Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1892-09-10

board in its meeting on the 22d Of August,
was adopted all over the territory, where
! the meiority OF teachers selected for this
year, are Protestants, for the purpose Of
preventing the teaching of religion in the
public schools.
Mr.. Read says in reply, "rhat under our
lass, the same right had Presbyterians,
/ Baptists, ETC., to have their religion taught
after school hours" Who denies that they
have tine same right? | do not ask o
| favor for Catholics exclusively. And
when | speak Of Catholic teachers it is
because that in nearly all our school dis
tricts there are hardly any but Catholic
pupils and because Catholic parents ask
| for Catholic teachers, and they want
religion taught at least after school
hours.
But, says my opponent, nobody has
the right to teach religion in schools sup.
ported by tax payers OF various and dis.
tinct denominations The school law,
sec. q. related to incorporated cities or
towns, does, indeed, say: 'No sectalian
doctrine shall be taught or inculcated in
any of the public schools Of the city or
town." Here the law is not go clearly
expressed as to prevent distinction be-
ing made between the school house dur
ing and after school hours.
The law elsewhere provides for and
authorizes the use, after school hours, of
the school house for literary, scientific
and religious purposes.
do not, however, consider it absolute
ly necessary that religious instruction
should be impaired in the school room
though much more convenient when
practicable. IL this case, no matter how
many religious beliefs might be repre-
sented in the schools, there would be no
longer any difficulty for any of them in
providing a place where religious instruc.
ton should be given by able and approved
professors, according TO the religious con-
victions of the parties interested.
Further on, Mr.. Read says: "His Grace
afIirms that the Sisters of Loretto ar, not
to have any of the public schools any
more and qualities as ingrattude the
action of the board in not employing
them" On this beg to remark that !
did not use the phrase "any more !"
spoke OF the present and not OF the future
time. Having referred to the resolution
of the board, merely said: "Here in
Santa Fe, the Sisters of Loretto have been
deprived of having, in their own building,
the direction of the public school for
girls. What gratitude on the part OF the
/ city board of education"
Now. as to the examination of teachers.
Mr.. Read says the 10th of August was set
apart for this purpose, by the committee
on examination. | admit that timely
notice of the examination appeared in
the New MEXICAN; and that the president
had, as he claims, otherwise notified the
Sisters, personally. However, am fully
authorized to state that the Sisters did
not decline to be examined; but the
day was so inconvenient that they could
not attend for satisfactory reasons which
were presented to the board and admitted
BY them. As q proof thereof the board
appointed another day, the 26th OF August
for the examination OF the Sisters and
others who might present themselves.
Now, ask: Why was not that exam
nation held? The sisters were willing to
be examined and promised to be present on
the appointed day. To this Mr.. Read
answers, substantially, that the board
having IN sight many applications fol
teacherships highly recommended by
Catholics and non. Catholics from abroad
the members of the board thereupon actec
and appointed the teachers. Then, the
teachers having been appointed, he says
"it was moved, seconded and carried tha
the proposed examination be dispensed
with" / would now ask Mr.. Read, if i
were not his duty, as chairman of tht
board, 10 call the attention OF the mem
bers to the record contained in the min
utes Of their proceedings at their las
meeting, respecting the proposed exam
ination for the 26th OF August, before th'
votes were taken for its suppression?
Again, when the members were 81
courteous as to admit teachers on the reli
ability of recommendations from abroad
had not the Sisters of our own city AM
territory by forty years of service in tn
cause of education (evinced even now b.
80 large an attendance of school childre
more numerous than those OF all the pub
lie city schools together, had they not,
say, any right to like courtesy, especial