Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-10-22
WAR OF CREEDS.
Excitement i'm south Carolina Over
the Rejection OF Roman Catholic
Teachers in Charleston.
New York Times

ana III Tact throughout the whole state,
by the rejection Of the christian broth
ers as teachers in the public schools.
The facts in the case are briefly these
\ About one year ago influence was
brought to bear upon n majority Of the
! Charleston board of school commissions
crs to accept an educational institu-
/ ton, known as the Central school, in
George street, as Il public school. II
was known to the board that the insti-
tuition was under the exclusive control
Of the Roman Catholic clergy and
4 that the teachers We're members oil
the christian brotherhood, brought
hithcr some time previous from lndi-
annapolis. There was consequently no
misunderstanding ON that point
The action Of the school board Gre
ated much dissatisfaction among the
other religious denominations, and two
members Of the BOARD. e.. Mem
mngcr the former treasurer of the
southern confederacy, and the Rev. A.
Toomer Porter, the present custodian
of the United States arsenal signed
Il minority report against the action
Of the majority of said board adopting
the proposal Of the Right Rev. /. y.
! Lynch. bishop, and other members of
the Roman Catholic church, to cstah-
lish separate public school under
teachers nominated by them. The
main reasons assigned are. Because
such scheme of public education is
directly opposed to the cardinal princi-
II piles Of American state policy, which
ma Iya. 4, Er,,J a,,I jIst;n.4 u,,,n,,,t i,,,
between church and state, that under
the plea Of protecting the rights of the
Raman Catholics it forces Protestants
and other dissentients to support Il
school whose teachers are to them II
living lesson of erroneous teaching;
that it is violation Of law and virtual
abandonment of the public school sys-
tenn, and that il is an invitation to
every religious sect or social organiza-
ton to claim the same privilege, and,
if pursued, would result in the dissolu-
ton Of the public schools. ave have
says the preamble to this protest ''becn
reading inthe newspapers of the efforts
ofthe Roman Catholics in France. Italy,
Prussia, and Belgium to get possession
Of the public school system, having no
apprehension ofsuch efforts here. But
the action ut the last meeting of our
city board Of school commissioners has
informed us, not only that an attempt
would be made here to make the pub
lie school tributary To the Roman Cath
Ollie church, but has shown us that that
attempt has been made and has proved
successful. A separate school, com
posed entirely of Roman Catholic
teachers, selected by Il Roman Catho-
lie organization, has been accepted by
the board, and thus the first gun has
been fired in this battle III our state.
The only course left is an appeal to the
courts and the legislature. an Of us
know the delays incident to legal pro-
cccding, and the more speedy and Of
fectivc course would, therefore, he di-
rect appeal to the legislature. We
would suggest, thcn, to the friends Of the
public schools, that petitions should I've
got up, to be presented to the legisla
turc ut the next session. praying that
body to reverse the action of the board
Of commissioners by appropriate lcgis-
lation"
An effort was made to have this pre-
amble published and the protest pub
lished in the Charleston Ners and CouI-
icr, but the editors, fearing its evil eff
feet on the present campaign, refused
to insert it. 1t was then Printed in
pamphlet form, aud copies were left
in every house iii this city Petitions
were numerously signed, hu', for OBJ
vious political reasons. they mover re-
ceivcd the attention of the legislature.
Matters remained thus until few days
ago, when, as is usual III the COM
menecmcnt of every scholastic term,
teachers III the public schools who had
not passed an examination were order
ed before the board of examiners. con-
sisting Of Mcssrs. Mcmmingcr Archer,
and Doty. Among the appli-
cants for examination were six Of the
Christian Brothers, the seventh being
too unwell to appear, and ii does seem
rather suspicious that no, one of them,
though it is generally admitted that
their educational attainmcnts are of the
highest order, passed the examination
successfully. The Brothers, it is said,
claim that the questions asked were
taken from books of which they had no
knowledge and that most of the math-
cmahcal queries We're puzzles and not
problems. They feel, naturally, very
sore and discouraged, and il is
the general opinion among Roman
Catholics that their rejection
was premeditatod. The cx-
aminers assert that the intcrrogatorics
were merely such rs are usually nut
to teachers, and that their religious
distinction Was not considered. one of
them it is alleged, said that the Broth
~ Mere - set Of ignoramuseS, who
we're not fit "a teach The school was
lreopencd on Oct. 1, with two hum
drcd and fifty pupils, under the same
teachers but rs the latter cannot be
recognized under the school board, hav-
ing been refused certificates, they arc
not entitled to pay from the school
fund. and they mast therefore, look to
the Catholic clergy for their renumcra-
tion. The affair has caused great
deal of bud blood, and It will require
only slight effort to fam the smolder-
inc emhers Of discomfort into fierce
flame. Whilc some liheral-mindcd
I