St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-01
A BISHOPS RESPONSE
Rev. McGoiPiek Promptly
Pens an Answer, and at
Length,
To the School Interrogatories
by State Superintendent
Kiehle.
A Dignified Disposition on
the Correct Catholic
Attitude.
The Question of Public Eduea-
ton Discussed in a Fair
Spirit.

questions touching the public school
system and the Catholic attitude there
upon, Bishop McGolrick has promptly
penned an answer, which is given be-
low. The questions asked are all re-
peated in the reply and need not be
duplicated.
THE LETTER.
D. L. Kiehle, Esq. Dear Sir-It affords me
very great pleasure TO enter into correSpon-
dence with a man so honest and withal so
kindly in his views on question which for
years has agitated the public mind, and at
the present time takes so conspicuous place
in our current literature, namely, the public
school question.
Violent attacks have been made on Catho-
lies from pulpit, platform and press, because
they declared that they had conscientious
objections TO the public school system; they
were branded as enemies of the country, des-
troyers of our institutions. public disturberS,
and hostile 10 all education.
Ministers of certain churches. foolish bab-
blers members of certain associations for
various reasons hostile to Catholiciiy en-
FILTERED the minds of Catholics with their in
suits. falSehoOdS and irritating illusions.
1t cannot be unknown TO YOU that there
exists in Boston an ASSOCIATION for the dis
semination OF tracts and papers on the pub
lie school question, which contain the foul
est calumnies on Catholics, calling them
ignorant papists and superstitious Roman
lists: such tactics as these surely cannot aid
us in coming TO q better understanding on SO
important question.
Such conduct may explain somewhat the
action of toreign-bOrn Catholics as well as
native. in looking with diStruSt al many we'll
meaning endeavorS fer the spread of educa-
ton. for, if there are some whom We fear,
even when they bring us gifts, how much
more, when they come to save us with foul
m9uthed expressions and threats against
that which Catholics hold most dear-their
religion. l am well aware that in dealing
with
OUR FOREIGN BORN POPULATION
you have met with many disagreeable and
foolish objections, but it is well to remember
that they often come from countries where,
both openly and under disguise, education
was made the means OF prOselytism and
an engine for the destruction of faith. A
great and powerful state church built up an
edifice into viii, h they hoped TO drive an un-
willing people, and actually used the whole
force of the state, by fines imprisonment
Punishment and even death. in the effort 10
turn DOOR, uneducated Catholics into en-
lightened Protestants. These faithful people
were mad e to support religion i'll which
they did not believe, ana every power in the
school and colleges was directed to the I'M
dermining of their faith. Men, wise in their
generation, were all the time announcing to
the world that the churches were open, the
schools ready, and that but for The pope and
the priests the people would long since be
regenerated. We hold that ignorance, when
aVoidable. is a sin, that il is often fruitful
source Of crime, but we must not forget the
fact that the child who learns to know
and love and serve God, and thereby save
his immortal soul, knows more of
value than the most cultured infidel philOs-
opher; the very best of us i'll our honest mo-
mentS having to confess our ignorance uf
many things. With such necessary preface,
l proceed with entire frankness to answer
the questions you embody in your letter: l.
do you recognize il as the duty of American
citizens of the Catholic faith to support the
public school system, in that spirit of loyalty
with which theY support other Departments
and institutions Of the GovernlnentT' 1t you
asked me, fought Catholics support SyS-
lem of common free schools?i l would say,
without hesitation, they ought to support
and should be in favor of such free
schools; but when you esk. fought
they support the present public school
system?" l answer that there are certain
obstacles in the way Of conscientious Cath
olics availing themselves OF those schools as
at present constituted. ..and | trust you will
give them kindly consideration. 1t is the
duty of the state to foster and encourage ed
ucation; but the parent is Of divine right
THE NATURAL EDUCATOR;
to the family belongs this highest mission
and the Tarent must not he ousted from this
right, but assisted in his efforts to educate,
that government being best which inteIteres
least. Here is principle for which Catholics
have constantly striven amidst much perse-
cution, and the Gberty-loying American peo-
pie will yet thank the church for action
in preventing the eneroaehmeuts of the state
on the rights of her citizens. OF
course the state could take due action in
case of the criminal neglect of parents in the
education of their children: it is the right
and duty of the state to see that such educa-
ton is given; but 10 form the good citizen.
this is the work of parent, religion and
school. Mere mention OF the gradual change
that has taken place in the public school syS-
tenn from the dale of its inception raises up
IN my mind memories OF many OutspOken
lovers of this country. non-Catholies, who
warn US of this fatal tendency of the state to
interfere with the rights of the min Tity, to
forget the principles OF the constitution,
and seek to force conscientious citizens into
abiect compliance with compulsory laws.
Second-While the public school system is
worthy of praise for its efforts to provide sec
ular education, a very large body OF citizens
believe that such education is incomplete
and ineffective without religious instruction
Ali are agreed on the necessity Of re ligiOus
instruction; but here comes the important
difference between us. Is the Sunday school
sufficient. with home training to meet the
wants of the child? To this Catholics answer
decidedly, NO" They prove the truth of
this answer in two WAYS: (a) By actual ex-
perienee; for to devote an hour OF Sunday
to q crowd Of distracted children in
some stutfy room, and with all
the other drawbacks known to Sunday
school teachers, is not calculated to
impress the children with lofty idea Of the
magnitude of the work: neither can they
thereby appreciate the wonderful words OF
Our Lord and Master. what doth it avail
man to gain the whole world and suffer the
loss of his own SOul?' No educator would
attempt to teach arithmetic after such q
method why should we attempt to teach the
higher law and the knowledge that pertains
to the eternal God in such despicable fashion,
True, there are those whose grasp on revealed
truth is very slight, who are content that their
little ones may grow up without any religious
training whatever. leaving the children them
selves to select their church or belief after
wards; these, Of course, do not object to the
present system. (b) Catholics can now
JUDGE THE TREE BY IT'S FRUITS;
we have had heightened experience OF. We
will not say irreligious but at least unre-
ligious education, and what is the result? 1t
is allowed on all sides that most men in the
United States have ceased to be practical be-
existence of God and the soul; many Of
them are scofing atheists; divorce. drunk
enness, prostitution and worse forms Of i'm
purity, bIasphemy, dishonesty and suicide
have gone onward until the very thought Of
the multitudes OF the crimes against God
of infinite patience and mercy makes the
head sick and the heart sore. II would be
easy to gaia cheap applause by the declara-
ton that education has taken these evils
from us, but, alasl the naked fact is there,
that these and kindred crimes are committed
by so-called educated people. Far be it from
me 10 say that such crimes are common
amongst highly-educated people, but their
denial OF God S law has worked its way down
to their com paratiYely uneducated brethren
and left its sad consequences.
Then, the public school system. under its
present rules. cannot teach Christianity, for
the Jewish child would be offended, and
could justly protest. Neither can it teach
morality. for morality must be founded on
religion, and the state cannot teach religion.
There are those interested in the working of
the schools who propose q hybrid system of
morals, tumble of sentiments from Moses,
Buddha, Tom Paine. Benjamin Franklin,
Bob Ingersoll and Paul the Apostle, but seri-
GUS men put all that aside as the makeshift
of men who have no religion at heart nor
reverence for God, save that which is of the
"silent sort" Such slipshod methods will
not teach the child the control of strong pas
sions, will not strengthen him against the
constant attacks OF the world. the devil and
the flesh. To many men this is no argument
at all, for the world, they say. is q very good
world indeed; the flesh is ali they possess
and the devil they relegate to the myths Of
the dark ages; but TO most Christians the
argument has full force.
THE MOST POWERFUL OF ALL MEANS
for the influencing of life is the sch DOL;