Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-10
PARISH AND PUBLIC sCHoOLS
Archbishop Ireland Thinks There should
be No schools without Religion


ST.. Paul, July lo.-Following 10 an abstract
Of Archbishop Irelsnd's address delivered this
morning at the educational convention;
Archbishop ireland said in substance-'f
will be permitted" he began, Ito make az once
my profession Of faith / declare most un-
bounded LOYALTY 10 the Constitution OF my
country. desire no favors I claim no rights
that are not In consonAnce with is letter and
It's spirit The rights which the Constitution
alloW do Claim, and in dong 80 1 ana but the
u9er ana more loyal American" He SAYS he
upholds the parish school. but would have all
schools state schools. To the child must be
impaired inst, uction in no mean degree. that
the man may earn for himself an houest COM
petence ana scquIt himself OF the duties which
society exacts from ham for Its own prosperity
and life. The imparting O; this instruc-
non primarily the function of the
childs parent The state interyenes whenever
the family cannot OF will not do the work that
Is needed As things are tens Of thousands Of
children might 20 uninstructed II parents re-
mained solely IN charge Of the duty The state
must come forward as an agent OF instruction,
else ignorance will prevail Indeed IN the
absence OF state action there never Was that
universal instruction which we have 30 nearly
attained and which we deem necessary. In the
absence OF state action he believed universal
instruction would never in any country be pos
sible. No tax Is more legitimate than that for
schools, and il should be disbursed by state
purpose
IN FAVOR OF COMPULSORY EDUCATION
Il unreservedly," he said, favor state law
making instruction compulsory. Instruction 10
SO much needed by each citizen for his own
sake and Eor that of society that the father who
neglects to provide for hIs child's instruction
SINS against the child and against society, and
II behooyes the state TO punish HIM, Or course
first principles must not be forgotten. and
since instruction Is primarily the function Of
the parent the parent enjoys the right TO edu-
cate hs child in the manner suitable to him.
self. provided always that the education given
IN this manner sufhces Tor the ulterior duties
OF the child toward himself and society. Com
pulsory education implies attendance N
schools maintained and controlled by tho
state only when there is no attendance
in other schools known to be competent to inn
part instruction In the required degree. The
compulsory laws recently enacted in certain
states of theUnion are, 20 my judging. objection
able IN a few Of their incidental clauses. 1hese
L am confident will readily be altered IN ap-
preaching legislative sessions. With the body
OF the laws and their general intent IN the
direction of fastening among us universal IN
struction am IN most hearty accord
The secular instruction In state schools is our
pr1de and our glory and regret that there is
the necessity for the existence of the parish
school The spirit of the parish school. n not
the school itself. rs widespread among American
Protestants and ID made manifest by their de-
ture reading and other devotional exercises
from the school room"
STATE SCHOOLS AND IRRErIoIoS
There is dissatisfaction with the state school
as at present organized The state school. il
is said, tends to elimination of religion from
the minds and the hearts of the youth Of the
country. This is my grievance against the
state schools OF today. Believe me. my Protest
ant fellow citizens. that am absolutely sincere
when L now declare that l am speaking
for the veal of Professionalism as
am Catholic. of course, unfinching and un-
compromising in my faith. But God forbid
that L desire TO see IN America the ground
which Professionalism occupies exposed to the
chilling and devastating blast OF unbelief.
Let me be your ally In stemmlng the swelling
tide of irrelIgion, the death kncll of Christian
lite and Christian civilization, the fatal Zoe OF
soul and of country.
The state school is non-religious. Ignores
religion. There Is and there be no positive
religious teaching where the principle Of non-
sectarianism rules. Ii follows then that the
child will grow up in the belief that religion is
OF MINOR importance and religious indifference
Will be his creed The great mass OF children
receive no first lessons and attend no sunday
school, and the great mass of the chill
dren OF America are growing up without
religion. The state does not teach religion;
but for the sake Of its people and for it's own
sake 1t should permit and facilitate the action
OF the church; but Il hinders this action Let
the state look 10 itself. The mind which IL pol
ishes Is a twO-edged sword--an instrument for
good or an instrument for evil. Ii were fatal
TO polish IL without the assurance that in all
likelihood it shall be an instrument for good.
NO MORALS WITHOUT RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES.
You say this state school teaches morals, but
morals without religious principles do not
exist There are differences among Christians,
and Catholics would not inict their belief upon
non-Cathollcs, nor should Professionalism be in
iicted uponCathoiiccb children. Some compromise
becomes necessary. Taxation without repre-
sentation is wrong, and while the minority pay
school taxes their beliefs should be respected
America is trying 70 divorce religion aud the
school. although religion pervades our system
and the school was originally religious through
and through.
HIS SOLUTION.
As a solution OF the difficulty would perme-
ate the regular state school with the religion of
the majority OF the children Of the land, be it
as Protestant as Professionalism can be- and /
would do as they do in England, pay for the
secular instruction given in denominational
schools according to results. Another plan: I
would do Protestants and Catho-
lies in Poughkeepsie and other places
in our own country have agreed
TO do. to the great satisfaction
OF their citizens and tie great advancement Of
educational interests. In Poughkeepsie the
city school board rents the building formerly
used a. schools, and from the hour Of I'm. to
that OF 3 pm. the school Is in every particular
state school no religious instruction coming
between the hours named and the school being
in charge of the city school board
In conclusion, protest against the charge
that the schools of the nation have their enc
mics among the Catholics. The Catholics are
loyal TO the country and demand the Christian
state school
a L.. I'll