New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-11-09
Our Cannon Schools

From the New York Times October %.
The attack on the common school system,
opened recently by a number of Roman
Catholic clergymen in New York and
The feelings OF the priests seem to have
undergone considerable change, if we may
Judge from the sentiments expressed by
Archbishop McClOskey at the Roman Cath
Ole Cathedral, in Mott street, on Sunday
last, or from the remarks made by Rev. w.
Kelly on the same day in the Brooklyn
Cathedral. The Archbishop, in asking the
laity to contribute to the support of certain
seminaries, incidentally remarked that it
was useless to expect any aid from the
State toward denominatiOnal education.
Roman Catholics were in the minority in
this country. and if they persisted in de-
manding separate and distinct system OF
education. it would be alleged that they
were conspiring against the liberty of the
country. Roman Catholics must, in fact,
understand that if they choose to establish
separate parochial schools they must be pre-
pared to maintain them without aid from
the State. The great incentive held out by
Father O'Farral for the esta blishment of a
UNCONVENTIONAL school in the first ward,
was that if the majority of the pupils left
the public school the latter would lose the
capitatiOn tax, and be thus left without a
sufficient income to maintain itself. In this
event Father O'Farral held out the hope to
his Pensioners that the State would be
comp elled to recognize his school, and that
he would receive at least the capitation tax
for the number of pupils on the roll. The
parents of great majority of the pupils
who attend Father OFarrals school are
not of that class who generally think for
themselves: they usually place unlimited
confidence in what their pastor tells them;
but now that the archbishop, higher au-
thority than Father O'Farral, has distinctly
stated that no aid need be expected from
the State, we may expect that no attempt
similar to that made in the first ward will
be countenanced by intelligent Roman
Catholics.
The parents of nearly all the Roman
Catholic pupils admit the great benefit
which the common school system has con-
ferred upon their children, they recognize
their superiority in an educational point of
view over all other primary schools, and
they say that in no country in Europe are
such facilities for education given to the
poor as in this. Parents who understand
the matter have no objection to the portion
OF the Bible occasionally read in the public
schools, as it is read without note or COM
ment. Roman Catholics would object if
the teacher or any unauthorized person
were to follow up the readings by comment
ing according to his own views on the mat
ter read.
In the Roman Catholic Cathedral of
Brooklyn. last Sunday, Rev. Mr.. Kelly an
nounced that in future religious instruction
would be given every Wednesday afternoon
in the basement of the Cathedral to such
boys of the parish as were attending the
public schools, and that similar instruction
would be given to the girls on Thursdays
by the sisters" at the convent. This an.
nOuncement we believe, is the first public
recognition on the part of the Roman Cath
olic Church in Brooklyn of the public
schools, and it was received with feelings
of much satisfaction by all classes. Before
there was silent prohibition against send
ing Roman Catholics to the common
schools. Now there is a tacit permission
which leaves parents at liberty to select the
best schools for their children. This action
OF Bishop Loughlin-tor, of course, Rev. Mr.
Kelly spoke only with his consent-comina
simultaneously with that of Archbishop
McCloskey, will no doubt have great
moral effect. even outside the limits OF
Brooklyn and New York.