The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1875-09-24
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE RO-
MAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN
NEW YORK.

\ SalinevIlle correspondent asks us
whether the public schools of New York
City, or State, are Roman Catholic, or
whether Roman Catholic schools there
are supported out of the public Treasury
or the school fund.
There was a time when the New York
City Board of Education was under the
influence of the Roman Catholic Church,
and the schools were run-and run
down-under that influence to a great
extent. That was in the days when Tam
many Democracy ruled New York, and
men of the Tweed stamp ruled the Tam
many Democracy, and purchased the
support of the Roman Catholic Church,
10y lavish gifts of money and land, and
by submission to its demands. That was
the time when text books in the public
schools were mutilated by examiners,
who obliterated with a stamp passages
that could in any way be construed as
offensive to the church, although those
passages formed part of standard histo-
ries. OF that fact we have had ocular
demonstration. In tine upheaval of mu-
Dicipal affairs, this was, to great extent,
changed, and instead of controlling the
Public Schools, the Roman Catholic
Church is opposing them with Paroehial
Schools, as in this city.
Some months since, under appoint
meat of Vicar General Quinn, the tTus-
tees of the Roman Catholic Parochial
schools of New York, made proposal to
the Board of Education, identical in
substance with that made in Buffalo and
other cities, to turn over part of those
parochial schools to the Board of Edu-
cation, to be inspected by their officers,
and to be governed by their rules, as far
as the adoption of text books and courses
OF study, and the examination and certi-
ficittiOn Of teachers are concerned. But
this offer was conditioned on the reten-
ton by the Romanists of the title to the
school buildings, on the appointment of
the teachers they recommend, on the
concession of privilege or right, to use
the school buildings, for purposes of re-
Iigious tuition before or after, or before
and after school hours, and on the pay
ment of the rent of the buildings, the
salaries of the teachers, and all expenses
of the schools, out of the public money
raised by taxation for the common good
of the whole people" This proposition
has not, so far as we can learn, been ac-
cepted anywhere except i'll Poughkeep-
sic, where it has been carried into effect.
In POuyhkeepsie the ROmaniSt par
ochidl school buildings have been leased
to the Board of Education fo- ten years
at nominal rent; the ROmanists and
the Board Of Education alike reserving
the right to cancel the lease by giving
three months notice before the expira-
ton Of any school year. The teachers,
exclusively or mainly Sisters of Charity,
were rpappointed by the board after
bein. subjected to satisfactory exam
nation In these and subsequent ap-
pointments, the preferences of the Ro-
man Catholics were consulted. The
text books and courses Of study in Use
in the public schools of the same grade
Introductory, primary and grammar
have been adopted. Pupils graduating
from the grammar department pass to
the High School There are no religious
exercises Of any kind during school
hours: but the school buildings may be
and are used after school hours, and af-
ter proper time has been afforded for
cleansing and repairing, for purposes Of
religious instruction or devotion.
The thin end of the wedge has thus
been inserted in Poughkeepsie. 1t has
been turned aside at other points in New
York. Ii has been offered in this city,
but so far without success.