The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-05-26
PARoCHAL SCHOOLS.


Republican Convention of Illinois IN demanding
the repeal Of the odious Edwards school law.
Your assertion " No parochisl school can be as
good as public school, and they never are" gives
vent to spirit that had never thought would be
nourished in the bosom of the editor OF THE Ma
TIoNAL TRIBUNE Pray, tell me what facts you
have in your possession to sustain your position?
Have you ever attended a parochial school? No
Then, by what authority you make such
statement? Take the product of the parochial
school the world over, and where they have re-
ceived good parental training, you find men and
women OF culture, refinement, law-abiding, and
loyal to their country. This Is incontrovertibe.
Do not take me for enemy of the public-school
system. 1 would never agree to do away with 1t.
for within its walls children of poor parents get
their education But please do not compel me, in
this land of the free and home of the brave TO at
tend these schools when it is my wish and desire 10
attend some other, where be taught to be just
as loyal, just law-abdng, just as honest, as In
the public schools. The Republicans OF Illinois
did right; their action insures the State for the
Republican ticket in November. Look at the State
of Wisconsin, and see how dearly we paid for our
purported Americanism; or, in reality. know
nothingsm. And, looking back to the dark days
of 1918 pray tell mo whether the Catholic and
Lutheran Churches split In the support OF this glo-
rious Union? Led by tho gallant Phil Sheridan,
thousands Of Catholics enlisted under the Stars
and Stripes, and stained many battlefield with
their blood. o. don't write such another editorial!
We are all Americans and as such let us live and
die-JoHN SCHADE ST., Co. E. 5Sth Ohio Law
renceburg, Tenn.
We are glad to discuss the question OF
pharochial schools with SO fair-minded
man as our correspondent. lie attacks our
assertion as to these schools. That assertion
is based not only upon our individual expert
ence with those educated in such schools, but
also the experience of all men of our ac-
quaintance who have had occasion to employ
a number Of skillful and intelligent young
men and women. The universal judgment
of these men is that young man or woman
who graduates from any private institution
is not really so we'll fitted for his or her life
work as one who has received the training
of the public schools. There is adequate
reason for this. The public schools have
abundance of money to secure the best
teachers, provide the best apparatus, and
erect school houses on the most improved
plans. The methods of education are being
constantly studied in large way by prac-
tcal teachers, who are specially prepared
for their work in public institutions devoted
to that purpose, and whatever human intel
igence can develop in the way of improving
the manner of education is done. In the
very nature Of things this cannot be the
thing with the private or parochial schools.
They must be managed in accordance to the
limited means which can be secured for
their support. They cannot secure as good
teachers as the richer public schools, nor can
they be as good, since they must depend on
the capacity of the teachers that can be Sc
cured for the amount offered. In toomany in
stances quite inferior teachers are employed,
for personal or other reasons. Frequently
they are men and women who have lost
their other means of support and are COM
PEELED to adopt teaching at a late day in life
as means of livelihood. We are surprised
that our correspondent should hint that
there is anything Of the Knownothing in
what we have stated. ANY person who has
read THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE for years
will know how unjust such q suspicion as
that is. No one appreciates more highly or
takes more frequent opportunity to express
that appreciation of the patriotism and other
virtues of our foreign-born citizens than we
do. They have been of the greatest value
to us in peace and in war.
But we do believe most firmly that it is
the duty of the State to see that every
child gets certain amount of education.
We think that the State should make GER
tain that child is instructed in the English
language, and in all the elementary branches
necessary to fit him or her to be an intelli-
gent citizen of the United States. This
education can be given by few hours In
struction every day for not more than five
days in each week, and during only por-
ton of the year. Outside of that, the
parents priests, and ministers can have full
control of the children, to teach them
whatever is deemed necessary in the way
of religious instruction. With this the
State can have no interference and should
have none; and certainly the time allowed
ought to be sufficient for the purpose. We
are gratified to see the announcement that
there is prospect of such q modification of
the policy of the Vatican as will allow the
attendance at public schools of Catholic
children Of the United States Such con-
summation is devoutly to be wished. If
the Catholic children are permitted to attend
the public schools, there can be every guar
antee given their parents that there will be
no interference whatever with their faith
We hope that if the Catholic children are
allowed to attend the public schools, the
Lutherans will soon see the wisdom of doing
likewise. e
TIN IN SOUTH DAKOTA.
~ NJ tod