly by me, this OK
|citcnemt had its origin in the introduce
ton OF tho Catholic catcchism into the
schools,to DC taught during school hours.
An honest and iair investigation should
give Otlcnse to no Onc, for all are equally
both Catholics aud Professionals
A man need not he lad man because
Inc is either u Catholic or n Protestant,
but there are rights which each possess
that should no, be intringcd. And the
best way 10 conduct our schools is to
follow the law, then there will he no
reason for our citizens complaining OF
each other concerning there mana@c-
mcnt, and we will have peace and on |.
No teacher has any right, during school
hours, to teach any church catcchisn,
and no trustee has any legal right TO pay
flor such service. Therefore Let all creed>
and church catcchisn,s be excluded from
our common schools a. branches.tO DO
taught.
The argument Of the Abbot, at Jasper
la short time since, was only plea for
legal introduction OF the catcchism Of
his church into common schools. Asa
proof of this, neither he nor any of his
church would be willing for the law TO
Introduce the Presbyterian or any other
Church Catcchism into the common
schools OF the State, except it be his own.
We ask them then. why seek to forcc
upon us principle they arc unwilling
to have forced upon themselves? Is ii
not violation of the golden rule upon
their part? This teaching the catechism
in the schools has been justified on the
grounds Of necessity 10 preserve the
morals Of the children. Ii catholic chill
dren have higher grade OF morals than
protestant children, il remains to he
shown in what ii consists. without dcsir-
ling to offend the most sensitive, We
claim as high grade Of morals anon"
lProtestants rs can he found among
Catholics, and il morals can he as well
preserved without using y church cate
chism as by using it. where is the rca-
son on moral grounds for its introduce
ton into the common schools! 1t has
been excused on the plea that no harm
has been done to protestant children.
But this is mistake; while this cate
chism has been taught catholic children.
protestant children have sat idly by
withou. attention, and have learned idle
ness rather than industry and applica-
ton. This is certainly u great injury /;
but this is not all. protestant children
have been sent home when about three
tourths of the school day had expired.
lin some of the schools where tl,is cate
lchism was taught, thus making them
lose one-t fourth of what they were legal
Nv entitled to. This is IN injury not
easily repaired. 1t has done much harm
to some families.
The next point We wish TO notice is IN
regard TO the doctrine taught in their
catcchism, net that we wish 10 discuss
points of difference between Catholics
and Protestai,ts,~ but our schools arr
common. they are neither Catholic nor
Protestant. and one has no right to i'm
pose his G,ith upon the children of the
other. No conscientious III otestan, can
help feeling that his child has be. Il lm-
posed upon when taught the Catholic
Icatechisn,. Ii teaches the invorati"n ut
saints canomized IN the Catholic church.
Purgatory, Limbo, Sc., nil OF which
prutestants disbclievc aud feel that il i
a great injury TO the faith oi their child
rem to have such doctrine taught them .
but it may be said it has not been taught
Protestant children. 1t has been taught
in their presence by their teachers, who
possess an influence over them. which
will always have n tendency to lcad them
into belief Of the doctrine. Every Protest
ant must feel that this Is a great injury.
Then in conclusion we will say The
commOn schools are common property.
and we are all equally interested la them.
Then let them be conducted IN the in
terest Of all all good citizens should
be law abiding, then let the schools be
conducted according 10 law. Knowl-
edge il a source Of power, and the more
general It is diffhaed among the masses,
the more powerful does our nation be-
come. All should take pleasure in tho
advancement Of our nation in imtelli-
gence and power, and no better means
can be advanced to promote these than
/, our common school system, and any
Catholic or PrOtestantcan conscientious.
Ily patronize them. EQUITY.
Rev. Gro. G. HARDING, editor of the
r III uhn po.