New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-10
RIGHTS OF PARISH SCHOOLS.
INTERPRETING THE LAW OF MAssL
CHUSETTS.
A JUDGE IN HAvERHILL DEFINING THE LIMITS
OF AUTHORITY VESTED IN A SCHOOL
COMMrTyT'EE


Boston, Feb. EpeciaD AT Hayerhill few weeks
ago the school committee took the ground that the ST.
Joseph Parochial School in that city was not con-
Quoted in accordance with law 10 any respect The
parents Of several children called to appear In
court and 10 the charge Of falling to send their
children to such schools as the law provides for.
The case came up this morning and the courtroom
densely crowded An intensely interested auditor
Father Boucher, large, well-bulf, genial, yet
detemined-looking man. who sat Just behind the
defendants counsel, with whom he from time to time
eonversed. Albert L. Bartlett superintendent Of
Schools read the roll Of the School Board passed at
the meeting Of January 10, 1889, refusing TO APP
prove ST. Joseph's Parochial School, and directing
the truant officer to prosecute such parents as neglect
ed TO comply with the statutes relating to sending their
children 10 school Superintendent Bartlett testified:
=" Father Boucher that time. My view was that
children between eight and fourteen must be educated
In the English language AS understand the law, IL
would not DO proper TO teach any Of the English
branches In the French language. think then told
Father Boucher that the school committee would not
approve q school IL which the teaching In the
French language. i have not changed my view.
visited the school January A, and saw
Sister Helen. asked her for all the text books
used in the schools She showed series of English
readers, a series of French readers, French gram
mar, geography in English and history Of Canada
in French Sister Helen said that was all there
were. This time went there In my Official capacity.
There no history of the United States hore, and
no other history except the history Of Canada In
French"
Father Oliver Boucher. the priest IN charge Of St
Joseph's School, said II established IN September.
There were three English speaking teachers and three
French speaking teachers. Many OF the scholars
could not speak English at all. He had similar
school in Lawrence in 1881 and 1882. He had done
his best to keep the standard up TO that of the public
schools. There were between $50 and 300 pupils.
Crtssexamined by Mr.. Moody, Father Boucher testi-
fed that no part OF his education had been Co necfed
with the public schools he could give no idea how
many of his pubIis could not speak English at all
He did not know the title of single text book used
IN the school So far as he knew, none OF them had
been approved by the civil authorities connected with
the public school
SUPERINTENDENT Bartlett on being recalled, testi-
fed: The first time visited st. Josephs scnooi
Father Boucher said 10 Have the school autnonues
anv right 10 visit this SCHOOL, Is the School COM
m,ttea ~ Hayerh any more bigoted than the School
Committees of Lowell and tawrence' expect you
N annrove this school on the statement Of the priest
as they do IN Lowell and Lawrence replied thas
7 fet SIRE the school Committee would not approve
the school unless It privileged to examine IT,
also explained to him the spirit Of the law He sad
IN me- .The law will be changed said. Il don'o
think Il will be changed He said, 1T will be changed
and there IS meeting of the priests with the Arch-
bshon In Boston this week for the purpose OF con-
sIderng its change I then explained TO him the
wisdom Of the law. said. Father Boucher. you are
not an American citizen He answered with con-
siderable PRIDE Il am not you do not understand
American institutions Il do not he answered.
sYou do not understand our system of public schools
7 said. Il do not was his reply, but We shall teach
our own schools in our own way and In our own
language You will be welcome TO vslt this sceooi'
II you do not seek to interfere with our own teaching
I'm our own way, in our own language my purpose
was not TO suppress the school, but to oner my AID
I'm establishing school tnae oopo 10 appt"'0" W
the School Committee"
Horace f. Bartlett, member OF the Committee on
the Examination Of Private Schools, described tive
visits 10 ST. Joseph's School in November 1885, He
,ras asked by Government COINS i II the education
there was at all comparable with that of the public
schools The question was objected to by counsel
for the defence The Court said was his impression
that Father Boucher was right when he said; q Until
have invited you here TO approve this school, you
have nothing TO do with H. invite you
here TO approve this school, so that
can use your approval as an endorsements
In court or elsewhere" The Court said he could sac
that Il would be dangerous that school COMMITTEES
should have the right 10 go 10 private school, break
It up and say its pupils must attend pubic sohoo
ANY ruling upon the law said the Court. Is thai
II Is not necessary that the school should be approved
by the committed It Is not necessary that It should
be In all respects up to the standard Of the pubic
schools. They must have the means OF education,
and Il devolyes upon the Court to decide whether
or not the parents within the spirit of the
statute whether not they neglect the reasonable
means OF education The Court WILL therefore, sustain
the objection"
NJ, Moody said that he was unfortunate in having
the Court decide the and give opinion before
hearing his argument on the evidence He had sup
posed that the proper time TO argue was at the Gloss
Of the evidence OF 1t was of no use for him
"a arc,,e after a decision had been rendered. The
Iudse disclanied any such intention. He had simply
given an opinion upon the statute Further testimony
was introduced and arguments were made Inc Courts
IN rendering It's decision said that nowhere IN the statu
had the Legislature said that a man shall be liable
for not sending little girl 70 the Public school IN
lass he sent her 10 some school approved py tno
sehaoI Committees The law did not require that the
sperIntendent and school committees should approve
ne school. The law did not prescribe that child
must be educated IN the public schools but only thas
the child must be furnished Win 's sonersl iasans
discharged the defendants, The decision was grc>s