The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-29
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Hostile Attitude of the Roman Catholic
Church to the Free Schools.
To-

Hostile Attitude of the Roman Catholic
Church to the Free Schools.
Indiana Christian Advocate.
The nomination by the Democratic State con-
vention of Roman Catholic for the position OF
Superintendent of Public Instruction has brought
prominently before the public the peculiar posi-
ton of the Catholic Church toward the public
schools of the State and its pretensious to part
of the State school funds. Wherever the church
has obtained the power to do so, it has compelled
a division of the pubiic-school funds for the ben
eft of its sectarian schools.
We are credlbly informed that in Dubois
county. the home of Mr. Sweeney, the Catholic
nominee for Superintendent of Public Instruc-
ton. there have long been maintained some
very peculiar relations between the church and
the public schools.
The Catholic school in Jasper a purely Sec
tartan institution, has for the past ten years
been maintained by public money, such division
of the school funds being exacted, some ten
years ago, as the condition upon which Catholic
children would be allowed to attend the public
schools
In large number Of the schools of the county
of the coanty-the Eclectic series-but in their
stead series Of Catholic text books, published
under the supervision of church authority at
Cincinnati
These books Protestant children are compelled
to study In majority of the townships Catho-
lie teachers are employed, and the instruction re-
Quired of them includes parochial, or religious
instruction, which is like wise forced upon the
Protestant children. In 1879, Rev. George c:
Cooper, local M. E. minister was appointed
county superintendent Mr.. Cooper made de-
termined effort to stop the appropriation of pub
lie money to the support of the Catholic school,
and endeavored TO exclude from the schools the
Catholic text books He also required the
Catholic Sisters who made up large part of the
teaching force of the county, to pass examina-
ton before receiving license. The result was
war on the part of the church, and at the fol-
lowing election Of county superintendent
a; good. Catholic .h was. at the dict s,i
the place. This A. NJ Sweeney. the pres
ent Democratic candidate for Superintendent of
Public Instruction From this time there was
no further disturbance of the above order Of
things, and the abuses referred to have, we are
told. continued without any effort on the part Of
Mr. Sweeney to do away with them.
The election of Roman Catholic to the State
SUPPLEMENTARY would, undoubtedly, greatly
strengthen the arrogance of the church in its
demand for portion of the public school funds,
and SO quasi union of the State and the Ro-
maankhtholc Church.
Every citizen should weigh we'll the possible
consequences of such step before giving it his
support.
This is not question of party politics, it is a
question of the perpetuaton of our free school
systems. If Mr.. Sweeney were candidate for
any other State office, not a word would be
urged against him on account of his religion.
Two of the present State officers are Catholics
They are in positions in which in the discharge
of their official duties their religious
preferences can do no harm, hence they
were elected without questioning their religious
views But when it comes to putting man at
the head of our schools, with its millions of
money. whose religious convictions require him
to denounce our Goddess schools" and who may
be expected to cripple them by every possible
means, the case is different.
What assurance can he give that he will not
carry out in every county the policy he naugu-
rated as county superintendent in Dubois county
asset of Catholic text books, lot of Catholic
sisters az teachers without license, with every
other embarrassing measure his church may die
tate9 It is not therefore, in the spirit of
bigotry that public attention is called 20 this
matter, but in the interest of our schools We
cannot afford to put them in the hands of an
avowed enemy. If the Catholics, a mere hand
ful of the voters of Indiana, must have two out
of six of the State Offices, let them select offices
in which their official conduct cannot be biased
by their religious obligations.