Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-12-25
THEBRATrLEDoRo SCHOOL CASE.



tue only thing that possess that attribute.
But they are the fruit of long years OF Of
foit aud experience and their priceless val
ue Is recognized the world over. With our
mixed population, comprising clements so
diverse in origin and character, their in.
fluence in bringing together the young OF
all classes in society, in harmonizing their
points OF difference and banishing their
aulagonistic prtjudices Is by no means the |
least Of The benefits they have conferred.
Anything which tends TO disturb the inter-
mnglng OF the youth OF the country, no
matter what their birth, rark or religion,
on a common basis aud on an equal foot
ing, is positive injury to the general well
fare. Anything which tends to separate on
line Of religion, preference tho chlldren
Of the community, and 10 rear tneIn |
with prejudices intensified against eacn |
other, is u misfortune 10 DO avoided ny All |
possible means. |
Hence is il that we regret the recent al
fair In BratilebOro, VT, and doubly regret |
The decision OF the Supreme Court Ut tue |
State tbereupnn, because It's natural enert
will be TO assist those of the Roman CdtnO- |
lie priesthood who favor and are working |
for separate schools. Honest as they may |
be in their designs, The accomplishment "t
them would be misfortune 10 Us all. rms
Vermont case Is very simple. The Calho-
lie priest at Blaltlebor0 asked PERMISSION
of the school committee for the children vi
Catholic families 10 stay out OF school on
Corpus Christi Thursday, day which the
roman Catholic church observes as one oil
its great anniversary festival on whlchls
faithful members are required to attend
mass and abstain from servile labor, when
commentaries the real presence OF Inc
body and blood of Christ in he sacrament,
and for 600 years has been observed WIN
The same honors as Christmas, Easter ana
Pentecost. The permission was refused,
the children were kept at home aud their
rIpin fr,,1N
heads OF twenty-five families asked OF the
Supreme Court an injunction 10 restrain
further suspension for this, cause and the
court refused IL.
Now, If the decision OF Judge Wheeler.
who admits the sacred obligation imposed
upon the children of the church, but wont
allow that 10 conflict with the Braltleboro
| school committee, he sustained, what WI
| follow? Clearly, separate Roman Calhoilr
| schools in that town, bad blow ut the sue
| cess of the common school system csc
| where and in general Just that vigorous
| stimulus will he given to the religious cd
| ucaliOn Of The expelled children which
| their priests may cOvet, but soher minded
| Vermonters would avoid If they saw what
| they were doing. at IS not for priests or
| ministers of religion" says one OF judge
| Wheeler's admirers, 40 get up secialian
/ holidays and interfere with the regulations
| of the schools" Certainly not, but tue re-
corded est Adjustment OF Corpus Christi in
| I24G, ana the Papal mandate regarding 1t
IN 1864 seems TO relieve the Bratlleboro
| priest FROM any particular responsibility
for getting up this "secaran holiday
| Where was this Vermont school committee
| in 1884? We are no longer living in puri-
| lauical commonwealths with al establish
| ed religious system, but all staGd on The
same footing, and 1t would not alone be
| generous and prudent TO recognize the
equal rights of all, and to respect the estab-
liShed religious customs of our brethren of
ii different faith; it would also re an act OF
simple Justice"
(From the ST. Adams Advertiser.l
Our country is a democracy OF universal
suffrage, barring "paupers, idiots and wo.
men," Tnis being 81, our national life de.
ponds upon the intelligence OF our tiers.
Now we have one grand instrument lor
disseminating knowledge among the hordes
| OF ignorance, and that Is the common
school and We should ue eful not to
risk the ruin of our public school system,
or the loss Of its efficiency, by any pune
li!ious regard, in things uneSsenlial, for
our rights or prejudices as Professionals. In
Protestant community, where the rules
| of school are made with reference TO The
convenience OF the majority, ii is doubtless
very annoying TO have tue Catholic chill
dren absent themselves, from tinIe 10 time
TO at. end upon the numerous festivals oi
| the Church. But ii is better TO let them go,
than TO keep in a constant state Of religious
row. ii is better to lei them go, than 10
| put into The mouths of their Catholic pa
rents an argument, whether II he sound or
sophislical, that being deprived of their re-
ligiouS liberties by the common school sys-
EN-, they have right TO schools Of their
own 10 run At the public expense. 1t is
vexatious for housewife to have her do
nestle 20 to Mass, just at tue hour when
she wishes TO prepares good dinner for her
guests. But the housewife usually has 10
+. r Ii. h a-sNtr
tied teacher, while reading his mcining
chapter, to permit Catholic boy 10 scuh
his feet on The floor and keep on Studying
in violation oI the rules. But II Is some
Times better 10 do this, than to turn the boy
r into the street or seem 10 make him in any
way the victim of religious pei secution. i
never pays to fight prejudice, or relig-
ious doctrine. To yield point Is ofleu The
the only fair and dignifed thing TO be done
} All secls and nationalities are repr9seuteC
in the con- mon schools of America, and II
order 10 keep the peace there must be con
cessions on all sides.
Make our common schools the best
l schools. Make them strictly secular, al
, | lowing no place for religious forms or de
, volional exercises that may be offensive tt
any one. This done, there is no power OF
, earth strong enough 10 break down our pup
lie school system.
From the Argus and Patriot.l
Admitting that Corpus Christi Is not
+ | legal holiday in our calendar, religious o
e political, it Is yet one OF The most import
ant and obligatory of all festivals OF In
Cetholic church, and the children of RI
a man Catholic pa, ents are taught 10 observ
= il win reverence as sacred day. Shal
they be denied the privileGe2 That day T.
them Is the same as Sunday to the Protest
o ants. Shall we, In this land of liberty an
e religious federation, shut them out Of on
, public schools because they attend to wha
q is believed by their parents 10 bn relig
ious duty?
d In cUumon with all others, those parent
/, are taxed TO support the SCHOOLS. The
J.. have equal tights 10 all the benefits tina
| flow from them. Rules and regul alton
b are necessary TO be framed for, and TO b
J. observed IN, their manageme 1t, but the
I. should not be like the laws OF the Mede
and Persians, irreversible. Judgment an
: common sense should he exercised in th
y matter. The object TO lie gained, The edu
Gallon of the children, should he Kept !
mind, If Roman Catholic parents wi
. send their children 10 be taught in I'll
II common schools they should be encoul
u aged to come. Secular schools are not L
= teach religion. The children of PrUteslaI
u parents are not taught religion in III
schools. That is not the place for sue
teaching.
Ie 10 our apprehension such decision
as we aIe critlcising are most disastrous |
I, tue Interests of common school education
At and they need only 10 be repeated 10 driy
oil out FROM our public schools every Cathol
D. child in the State. II il comes to tuat lh
a Catholic paren, must ignore his religio
~ and the festivals of his church, and b
. children cease to observe them, or give Il
he The pablo sehoul, he will choose the Latte
re alternative. And he would be doing
81 | This respect what every other parent 10 Ii
VI Stalo would do. Nor would he be true
oil mis- convictions Of right If he did no.. ID,
lhere ia no recop milton of line Roman Cal