Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-12-19
COM. HARRIS LETTER.
The Catholic and Protestant School
Controversy at Hoboken
Ended

New YORK, Dec. ig.--The ap
pebded letter, embodylng the Views
~ Commissioner Harris on the sub
ject of education, has been received
~ this city. The letter reads;
If have received your letter Of
september II, concerning the ques
ion 0f some mutually satisfactory
arrangement between Catholics and
Protestants In regard to the public
schools. You inquire whether | am
acquainted with any educationa
-ystem that has been carried into
practical effect, which has In view
he spiritual and secular education
If the child, and at the same tim,
does not conflict with the public
school system of our country. In
reply, would state that, while an
not acquainted with any such edu
cational system as you describe, l.
seems to me that IL is very import
ant for all children of American citi
zens to meet In the same school ana
he educated together, at the least
for the major part of their schoo'
life. This seems important, in view
of the fact that our government OF
the people and by the people neces.
sitates a mutual good understanding
of motives and habits of thought
There Is no place like the school for
gaining this acquaintance. l would
not say that there should be no pri
vate schools, because they perform q
good function in our community,
when the percentage of children in
the private schools is not any larger
than IL per cent Of the entire school
attendance of the country. Even a
private school in it's instruction
gives very essential element of re-
ligious training, when 1t teaches its
pupils to live in peace, in broth
erly affection with all ones fellows
awhile L believe that education
In the public schools should be en-.
tirely secular, yet l feel that, with
the majority of Americans, there
should be some arrangement made
whereby bublic schools could recog-
nize, in u formal manner, the import
auce of religious education. can
think of no better device than the
one adopted in the schools of st
Louis, Mo, wherein any parent may
obtain permit for his children to
he absent on one or two occasions
each week from the school, for All
hour or more each time, in order t.
take lessons in religion at the neigh
boring parish church. Very many
Catholics in st. Louis used to avail
themselves of this, and | haye al
ways believed that the formal recog-
milton of the desirability of religious
lessons gives good results. What
ever may be the wisdom or unwis
dom Of my personal views in tn,
matter, L cordially agree with you,
and with the views of the majority
of people of all denominations, III
the desire that the Catholic children
should attend the public schools,
and that rangments might be
made satisfactory to all parties"
CORRIGAN APOLOGIES.
HoBoKEN, Dec. 19.-The con-
stroversy between Bishop Wigger,
of Newark, and Father Corrigan, OF
Hoboken, is terminated. 1t is there
fore stopped and the charge with
drawn. Bishop Wigger appointed
"a committee of priests to visit Faith
or Corrigan and endeavor to induce
him to apologize. TO this proposal
Father Corrigan makes the follow
ing reply In communication:
II am glad to yield whatever may
justly be expected OF me to put an
end to this constroversy, and wher-
ever have unintentionally gone be-
yond the proper bonds, l hereby ex-
press my regrets for il, / believe
you have tried to be just in the ad-
ministration of your diocese, and l
am satisfied that whatever mistake
you have made did not proceed from
the heart"
Bishop Wigger acknowledged the
receipt of the letter In the following:
III hereby accept cheerfully the
apology that you have written, and
l hereby discontinue the trial, and
wish you every blessing"
n.-~orat1.oy nakoc