St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-01-18
What His Conclusions Are
After Careful Considera-
ton Of the Subject.
Rev. G. 1. Morrill, Takes a
Whirl at a Multitude
Of Subjects.
Rev. VIM. Wilkinson on Tract
misunderstanding
Goods Fire.

Rev. II. NJ. Simmons preached yester-
day on the late attempts in Minnesota
TO turn par0chial schools into public
schools. Most of the discourse was
narration OF the facts. He said that TO
make sure of the facts at Saltwater he
has cOrresponded with the school super
intendent there, Frank Wilson. whom
he knew personally, and whose testi-
mony is beyond dispute, and who also
pronounced the long account In late
eve ming paper as substantially correct.
For the facts at Faribault, he had CORE
spOnded with Judge Mott, whose testi-
mony and furnished documents we're
also fully borne out by the other ac-
count in the same journal. Summing
up, Mr.. Simmons said:
such then are The facts. In both Farihault
and saltwater The parochial building was
transferred without any condition that the
Catholic teachers were 10 be retained, aud in
hotn the school board has retained them OF
its own choice as The most appropriate for
the place. In both buildings there are no
Catholic religious exercises. either in school
hours or before or after; and in Faribaulg, at
least, every other public school building has
some form of Protestant religi ous exercis $.
In both buildings the Catholic pictures have
been removed Though at Farlbauit some Bib
lical ones that are no oNenSe 10 Protest ut
j..
ula- portraits are in their place,and no Catlo
lie EN- blems are seen. except in The usual dress
OF the sisters. In both buildings tbs pupils
are still Catholics; though at Faribault about
forty of them have already been promoted
into other schools with ProteStantS. and in
both The board purposes 10 make The grad
ing 6ud promotions The same as III the o,her
schools The chief difference in the two ex-
pcrments is IN their success. At ~tiilwater,
il seems very doubtful whether the expert
mept will succeed as ii is opposed by many
OF the people, and especially The Protestant
ministers But at FaribauIt it seems TO meet
with general favor, and not only is there
little oppositian among the Protestant clergy,
butone of them pronounced il, to all appear
ance, an honest attempt on the part OF
Father Conroy aud the Catholic church, 10
put their children in public schools, and the
Congregational minister is even clerk of the
school board and has been active in the
movement.
"What the she uEd b. our conclusion about
the movement We need not inquire the
motives OF thcsc Catholic priests or school
boards, though thoir honesty ought TO be az.
sumed until it IS disproved The reel ques
ton is not this bat 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
parochial sch )olI under the Infringement OF
the public school boards. OF course. pru-
dent board will not treat Il school composed
mostly of Catholics precisely as it treats one
composed IN )sty OF PrOieStants, but under
its one cOltrUl beth are brought into one
system. BOlh follow the same course of
study, both follow II under the guidance
Of the same superintendent. By promotions
pupils Of both denominations are brought
into the same school, as they already are at
Farib lalt. Teachers of both denominations
are ma lie 10 mingle more or less in teachers
meetings and otherwise, and learn each 9TH
er s worth. is they already do there. III are
made to see and feel their common huma nitv
9nd piti yanShjn limited SphnOlS RI
preparation for a united people. The divs-
ion AMI hostility between Catholics and
Pr tie tants is more and more healed In the
sen iment that they are all members of the
same community and owe each other mutual
support and sympathy. This is the great
merit of this movement and is worth a good
deal Of concession on both sides.
Aud it has an especial meTiy from the
Protestant standpoint for the concession
is nearly all on the Catholic side. 1t
is the Catholics who have most insisted on
pecial religious exercises in school: yet
shere they give them up entirely. while Prot
eStants retain more or less Of theirs. The
Catholics have also entirely abandoned their
own course of study and accepted that pre-
scribed by Protestants. 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
misnterpreted Protestants; but now they use
Protestan mt readers aud histories, and study
what PrOteStants have ordained. So great is
their concession while Prolestants have
made none, except to Keep few Catholic
teachers, and allow them to dress as they
wish.
And what are the dement's OF the new
movement? The chief one alleged on all
sides is that Of the dress. But the dress in
itself makes no difference. To Catholic pu-
pills it makes none, for they are used to il.
And on Protestant pupils 1t is doubtful
whether so plain garb would have any tas-
ciuating power to disturb their studies or
corrupt their morals, or even change their
religion. Considering that we would allow q
Quaker teacher TO wear her peculiar dress,
and allow all other teachers to wear what
they wish, and allow SO many other most
respectable women in public 10 wear
sisters would condemn as Indecent we
need not feel forced to forbid their
SO pure and particularly modest garb.
Nor need we forbid il as a sign Of their
church. 1t Is no worse for teacher to tell
her religion by her dress than to tell it by
words; and that i. what we allow to ali,
whether Catholic or Protestant. That dress
is no violation of public school principles.
and am not sure but few of them might
be OF service 10 teach pupils that Catholics
have rights in the country and in its educa-
tional system An editorial in one of our
papers saws those teachers ought to be com.
PEELED TO strip off their paraphernalia and
appear as other teachers do" But
other teachers are allowed 10 wear what
paraphernalia they will, and when the
very principle of our public schools is that
conscience, we have no right 10 compel
teachers 10 abandon a dress which is with
them matter of conscience The real grave
objection TO the movement is-not in the
dress but in the fact that these sisters are
probably more devoted TO their own church.
than they are TO the schools. But probably
some Protestant teachersare, too: and with
all brought under the eye OF a supeIinteud-
eut, this danger ought 10 be easily checked.
IL so checked, these sisters m ght do faith
full work in teaching as they do IN their other
secular fields of charity.
The other objections to The movement seem
to me rather weak. An editorial says: The
Conroy system has been damned by the lead
ing prelates" OF the Catholic church. But
that is an added reason why Protestants
should not damn it, but should stand by the
Catholics who are trying TO get our schools
united. Besides n Saltwater clergyman
| thinks that Archbishop ireland. instesd of
| damning the movement is at the bottom of
| it. Which shall we believe? much EN-
| pnasized objection is that the movement has
| in it q little ompromise. But society is
| based on compromise. and public system
| which recognizes the rights of all must ad-
| init H. II Catholics compose a large part of
| the community. they ought TO be allowed n
| part of the teachers, and If they give up their
| religious exercises in school and their text
books and course of study, Protestants ought
| 10 be willing to let part of them wear what
clothes they wish.
This may not make a perfect sy stem; but
| perfection is not expected in this world, aud
INC quSstioli 10 my "netnel tne noNeWehI Is
| perfect, but whether it is an Improvement
| And considering that it brings into our
school system so large an element that had
opposed and imperiled iit-unising Protes-
| tants and Catholics. even though imper-
| fecily. in the same education for common
| citizenship and 4 closer sympathy in one ma
| .ion-it certainly is an improvement and
! ought to be encouraged. The motives may
! lave been more than what appears, though
| IN The midst OF the mourning for Cardinal
! Manning and or the universal recognition OF
! his lofty aims aud integrity, let us not say
TOO much ahons Catholic insncerity i'll high
i places. But whatever the motives, The move
| nsut !1s2 10 good"