The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-07-19
THE FREE SCHOOLS.

THE FREE SCHOOLS.
Discussion Of an important SUBJ
ject by Eminent scholars.
BALTIMORE, July 1l.-A special from
Washington says: Public Opinion. the
eclectic journal Of Washington, will. to-
morrow (Fridsy,) publish papers from
the pens OF Cardinal Gibbons, Rev. DR..
|Thos. Hill, x.President Of Harvard Un-l
iversity, Rev. DR.. Minot J. Savage, OF
Boston, and Prof. w. w. +. Harris, edi-,
tor Of the "Journal Of Speculative PHI
|losphy" on this question. is religious
In the public schools expe-
Idient II 90, what should be its chsrac-
tier and limitations" Below are given
EXTRACTS from these pspers:
Cardinal Gibbons says that education
that improves the mind and memory TO,
the neglect OF moral and religious train
ling, IL 1t best but an imperfect and de-
lfective System. Religious knowledge lei
a. far above human science as the soul 10
Isbove the body, ~ heaven above earth,
as eternity above time. Tho religious
and secular education Of our children
can not be divorced from each other
without inflicting Q fatal wound upon
the soul; they must 90 hand In hand.
Our youth must put Ia practice every
day the commandments Of God - we'll
|ss the rules Of arithmetic. Then how
can they familiarize themselves with
these sacred duties IL they are not daily
linculcated? To what extent religion
,lmsy be taought In the public schools
without infringing upon the rights and
wou uding consciences Of some pupils, 10
ia grave problem beset with difficulties
and very hard TO be solved, inasmuch as
these schools are usually attended by
belonging to variOns Christian
denominations, by Jews. also, and even
,|by those who profess no religion what
lever.
Rev. Dr.. Thomas Hill says that public
. schools with compulsory attendance arc
! an essential adjunct Of republican gov.
'.lernment, and that the Republic 10 bound
: Ito superintend with care the education o.
e|its children. 1t is practically true tina
children can be kept pure. truthful ant
a|honorable In no way 80 eflectuslly % 81
/ cu ltivatihg their natural reverent sens'
: of religious sanctions He concludes
therefore, that religious instruction !
Ismore than expedient. It 10 demanded
: ss : political necessity. But It must no
!. lbe given by text books, lectures or reci
4 ations. 1t must be given incidentally
d|hrst By the selection Of teachers OF goo
and good sense; then BY th
I. .lcareful selecti0n Of wholesome resdinl
y and finally BY daily brief religious exc
lcise. Great care should be taken th'
:. r.there be nothing in the service 10 whic
~ Iany reasonable pareut could objoc
"a The State, he says, does not undertst
u to define Christianity or to decide upo
~ the true Interpretation Of the Scripture
but Il assumes Christianity 40 part
:. 1.-The common law OF the land. With q
,s gard to private schools Or. Hill believe
4. III the duty Of the State to inspect then
!. land require that the education give
|. therein shall be such as 10 prepare @
- s|pupils for the duties Of citizenship, Stat
|shOuld not admit that such education
schools OF Q denomination
es..ihe political equivalent for . pubic q
n ucation. Least Of oil is the Catholic pa
! .Iocbial school capable Of fulfilling q
4 .lp0litical euds Of good educations sin'
solin them IL not only that partial and d.
hsIt0rted view Of history, but the limitattc
- - or the right Of private judgment, whit
must partially unfit pupil for constde
.alinR questions Of public policy with Z
. - lun biased mind. The aim OF every love
: = of our country and its liberties sh0u
ofltherefOre n be to render the public schco
= 90 manitestIy superior, morally aud y
~ to the private schools, .
~ draw oil children into them.
b. DR. Savage argues % folIows: 10 CO
Ss|of those who believe that the salvation
.sstheir children's souls is at stake, the
!" |cauuot 10 . more odIous tyranny than
!. compel them 70 submit TO teaching %
pss|t to their minds entails such horrible Co
z yy'lseouences. And 10 case Of those vi
!. do not believe that the endless welfa
III lof their children 10 at stake, c0mpelltr
..Ithem TO submit 10 the teaching Of . :
oO..|ligion they don't believe is waste
oS'time. The public school, supported
'ss|eQual taxing Of people Of oil belle
J. = 'exists and has . right to exist simp
''y'Iaud solely for the sake Of such educati'
~ lee fits for citizenship, and 90 10 for Z
'.syypublic good. The church and home 81
~ ~ ample scope for all individual peculiar
y - ties OF belief or theory.
III The public school u for the people q
for all the people. Let Il Be kept true
..its own high and sacred mission.
= Prof. w. r. Hsrris says: 1T seer
to me that religious instructions 10 q
public schools u In expedient on 9
=. grouud that they are for al citizens
A. v hatever belief or no belief. The Chur
IL State must be entirely separate. II q
rslState undertakes 10 regulate religto
~ smatters confusion occurs" Harris cit
- the in6delity IN Germany o 90 arg
~ ment against religion in schools.
Ter -ss
lss The idea advanced in the Prison Co
70. gresh at Boston last year that cow
Dst should BE- sent 20 prison and hard lab
n<,x Eoe : da6nifa arhifearx term. but q