The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-02
CHURCH OF THE HOLY INNOCEETS
Bishop McQuatd, OF Rochester, on Free
charlottesville Rights of Parents
and the School OuesttOu.

Bishop cQOatd, OF Rochester, on Free
charlottesville Rights OF Parents
and the school Question.
Bishop McQuaId, OF Rochester. delivered lee
ture on the public school question last even
ing at the Church OF the Holy Innocents, cor
ner OF Thirty seventh street and Broadway
He said that the common or public school
system was unquestionably failure, The system
was forced upon the country originally by tue ma.
lority against all right and justice, and has been
kept IN operation ever since by the same
means. The time has come now, how.
ever, when the matter must be dis
cussed thoughtulyl and thoroughly, because
the most important interests at stake. We
claim that there can be no true education without
religious education. Ii Is simply an absurdlty TO
sag that any teacher, no matter what his relig
ieus views may be, can instruct our young people
without letting fall some seed which will take root
either for good or evil. We oppose the present
system on two grOunds-religious and political.
On the ground OF religion, because every parent
has the right TO say under what religious lnfu.
ence his enid shah be reared On political grounds,
because the state has no more right to control the
education OF the young, than to feed and ciothe
them, the system Is radically wrong and in reality
Brown while addressing the seventh National
Teachers Convention IN st. LOUIS, said :-"it
10 very customary declaration TO pro-
nounce that education Is the safeguard Of repub-
hes against the decay OF virtue ana the reign OF
nnmOrauty. let the lactS can scarcely bear out
the proposition. The highest civilizations both
the most hagitious. Nowadays Certainly your
prime rascals have been educated rascals. Know
you would be angry II said this: but am only
quoting from this gentleman. and II you go 10
Auburn, Sing Sing and other prisons and examine
some OF the criminals confined there you Will hnd
that there is truth in the Governors words. II
parents wish their children educated In Christian
principles they must seek out honest Christian
men to be their teachers. The position taken by
the Bishop may be summed up as follows
! lnn lIn tha
children. 1t ia wrong Tor the State to inter.
fere with this right. BY the establishment of
the state does interfere with this right, espe-
cally in the case OF poor parents who find it bur
not the state to say how mucn or how little re-
lglOus instruction they wish their children TO re-
celve the channels Of thought IN the common
goddess. wealthy Protestants educate their chill
dren in UNCONVENTIONAL academies, semi
Mares and colleges. Common schools ale losing
favor with the people, VINO prefer private
and religious schools. Education purely secular
or without religious instruction, does not lessen
crime. Large schools, "barracks" without re-
ligious safeguards, are more than dangerous. The
TO pay ,or the eemen tary branches Of ordinary
English educaton-say what an education IS
worth. and then pay for 1t whenever lt finds it
nothing TO do with churches, bat only with parents
and schools. The discussion is legitimate one
and no one needs to lose his temper Ii Is absurd
to discuss the question Of abroad while
we nave SUCH sldTillS luslAuCe Vi lutOleTdnCe al
home. No permanent settlement Of this suggestion
Is possible but one that recognizes the equal rights
OF all citizens. We may trouble the politicians by
our agitation SO much the better. 1t will
give them subject to exercise their ingenuity on
worthy OF their time and talents. Europeans
come here to study our educational institutions.
Let us have 1t in our power TO show them system
OF schools that embraces all the people while
credly guarding the heaven-born right Of parents
to control the instruction and training OF their
offspring. We shall have but sorry work to show
them il we can do no more than point out weak
limitations Oh imported systems. systems SO detective
and unjust that over one-naf the children OF
town seek In private and religious schools, without
the supervision Of the state, an education in har
mony with the views and feelings OF their parents
The Bishop was listened to with marked attention,
and 1t was evident that the heads OF families
present intend giving the subject OF the school
question the careful consideration which It's i'm
DOrtaQCe demands.