The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-07-25

In LAST week ISSUE OF Lie NOTu W eS-
ten appears communication from Rev.
Mr.. Pieper on the parochial school ques-
ton. The aggressiveness and slightly
personal flavor of the article are wholly
foreign to the question in issue. The
friends of education have perfect right
to criticise any institution of learning
for the reason that the state demands
that education be generally dlffused.
This is essential to the perpetuity Of re-
ent neglects his duty society, in self
defense, assumes the authority which the
parent has abused or neglected. This is
the justification of the public school.
When formal and systematic instruc-
ton is demanded so as to fit the child for
the duties of citizenship and the affairs
of life, the incompetency of the average
parent makes necessary the employment
of persons for this duty who have special
qualifications. From this need originates
the profession of teaching. We must all
in the education of the child which if
omitted are source of danger to society
and serious deprivation to the individ-
ual. The parent who permits his child
to grow up III ignorance and Incidence
offers menace to society and should be
held to answer for his act just as much
q c the rarcpp who tbraatapc an ip6ivi3-
ual. The parent who neglects to give
his child an education in English in this
country, attempts wrong which the law
should interpose to prevent. The school
which neglects to give an education in
English is equally culpable with the pa
rent and should be held amenable to the
law in justice both to the child and So
ciety.
Not all the public schools give this
education, though subject to constant
watchfulness and urged to do SO with
unvarying insistance. If the parochial
school is equally intent upon this SUBJ
ject it will receive the hearty godspeed
of every friend of the public school. Mr..
Pieper says the Lutheran parochial
school does this. Do the facts bear him
out?
A few years ago boy about 13 years
of age applied at The Pilot office in an
swer to an advertisement for an appren-
tice. He was unable to read English and
informed the writer that he was an at
tendant of the Lutheran school Of this
city. A leading physician of this city
says he attended, professionally, girl of
Il or thereabouts, an attendant of the
Lutheran school, and she was unable to
converse with him in English
The Pilot has singled out no particu-
lar UNCONVENTIONAL school for animal
version and mentions the Lutheran
school of this city only because of the
challenge of Mr.. Pieper- In furnishing
instances of neglect or inability to teach
English it is not bound to limit itself to
any denominational school. Mr.. Pieper's
prominence in church circles has pro-
badly brought him in contact with all
the clergymen of this county. He knows
there are at least four who teach paroch-
ial schools and are unable to speak
English. In one instance teacher of a
parochial school in this city was brought
into court as a witness and gave his testi-
mony through an interpreter. 1t was
affirmed that English was taught in the
Il. L, T..
instance in which the writer has found
pupil in the public schools who had been
previously an attendant of parochial
school, that pupil was found to be def
cient in English. The reports which the
superintendent of schools is now receiv-
ing from town clerks, in a number of
cases furnish the information that no in
struction is given in English in the
parochial schools of these towns; some
state that it is claimed English 10 taught
when the clerks know of their own knowl-
edge that the teachers are unable to
speak English. With these facts to sus-
tain him will Mr.. Pieper assert that the
person to whom he so cautiously refers |
as Citizen Nagle," spoke in ignorance of |
the real condition of the parochial |
schools?
There is no disposition on the part of |
the writer to wrong any one and no feel |
ing of hostility against any school. The
school which fails to perform its leeiti-
mate work Will be criticised as matter of |
public duty and those who threaten po-
litical destruction because of the per-
formance of this duty are invited to do