The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-21
Tho Public schools-Shall They be
Sectarian or Secular.


much debated question respecting the partici-
patton of Catholic children in the privileges
OF our admirable free schools. The question
has never yet been discussed without evoking
on both sides, display of theological rancor
and bigotry which reflected d,scredit on a
religion whose chief incubation is charity,
and which assigns to this gentle virtue The
primacy Of all the others. "And now abideth
faith, hope, charity but the greatest of these
is charity" This wise ranking of Christian
virtues by an inspired apostle has been so
utterly lost sight of in all past controversies
in this city relating to secular and sectarian
education that we cannot look without anxiety
honest and well mentioned, which may open,
in its progress, all the sluices of embittered
religious rancor Vicar General Quinns pro-
posal to the Board of Education for the APP
pointment of a friendly committee of confer
ence on the school question is so innocent
on Its face that we do not see on what ground
it can be reasonably objected to; but we,
nevertheless, have fears that if the conference
leads to no mutually satisfactory result an
excited and terminating controversy will fol-
low, serving no good purpose and tanning
the embers of profitless religious strife. We
are, therefore, inclined to think that Vicar
General Quinn's proposal to the Board of Edu-
cation is ill-judged and unwise unless his sur
vey of the ground and amicabls private con-
ferences with the other side give him reason
to hope that friendly adjustment, on basis
which will satisfy both parties and public
opinion, is probable. 1t would be the height
of unwisdom to agitate a subject which, on
all former occasions, has proved SO exasper-
ating and so fruitless in good results, unless
he has reasonable assurance that this move
ment will not prove abortive. 1t is the differ
ence between reopening an inhammatory
question in order to heal and settle it on a
wise practical basis, soothing and satisfactory
to all parties, and turning the foodgates for
a new flow Of the old waters of bitterness. We
assume that this last is not the intention of
Vicar General Quinn, but if such should be
the practical result he will have made re-
grettabe mistake.
Nothing is more evident to observers who
are in position to gauge popular sentiment
than that no attempt to subvert our common
school system, whether openly hostile or
covertly insidious, can have the slightest
chance of success. There is no part Of our
popular institutions which is so strongly in
trenched in the affections of the people as our
system of free schools. 1t can never be over
thrown. and all ecclesiastical opposition to it
L L.
of the ocean against rock-bound coast. We
credit Vicar General Quinn with too accurate
knowledge of public opinion to suppose that
he would engage in anything SO futile as to
stem the irresistible current of popular senti-
ment on this subject. Our system Of free
schools, so endeared to the popular heart, can
never be shaken, either by direct assault or
by the more artful attempts of insidious sap
pers and miners. If this, or anything like it,
be tie object of Vicar General Quinn's propo
sal to the Board of Education, he is destined
to encounter Notifying failure.
We would fain hope that his examinati ton
of the school laws and his private intercourse
with members of the Board of Education
have enabled him to see his way clear to
fair and satisfactory adjustment which will
put this unfortunate school controversy to
sleep for an indefinite period. This invncible
reserve as to the propositions he intends to
offer leaves us so much in the dark that we
cannot form an intelligent opinion on his
scheme OF adjustment, if he has a definite
scheme to offer. But if he has no precise
propositions of such character that the
Board of Education might accept them with
ont violating any statute or exciting popular
clamor, we do not see how lie can be excused
for disturbing the quiet into which the public
mind had settled on this important subject.
Not knowing what his propositions are to be
we can form no opinion as to whether they are
consistent with the laws Of the State, or
whether they would be acquiesced in by the
friends of the common schools, who form a
preponderating majority of this community.
II Vicar General Quinns proposal, whatever
it is, can be regarded as indicating q DISPOSE
ton on the part Of the Catholics to lay down
their weapons of warfare and recognize the
value of our free school system all fair
minded citizens will rejoice in this evidence
of growing liberaity.
What Father Quinn and the Catholics who
support him ask is that the parochia, schools
''may be admitted to the benefits Of the CON-
mon school system, subject to its laws as re-
CARDS the course Of instruction, the methods
of discipline and the general management"
Whether there are legal obstacles to such an
arrangement is point which we deter for
future discussion. But, laying the legal ques-
tons out of view for the present, it would not
be difficult to suggest practical adjustment
which might be accepted by liberal Protes-
tauts and liberal Catholics. The first and in
dispensable requisite is that the Catholics con-