New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-23
ARCHBISHOP IRELAND AND TIE PUBLIC SCHOOLS


TO the Editor Of The Trtb&nc.
Sir: The American people have been startled Nv
,,c Va,lcan's course I'm nphoilhg Archbishop rand>
plan for she education Of Roman Catholic vita Proic
iant Children This plan has been cawfnly scanned
and a judgment already formed Of IT. character AMI
worth.
The whole thing seems 10 be founded on a little
pertinent I'm two small towns. Silllwatcr and Fhri
b,ult In Minnesota. The plan Is Imply this. that
Roman Catholic teachers 10 BE- employed but they
arc only 10 teach religion twice week after school
hours while the schools are 10 be controlled by the
county authorltl's.
II will be readily sccn that while the county author,
files are 10 control school PROPERTY the Roman
Catholic Church Is TO control the education This Is
exactly what they have been abchng 20 long 70 do
Does any one suppose that Roman Catholic teachers
would omit any opportunity 10 teach thor religion In
school hours Would they be satisfied with our school
hooks, Would they furnish such education as
would make our children good American citizcnsf
Wouid ,hcc not on the other hand aim 10 make the
children Roman Catholics rather than Americans
What hive thes Dominican fathers and the various
sisterhoods OF the Church done for Mexico for 1taly,
for Austria, spain and Portugal What have they
done for tc districts Of Ireland where tho have had
control for ccnturcsl Is II not maxim Of the Roman
Catholic Church that while II + well enough to have
a few well-.dncatcd and women. the masses ONLY
need 10 know how TO read write and cipher little
Is Il not true that IN the countries referred 10 arg"
proportion Of the children neither read nor write
Is this what ArcLb shop Ireland aims nj ~ suitable
education for American citizens THE Catholic Mir
roy- we are nf0imcd Is 10 show this week that IN"
Catholic hierarchy and lay OF this country are hap
PLY united on the vital importance and necessity of
providing for our children sound Catholic education
I'm IN. schools which they frequent Now, MI en-
lgl,tcncd American Protestant citizens know exactly
what these words mean. II thorc ARE ten millions Of
Roman Catholics In this country coanilnS all " ron
tho cradle the gavc"-tat desire this Kind OF an ed
ucation there fv millions who opposed to IL
the most OF whom will show, when tho time comes.
their opposition To the fullest extent.
II seems then that all this rejoicing on the part of
some l. that where ROnansIs cannot AFFORD 10 bnili
or maintain paiOchla schools they viii se our schools
with their teachers, ari tsk' tWO aIt"rOOIt In rtch
week 10 instruct the children IN their dog
mas. VIII they not. also. use all their powers ana
these gatherings VIII they not TO all lntents ana
PURPOSES be Still parDchinl schOOSl Let our Amcn-
can citizens be the outlook, the careful. ,eep!css
outlook upon such designs. let our senators, Rcpr'
scntatives, t,ovcrnoIs and legislator Ecrp diigent
watch Let American parent resist In every POI
sblc all such approaches again-i schools ana
rc,ir! the wooden horse Introduced Into Amer
lean civilization for IL destruction.
LEWIS X. DUNN.
East Orange. y. j., May -, 1902.