The Portland daily press., 1885-03-13
LEwIsTON,s sCHOnLa.
The st. Joseph ParecIaiaI School Turned
Over 80 the School Committee.


/ The proposition of Rev. T. FL. Wallace, pas
tor of ST. Joseph's Catholic church. Lewiston,
to place the parochial school of that church in
charge of the city of Lewiston, rent free, for
the term of one year, was acted upon By the
school board of that city Tuesday evening.
Father Wallace's proposition in full was:
First-To place the school under control of the
experimenting school board, to be graded and
aged In every respect just all other schools in the
CITY only asking that the present teachers be re-
tanned if found competent.
Second-Tendering the use of the st. JOseph's pa-
rochal school building heated and cared for rent
Tree, for one year from September,
Ihrd-Beyond the usual fifteen minutes provid-
ed In each OF the city Schools time viii be em-
pioyed on special religious instructions and the
time OF teachers and scholars be devoted espe-
claIIy to studies, as in orher schools.
Fourth-At the close of the school year. if either
party Is dissatisfied. the board can if thought neg
essary, return to the present school system.
st, Joseph's School has about $50 pupils, all
girls, and eight teachers. The teachers are
sisters of Notre Dame, Mother st. Caloliue,
Superior.
The advantages claimed for this coarse
were: Promotion of a better feeling between
Catholics and Protestants, due to the fact that
one people would lot be subjected to a double
school tax; harmony of work in corresponding
o~~F-~St N~%etN sANnoAOA
attended with serious disadvantages, ths re-
moval OF all doubt respecting the legality Of
certificates OF school attendance which are re-
quired by children who desire employment,
and the feasibility of occupying a furnished
room in st. Joseph's parochial schools to re-
lieve temporarily the grammar school house.
three hours discussion pro and con en-
sued participated in by Father Wallace, Prof,
Chase of Bates College and Others, during
which the section of the school law of that
city was read, which requires that the "exsr-
cises of all schools shall commences by reciting
or reading some portion OF the scriptures, fol-
lowed Dy singing, after which prayer is recon-
mended" Prof. Chase then asked Father
Wallace the nature of the religious instruction
to be given during the fifteen minutes
provided in the proposition and the repIy
was he supposed "no gentleman of the oDposl-
tion to this proposition would force upon 800
children form of prayer at variance with
their consciences. OF course no school board
Oh any one else has right to force upon any
ones conscience religion which they do not
find in harmony with convictions. He sup-
posed that the devotions would be Catholic in
SSA~~A
Protestant form of devotion in the other
schools. Of course Protestant children, If
there, would not be bound to take part in the
devotion, that would not be thought of for
moment" He also was willing that, as the
school would be a public school and probably
contain Protestant children, the board should
put one or more Protestant teachers into 1t. He
said the thing was not sectarian, and he did
not want it to be. There was no dangerous
element behind it. The speaker also mention
ed the harmony prevailing in New Haven.
done. sO0-
Prof. Chase said that he confessed to ba;ns
Protestant, but that he could say at the ont
set that he cordially responded to the senti-
ments OF Father Wallace that sbigotry and
narrow mindedness should be kept out Of this
question. But he felt, however, that II vas
the conviction of large part OF the commun-
lty that after this transfer is made to the
school board it will not cease to be q paroehial
school IN Its characteristics, as the design was
that substantially the same pupils should at.
tend the school that now do.
Mr.. McGillicuddy then offered two amend
ments: hrst, to strike out of section of the
proposition the clause asking only that the
present teachers be retained If found compe-
tent, and also to strike out all of section 81
referring to the fifteen minutes RELIGIONS eyer
cises. After brief debate these were carried.
Ihe question was then called for, and Mr.,
Geo. Callahan called for yea and nav vote,
PRESIDENT Callahan ruled that if the board in
majority, desired q yea and nay vote, he
would grant it.. The board refused such vote
8 to4. wv
Vigorous protests were made to the ruling ON
the yea and nay, Prof. Chase charaeterizing
the yea and nay vote as the only refuge for a
minority in important questions. The vote
was then taken on the original proposition of
Father Wallace as amended. 1t was taken by
a show OF hands. 1t stood as follows: YES.
4 no. Those voting ''no" were Messrs. Chase,
Elder, q. A. Callahan and Douglass. The
president was not called upon to vote. Those
voting yes were Wallace. Donovan, AdeII,
L LLHereux, McGillicuddy, Smith, Gingras and
sullivan, The proposition was declared ac-
cepted.
frof. Chase asked leave to put in protest
on the chairs ruling. He had with him
protest against the acceptance Of the PROPOSE
tlon which he referred. 1t was signed by the
four members opposed to the proposition. No
action, however, was taken and ct 1O.45 the
board adjourned. The school board is COM
posed OF eight Catholics and six of all other
denominations.