The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-01-23
REV. Il. II. SIMMONS.
He Talksaon the Faribault and Saltwater
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Transfers.
Rev. Mr.. Simmons Of the First Uni-
tartan Church preached a sermon last
Sunday that is causing Golightly Morrill,
and the other Ministerial cranks who saw
some trouble in the transfer of the Fart
bault and Saltwater parochial schools to
the respective boards of education of
these towns. He said that to make sure
of the facts at Saltwater he had CORE
sponded with the school superintendent
there, Frank Wilson, whom he knew per
sonally, and whose testimony is beyond
dispute. For the facts at Faribault he
had correspondent with Judge Mott
Summing up Mr.. Simmons said:
'Such, then are the facts. In both
Faribault and Saltwater. the parochial
building was transferred witohut any
condition that the Catholic teachers we're
to be retained, but in both cases the
school board has retained them, OF it's
own choice, as the most appropriate for
the place. In neither building are there
any Catholic religious exercises, either
in school hours or before or after; and in
Faribanlt, at least every other public
school building has some form of Protes-
tant religious exercises. In both build
ings the Catholic pictures have been re-
moved-enough at Faribault some Bibli-
cal ones that are no offense to Protestant
eyes remain-and the American flag and
secular portraits are in their place; and
no Catholic emblems are seen, except in
the usual dress of the sisters. In both
buildings the pupils are still Catholics;
though at Faribault about forty of them
have already been promoted into other
schools with Professionals, and IN both the
board purposes to make the grading and
promotions the same as in the other
schools. The chief difference in the two
experiments is in their success. At Still
water it seems very doubtful whether
the experiment will succeed, as it is op-
posed by many of the people, and especi-
ally by the Protestant ministers. But
at Faribault it seems to meet with gen.
eral favor; and not only is there little OPP
position among the Protestant clergy,
but one of them pronounces it to all ap-
psarance, an honest attempt, on the part
of Rev. Father Conry and the Catholic
| Church to put their children in the pub
lie schools; and the Congregational min
lister is even clerk IN the school board
and has been active in the movement.
"What, then, should be our conclusion
! about the movement? We need not in
quire the motives of these Catholic
priests or school boards-though their
honesty ought to be assumed until it Is
disproved. The real question is not this,
but whether the action itself is just and
wise. Saying nothing, therefore, OF the
motives, We ask what are the merits and
dement's of the movement itself? Its
great merit is that it brings these paro-
chial schools under the management Of
the public school boards. OF course a
prudent board will not treat school
composed mostly of Catholics precisely
as it treats one composed mostly of
Professionals, but under it's one control
both are brought into one system; both
follow the same course of study; both
follow it under the guidance of the same
superintendent. By promotions, pupils
of both denominations are brought into
the same school, as they already are at
| Faribault. Teachers of both denomins-
tions are made to mingle, moro or lesss
in teachers meetings and otherwise, and
learn each others worth, as they alredty
do there All are made to see and feel
their common humanity and citizenship.
United schools are the best preparations
for a united people. The division and
hostility between Catholics and Protes-
tants, which has been rightly deprecated
as a danger to the state, is more and
more healed in the sentiment that they
are all members of the same community
and owe each other mutual support and
sympathy. This is the great merit of
tAlo HOv0ucub, 6uQ Is WOIUA d SOOu uoGA
of concession on both Sides
''And it has an especial merit from the
Protestant standpoint, for the concession
is nearly all On the Catholic side. 1t is
the Catholics who have most insisted on
special religious exercises in schools; yet
here they give them up entirely, while
Protestants retain more or less of theirs.
The Catholics have also entirely aban-
doned their own course of study and &C.
cepted that prescribed by Professionals.
The chief complaint against their schools
has been that their studies are partial
and sectarian, and that their text books
in reading and history have misinter-
preted Protestants; but now they use
Protestant readers and histories, and
study what Professionals have ordained,
So great is their concession, while
Professionals have made mona axcont tn