St. Paul daily globe., 1892-05-08
THE FARIRAULT sYsTEM


The broad-minded people of this COM
munity will require something more
trustworthy than a brief and unofficial
cable dispatch to convince them that
the Faribault system has been con-
demned by the papal authorities. The
GLOBE is Il secular newspaper, and is
not in q position to have decided views
on the merits of the matters here In
controversy. 1t knows enough, how
ever, to recognize the difficulties of the
situation. The devout American Cath
Ollie insists that his children shall enjoy
the advantages OF religious instruction
according to the faith of his own
church in connection with their general
school education. AT the same time, as
a loyal Catholic American, he would not
have his children lose the opportunities
for intellectual Improvement which our
admirable public school system offers
them, nor have them segregated from
their fellows in their daily life by diff
ferences OF Christian belief. The Amerl-
can Catholic is at once correct
churchman and good citizen, and is
ambitious to bring up his children so
that they shall be such also. Arch
bishop IRELAND has identified himself
with the advanced and liberal
thought of his country more con-
Spicuously than any other American pre-
late ana his so-called Faribault
plan has seemed to many of similar cast
of mind to at least contain the germ of
a method by which this hard problem
may be solved. 1t saves the expensive
duplication of schools in small centerS,
and gives all the young chance to
share in the educational privileges pro-
vided for from general taxation. 1t
does not compel Protestant children to
participate in religious exercises after
the practice of the Catholic church,
which they would refuse to do, and yet
it includes the religious instruction
for the Catholic children which is
deemed 10y the church an es-
Sential element of their school train
ing. 1t is easy to see the objections
which churchmen raise against this
idea. But it surely has much TO COM
mend it, especially in new and Sparsely
settled region like Minnesota. Leaving
out of view the question OF economy
which. of course, is the least
worthy thing to be considered
it eliminates serious danger To
our civic welfare which might attend
system of divided schools. The
most formidable barrier to our general
progress is our heterogeneity. A hun
dred races, speaking as many tongues,
and having as many different inherited
prejudiceS on every passing issue, live
within our borders. Such a population re-
spends slowly to the impact of persuasion
and reasoning, and evils continue un-
checked because popular sentiment can
not be aroused for their eradiction eX-
cept by degree of effort which even
the most patriotic shrink from attempt
ing. A school system which shall be
common in reality as we'll as in name
promises an outlet of escape from these
dangers. The present generation may
not be coherent or homogeneous. The
German may be suspicious of the
Irish, and the influences which move
the Bohemian to action may be quite
Intellectual with the Swede. But it will
not be SO with the next generation, il its
members come in daily contact
with one another in their youth
and are not divided by distinctions of
wealth or poverty, nationality or re-
ligious faith, but as Americans are
taught side by side the principles Of
AngIo-Saxon liberty and the glorious
deeds of our country's founders. A
school system which shall be common
in reality as we'll as in name is the
basis of our hope as mighty empire,
and Archbishop IRELAND shows himself
patriot in his efforts to maintain it.
The Faribault system would seem to
the impartial ohlooker noble device
for the preservation of the integrity of
church and state; and this community.
at auy rate, will regret to hear thai it
does not meet the approval of the pope
and his advisers. if this is actually the
case