The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-04-18
Correspondence.
A Cornwall School Districts Affairs.
Cornwall, W., April 10, 1881.

CORNWALL, VT, April Is, 1881.
EdHOr RcgiSief and JO0FRul: AT
the school meeting in district No. ,,
in Cornwall, it was suggested and
recommended by the moderator, sane
toned by the clerk and treasurer and
conceded in by the meeting, that no
Catholic should be hired to teach the
school. Mir. Editor, this was the eX-
preston and sentiment of the ProtcS-
tauts in a district where more than half
the scholars attending school are Cath
olics. The moderator gave as one rca-
son why this WAS 50, that the PrOtcs-
tants paid more taxes than the Catho-
lies. But the honorable gentleman did
not explain that if he had to depend on
his own industry as the poor, hard
working Catholics do, he would not
have quite SO much tax tn pay; and be
cause man has Il large amount of
property given to him is no reason why
he should take advantage Of and tyran-
izc over his poor Catholic ncighbors
who have to depend on their own re-
sources. The clerk said that he did not
want Catholic teacher i'll the school
any how; the Protestant children must
be protected.
Now, the fact is that this religious
luminosity, entertained by a few against
the Catholics, is entirely uncalled for
and has no basis of reason whatever.
The Catholics in the district are law
abiding and inoilcnsivo people, and
and have given the Protestants their
own way in school and out of school.
So far as | remember there have been
but three Catholic teachers in the dis
trict in 20 years. They gave good sat
istaction. They were ladies, well
brought up and il is IA wCll-known fact
that the school got very low in the scale
of learning until ii was brought up by
IA Catholic, Miss julia Staploton, who
put it on an equal footing with any
school in town. | regret that such Il
! feeling exists among my Protestant
friends in the district. am very sorry
on account of my children; and hope
the liberal PrOtcStants in district No. >
will allow my children to 90 there, as |
don't wish to send them to our school
until this religious luminosity is allaycd.
appeal TO you, the Protcstants of the
county, TO give to your Catholic neigh
bors equal rights which they have a
right to demand of you. From the
day the Catholic navigator explored
this great country, they have been
identified with you in every prominent
undertaking. They signed with you
the declaration of Independence and
nobly they stood by you to maintain it.
They marched with you arm to arm and
shoulder TO shoulder on many hard
fought field to put down one of the
greatest rebclions that the world ever
knew. They were thrown into filthy
prisons with you and they stood 10y
your side at the front; and to-day theil
bones are comminglcd and lie moulder
ing in many a Southern field. And al
the time Of your country's greatest per
il, when England was about TO succol
the South, whom did your great state
man, Seward, send there to stop il, ant
to allay their i'll feeling that was there
against the North? He sent the grea
Catholic prelate of New York, and wei
did he hit upon the right man, for hi
accomplished his mission successfully
Let us all try to put down fanatics, 1T
matter what religion they profess.
JOIN HALNON.