, 1874-02-08
COMPULSORY EDUCATI0N..
Catholic Objections to tn,
Measure,
A Denial Of the Proposition that Edu-
cation Diminishes Crime.
Advocacy Of Legislation Compelling
Parents to Have Their Children.
Taught Some Employment.

l. Catholic View OF the Question:
70 the Editor Of Tic Chicago Tribune: ~
Sin: In view Of the great interest and divers
spinions entertained in regard to education, tn
question Of compulsory educstion becomes On
of extreme importance.
Catholics hold that education, to bo complet'
In the fullest sense Of the term, should b
Christian that is, that it should comprise soune
Catholic teaching as we'll as instruction in tht
primary branches Of knowledge The true Catho
lie maintains that to educate the mind only, ane
neglect the soul, is worse than the reverse; il
other Words that education without Christianity
is worse than Christianity without education
that the preparation for the world to come Il
of as
MUCH 11oHE IMPORTANCE
than Lbs preparation for this life only, the in
fnite is beyond the finite
To this it will be objected that tho religious
education should be homo-duty, and is not tha
duty of the State. This objection has been is
often net "a it has been often made. To the
61st point in the objection would answer:
Very true. echere practicable. Tho second is un-
aeniable. But, in regard to the practicahl1ity Of
the irst, it's welI-known fact that the far
greater majority Of Catholics IN this country be-
long to the poorer, and consequently the least
educated classes. Now, even though these un-
educated people themselves hold and maintain
the true faith, they may be-most Of them
on7rr rsc.pAn,E
NJ oiv;n, inst7nction in that faith all tha nore
10 where their pupiIs-that is, their children
ere better educated than they are themselves,
Ehich will usually be the case. Children must
~ and Tesnect nz their snner;ors. and Tia sn-
nar;nr odncafion If tha child relatively to KAT ri
fhe nsrent viii weaken TnaferiaJJv tha efrect NJ
the 1attaT:s relic;ons teachinc- more esnncal1v
- ~ aj.,a,4a. ~ ~ t5 T. 49,, 49,, ~
t1; "a,'noia ~ 49, ~ ~ 1o.<a -'A4 10
PuG:H. ~ ti>; aa,,na-,;o,. ;r N, a.
snti:ca,bo1ic md 7r},ere If :e1nar;anca
~ Tornc an1arica ha anv int1ax f;1;,1 ,ararenco
touae s.!esat1, ~ aIy .ue 1lal
r. i n11 .f TetS @ meemIy i1pieseeu upon % nnem'
r.e ts4 ;na ra,;,;a,.s
~ +,ta;~ ch;1dran ~ fo,ra =; ~ t1 Ga1.;+
sm;tf ;natIr ohsarve5 to mocS tham
1s regarI}s Spndav-echooi Instruction Tbaxo
<ar{ ~ nhd tnrn,,Gi1 I;,n,s ~
pa.,.st;ss ~ SAAA'A" "14'10 ~
~ - th.ro+oro aesort;o, :, +ho ,no.a.t:a.
- +, 10, r..ha,;a ai;e;nn n4 " eno t1t
sne Ias1Jns atnEns ~ t4as ou5
rnauten os eouea'ea ~ scl'ool7 essaol1sheo anu
n4A4asa.nsa ..1o<
oSnnH S:'1 tnE ohAooW of 3hE caoach; ,
1ng on Snleo, On a., inesuAy, tne 2oIh nlt.,
make education compulsory, does not in any
wsy debar Catholic children from attending
Catholic schools, or even from being educated 1T
home; but it clearly refers the decision as to
an:aa - Ronrj - Edoot;a W sno cti.n
school-of6cere having control Of any school,"
while the bill itself specifics tire branches Of
education in which the children are to be in
structed. namely: Reading, writing, English
grammar, geography. and arithmetic Now,
this opens very large field to the exercise OF
arbitrary power and petty persecution, and adds
one more to tho many proofs existing OF the
1MrRoPn1ETT or STATE INTERFERENCE
n matters beyond its sphere, especially where
the conscience OF men may . 20 Affected.
snppose, Tor instance. that the head Of
Eathohc 1aIily, possessed OF little educa-
taon: ana living ns1ng ~1tnn tMo = mlies m & o. q public
school: prefers 70 lm,past to nus 3. children such
eaue1tlon M asne n1iasen POSSESSES .han 70 expose
snen ~ 'ae ~ honiJuous Sn iunueuco ~ ne nlght
ueem ~ VI tna pponG ;1' scnood Accorong 20 tho
po; el W sie ~ - opon "1.ten
oo1iea ~ 1tom "uy 1919 esiseI uPon aay Two
~ eIo ~ ~ n1M o.1o W uteoi14.e7 -
,itnta au;} aes;1set e,,c % ps o. nne ne ~
- ~ -,a,e,t< I ~. ~: @ 1ne ~
anx narsor ~ .on,n4;1,o ~ 70 te,.a @ tU 49,
-! F--1~44 's 1'o "4s9 Ato SeAuAo. ILL