The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-07-18

branch OF it should Do Taught, the length OF
time to be allotted to each portion Of in
struction--nay, he fixed the very hour at
which any definite matter should be taught.
No book could be recommended to q stu.
dent unless previously approved by him.
No one dare set up school, or even teach
| q private class, without bis authorization.
In several great centres colleges were estab-
country, even to the exclusion of all religion.
Below them, in the large towns, there were
further established great public schools,
like what the royal echOOls ought to be in
Ireland, and what so many great schools
are 10 England. In those schools the youth
of the country were prepared to pass into
the colleges, where they received species
of university education, on tire completion
of which they were examined according to
the ministerial programme, by papers sent
down from head quarters. II they passed
they received their degrees. Now, none
but persons obtaining those degrees cooio
pass into any of the learned professions,
could be doctors or barristers, or could be
professors in the provincial colleges or
schools. None but youths educated In the
normal schools were eligible to the great
public training colleges, the Politechniqoe,
magistracy, the medical profession, the pro-
LESSONS of architect and engineer, the
scientific branches of the army, all the pub
lie empIoyments of the State, were filled
exclusively by men who had been educated
in this system. And when we recollect
| that the primary education of the country
was equally organized and equally dragon.
| ed, we can at once see that no man could
| occupy any public position of any kind in
| France unless he had been previously train
ed in a school thoroughly and completely
subject to the control and manipulation OF
| the government.
How did this system work 2 1t is wholly
unnecessary to pause TO answer the ques.
ton. We will only observe that, when the
Bourbous were restored in 1915, the Minis
| ter of Public Instruction had the audacity
| to cause catechism of history to be COM
| piled, in which s'Monseur Bonaparte" was
described as Lieutenant General command
| ing the armies for the "king." Can we be
surprised to find that when the Bonapartes
| were restored to power in 1852, another
Minister Of Instruction, less audaciousiy
it nust be acknowledged, had another
all mention Of the Restoration ot the Beur-
bons was omitted. Is not system self
condemned in which such iniQuities against
knowledge, such incubation of ignorance
into the minds of q nation, are possible I
During the period of the Restoration small
partial struggles against it occurred but
mems minds were too much preoccupied to
| attend to it effectively. The Revolution Of
July proclaiming the right of freedom in
| many ways, evoked the rallying cry Of
| "free education" Lacordaire and Montalem-
bert made themselves specially conspic-
| uous their youth, their zeal, their intre-
| pidity, aud their unselfishness, contributing
to invest with special charms the cause
which they championed.. But throughout
| Louis Philippe's reign it was an uphill
| struggle in education, as in everything
else, the Church found him and his minis
ters as logged antagonists as could well be.
The Revolution of lS46 brought fresh hopes
and the conduct of the bishops and clergy
won a larger consideration for their de-
mands than had hitherto been accorded to
them. The aged and eloquent Bishop of
Chartres, the Bishop of Arras, the eloquent
Dupanloup, were all advocates that should
be listened to. In 1850 De Falloux was
Minister of Public Instruction. He passed
law which was the fret reform of the Ma
poleonic system. By it colleges and schools
were permitted to be established, subject
to the previous authoriz alton and the sur-
veillance of the government. The meaning
of this was, that, g., Lacordaire was able
| to establish at Sorreze q great school, with
out being thereby liable to be prosecuted.
But the youths educated in that school
cannot obtain State degrees, no matter what
their attainments, unless they pass through
the regular course of one of the State collie
ges. They cannot be doctors, barristers,
magistrates, engineers they cannot pass
into the scientific corps of the army. They
are simply allowed to remain UNPUBLISHED
for having acquired their education in o
free institution but the State brands them
as disqualified for the public service.
Can we wonder that men have striven to
break down this monstrous wall of penal
disability 1t has been discussed as if it
was solely question of religion. No doubt
| the Church aud all sincere Catholic parents
abhor the idea of compelling the youth of
the country to pass through institutions,
many, at least, Of the teachers of which are
| known to be infidels. But the question is
really much wider. Why must a man be
debarred from professional life, from pub
lie employment, if otherwise qualified,
simply because he has not been educated
in government establishment The late
military catastrophes, the general national
deterioration and misfortunes, have been
| largely attributed to the sameness and
hoiIoWness which are the natural products
of this tyrannical exclusion. Wisely, and
not one moment too soon, has the National
Assembly resolved to break down those
l>orr;ar on6 m narmit that yaunp men