The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-07-12
YHER VARIOUS VIEWS,
Expiediency Of Religious Train
ing in Public Schools
EXTRACTS FROM OPINIONS
by Eminent Educators and Clergy
men-CardInal Gibbons Believes
In it-Dr Savage Thinks 1t
Tyrrany-IIarrls and IIill,

WASHINGTON, D, O., July l1,-Publi
Opinion, the eclectic journal OF Wash
ington, will tomorrow friday publish
eclectic papers from the pens Of Cardi
nal Gibbons, Rev, DR., Thomas Hill, ex'
President Harvard University, Rev, DR.
Minot j, Savage, OF Boston, and Prof
W. p. Harris, editor OF the Journal oj
Speculative Philosophy, on this question
us religious instruction in the public
schools expedient2 II SO, what should
be its character and limitations2' Be-
low are given extracts from these papers
Cardinal Gibbons says that an educa'
tion that improves the mind and memo.
ry 10 the neglect oil moral and religious
training Is at best but an imperfect and
defective system, 1t is desirable that
our youth should be made acquainted
with the history OF our country, It's ORR
gin and principles OF Its government,
and with the eminent men who have
served 1t by their statesmanship and
Valor. But 1t Is not enough for children
to have q secular education they must
receive q religious training. Religious
knowledge Is as far above human sci
enCe as the soul Is above the body, as
Heaven Ia above earth, as eternity Is
above time. By secular education we
improve the mind by religious training
we direct the heart. The religious and
secular education OF our children can.
not be divorced from each other with.
out intlicting fatal wound upon them,
PARoCuIAL SCHOOLS NOT BROAD ENOUGH.
With regard to private schools, DR.,
Hill believes 1t the duty Of the State to
inspect them and require that the edu.
cation given therein shall be such as to
prepare the pupils for the duties OF
citizenship. Tho State should not admit
that education in the parochial schools
OF denomination Is a political eQuiva-
lent for a public education. Least OF all
Is u Catholic parochial school capable OF
fulfilling the political ends Of a good
education, since in them Is not only that
partial and distorted view oil history, but
q Limitation OF the right OF private judg.
ment, which must partly unfit the pub.
lie pupil for considering questions OF
public policy with unbiased mind.
Catholic education is most iavora.
BILE 10 the development OF diplo-
mats and political managers, but
/. tends TO unfit a man for frank and
honest public discussion.
A TYRANNY IN EITHER CASE.
DR.. Savage argues as follows: "In the
case OF those who believe that the saliva.
ton Of their children's souls is at stake,
there cannot be q more odious tyranny
than TO compel them 10 submit to
teaching that, to their minds, entails
such horrible consequences; AMI In the
case OF those who do not believe that the
endless welfare Of their children is at
stake compelling them TO submit to the
teaching Of a religion they don't believe
in, believe 1t Is a waste OF time and
subjects them TO the influence Of what Is
regarded as hurtful superstitions, which
true learning, impart false theories
oi life and duty, and so interfere serious.
ly with the happiness and progress Of
this world, II not Of the next. In either
case, then, 1t Is tyranny"
Prof. W. r, Harris says: ut seems TO
me that religions instruction in the pub.
lie schools Is inexpedient on the ground
that they are for all citizens, whatever
their religious belief or no belief. II is
the conviction Of the average American
citizen, that rights OF private conscience
must be respected and the church and
state must be entirely separate. II the
Stale undertakes to regulate religious
matters confusion occurs. In parochial
schools the influence OF the dogmatiC |
tone creeps into the secular recitations
and drives out a desirable critical alert
ness and investigating spirit and STILES
Independent thinking.n