River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-07-17
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.

The discussion of a subject by the
National Educational Association at
the late st. Paul meeting presents the
purposes of the Catholic church. in a
way that should arrest the attention
of friends of the Republic.
Archbishop Ireland of st. Paul
said:
Il am the friend and advocate of the state
school. In the circumstances of the present
time uphold the parish school. do sincerely
wish that the need of il did not exist. | would
have all the schools for the children of the peo-
pie, state schools. The accusation has gone
abroad that Catholics are bent on destroying the
more unfounded. The right of the state
school 10 exist, consider, is "A matter beyond
the stage of discussion. ] most fully concede
&C. The imparting of this instruction Il
primarily the function of the ehild's parent =
: The stale intervenes whenever the family
cannot or viii not do the work that is needed.
The states place in the function of instruction
is loco pareHhs. As things are, tens OF thousands
OF children viii not be Instructed II parents
remain solely in charge of the duty.
Indeed, in the absence of state action, there
never was that universal instruction which we
have SO nearly attained aud which we deem
necessary In the absence of state action be-
.ieVe universal instruction would never IA any az,
country De possible uifesefteu ny
favor state laws making instruction compulsory.
Compulsory education implies attendance
in schools maintained and controlled by the
state only when there is no attendance in other
schools known 10 be competent 20 impart in
strueton in the required degree. The eompul.
sorry laws recently enacted IN certain states OF
the Union are, 10 my judging, objectionable
in few of their incidental clauses These,
am confident, will readily be altered In APP
preaching legislative bodies. turn 70
the parish school IL exists. ! regret that there
is the necessity for its existence. In behalf of
the state school call upon my fellow Ameri-
ear Ia a III in the rpmDVal of this nQpaSsitN
there is dissatisfaction with the state
school, as at present organized. The state
school, il is said, tends TO the elimination of
religion from the minds and hearts of the youth
of the country. This is my grievance against
the state schools of to-day. The state
school is nOn-religiOus. IL ignores religion.
There is and there can be no positive religious
teaching where the principle of non sectariau-
ism rules The brief and hurried les
sons of the family Preside and the Sunday school
religion: but for the sake OF its people, and for
its own sake II should permit and facilitate the
the state school teaches morals Morals
without the positive principles of religion, Civ
ing 10 them root and sap, do not exist.
ought we not TO have in connection with the
school. religious instruction? That there are
serious difficulties in the way confess. But
are We to stop at difficulties when It Is ineum-
bent upon US 20 reach the goaE DO not mis-
trust the reply, secui0rists and unbelieYcrs Will
interpose their rights. | allow them their
rights. ! will not impose upon them my religion
upon me ana my fellow Christians their re-
ligiOn, which is secularisn. l come 10
the chief difficulty in the premises. The Ameri-
can people at large are Christians; but they are
divided among themselves. Well-mean-
ing and well-deserying men have proposed as a
remedy in this instance that there be taught in
connection with the schools common Chris
tianity. This will not do Catholics in fidelity
10 their principles cannot accept common
Chris tiauity. What comes 20 them not bearing
on its face the stamp OF Catholicty, is Protestant
in form and in implication, even II II be Catho-
lie in substance. l solve the ditiiulty by
submitting il 10 the calm judgment of the coun-
try. f. suggestions Of mine must be neccs-
sarily crude in form, and local and temporary
in application. / would permeate the
majority of the children Of the land, be IL as
Protestant - Protestant can be, and would, as
they do in England pay for the secular instrue-
ton given in denOminatlonal schools according
10 results,-that is, each pupil passing the
examination before state officials and in full
accord with the state programme would secure
70 his school the cost Of tuition Of pupil in the
state sahOOl. This il not paying for the religious
instruction given 20 the pupil, but for the secu-
lar instruction demanded by the state, and given
20 the pupil as thoroughly as he could have
received in the state school. Another plan: |
would do az PrOtestants ana Catholics in POugh-
keepsie and other places in our own country,
have agreed to do TO the greatest satisfaction Of
all citizens and the great advancement OF edu-
catiOnal interests. In Poughkeepsle the city
board rents the building formerly used as parish
schools and from the hour of A. NJ. to P. NJ.
the school is In every particular state school
teachers engaged and paid by the board, teach
Grs and pupils examined, state books used, the
door always open 10 superintendent and men,
beers Of the board. There is simply the tact
understanding that so long as the teachers in
those schools, Catholic in faith, pass their ex-
aminatiOns and do their work as cleyerly and
as Loyalty other teachers under the control OF
the board, teachers Of another faith shall not be
put in their places. Nor are they allowed to
leach positive religion during school hours.
This is done outside the hours for which the
buildings are leased TO the board. The state, II
Naau for ftaF VaNI ra
instruction of the pupils. In the other schools
Protestant devotional exercises take place, in
fullest freedom, before the usual school hour.
Other schemes more perfect in concep-
ton, and easier of application will, perhaps, be
presented in time; meanwhile let us do as best
we know"