The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-08
THE FARIBAULT SYSTEM.
A SCHOOL QUESTION WHICH HAS
AGITATED TWO CONTINENTS.

The Solution Thought to be Found In
a Temporary Expedient-Represen
tstive Catholic Opinions.
Fdribdtlt Correspondent Chicago Herald
In view OF the interest that has again
been excited in the so-called 'Faribault
system by the expression of the holy see
concerning it, a representative Of the Herald
to-day visited Fsribault to get an accurate
statement of the facts at issue. In spite Of
the intense feeling exhibited by both Catho-
lics and Professionals regarding the transfer
Of the Catholic psrochial school to the board
Of education, it is doubtful if the full par
tioulars connected with it have yet been
generally given to the world.
The transfer and the circumstances con-
nected with it up to the present time are
about as follows:
On Oct. %, 1S91,IFather james Conry
priest of the Church of immaculate Con-
ception, submitted a verbal proposition to
the board of education of the city of Fari-
oault for merging the parochial schools of
that church into the public school system.
The board, which was composed Of three
Protessants and one Catholic. received the
pAOpOoibAOd WIN AnuCAA ~ AoGs ouIe blI6I
due discussion, were inclined to favor it.
They deemed it wise, however, to have the
proposition presented to them in written
form, and this proposition condensed was
about as follows:
That the children at present enrolled in
the schools of the Immaculate Conception
parish may receive the benefits that result
from an American training in all that the
term implies. That these children may
| receive in their training perfect prepara-
ton for the duties and responsibilities OF
American citizenship, and thereby enhance
the renown Of this city among its sister
cities Of the commonwealth as an educa-
tional center, and that our custodians
in the public schools may receive
from the state and county appropria-
lions that additional per capita tax which
| the commonwealth wishes them to receive,
and which at present they fail to receive
because of the maintenance OF separate
schools. In consideration Of 81 Iagree to
place under the management and control of
| the board of education of the city of Fari-
bault the school building and all of it's
equipments, known as the Parish School of
the Immaculate Conception Church, with
the grounds upon which the school building
is located, the same to be used by the said
board for educational purposes under such
conditions as the board may determine to
1 10 Ava VIC bOoN lheCA OoOo IA oAA OOASOA AACha
ONLY A TEMPORARY ExPEDIENT.
The transfer was not a sale, but lease,
which was to hold good for one year. AS
| can be seen, the wording was very simple
and the meaning very plain. In the inter-
ests of good American citizenship, and
more especially to aid the Catholic school
children and enhance the good name OF the
| city of Faribault, Father Conry, an intelli-
| gent, aggressive Catholic priest and thor
ough American, proposed to turn the parish
school in his charge over to the city of Fari-
bault, and thus not only alay the expense
which the poorer members of his church
must have had difficulty in meeting, but at
the same time greatly aid the public school
| work Of the city.
| The proposition was again discussed by
the board and examined from every aspect
! aud after fully weighing the matter it was
| decided by unanimous vote to accept
| Father Conry's proposition.
! Father Conray had noted the difficulty of
maintaining parochiel schools, causing a
| burden on the poorer portion Of his charge
which they were lily able to bear, while the
| tendency had been TO throw upon the streets
a considerable portion Of the youth who
| ought to be in school securing an education.
| The board of education appreciated this and
saw also the gain to the city which would
| be effected by an acceptance OF the propo-
sition and it was accepted.
One month later Father Corcoran, OF
| Saltwater, having obtained Archbishop
| Ireland's permission made a tender of the
| parochial schools at st. Michael's church TO
| the public school board Of that city, and
that tender one week later was also accepted.
| Then came the storm.
The matter would in all probability have
| caused but little discussion it the Minneap-
oils Ministerial Association had not had its
attention called to the matter and at once
| prepared lengthy document calling upon
| all people of Protestant faith to witness the
bold attempt Of the Roman Catholics to
inculcate tbs principles Of their faith in the
minds of all young children and thus seduce
| them from the religion of their forefathers.
1T is but bold plan of the pope's." they
cried, ito gain strong foothold on the pnb-
! lie schools of America
| And all the time the two parochial schools
were fulfilling their duties quietly and eff
GENTLY, and those Immediately concerned
| looked on in peace and contentment. The
plan was proving successful. no religious
| lines were transgressed and no attempt has
been made to force Protestant children to
listen to Catholic instruction nor TO persuade
| the Catholic children that the religion of
| Christ as taught by one sect would take
them into the kingdom Of heaven more
truly than that taught by another sect.
At the time of the transfer the statement
1 was ulttuo Nv lu6 dhbOCl6plOn
| above mentioned that there was tacit
| understanding that the nuns teaching the
| schools should use their time and the build.
| ings devoted to school instruction at other
than school hours for teaching the tenets of
| the Roman Catholic church. This state
nent is true as concerning Saltwater, but
| it is not true about Faribault. On the con-
! trary, no religious instruction whatever is
is given. The teachers may teach the dis
| tinctive tenets of the Roman Catholic
church out OF school hours and out Of the
building il they wish. The teachers are
capable, having been pronounced so by the
county superintendent of schools aud fulfil
| their duties as do teachers the country over
| The nuns do rhe teaching aud have gem
| eral charge, except over the special branches,
| where it is considered necessary to bring
| about the best results to employ special
| teachers. Two GLASSES, numbering about
| fifty pupils, have been promoted since the
| transfer was made, and are taught excIu-
sively by teachers of Protestant faith, and
| this arrangement, whereby all Catholic
| children will soon be removed to other
schools in the city. has not been arrested
and is not likely TO be, although at first
| some feeling was shown. The school, in
fact, is exactly like any other school of
similar grading in the country, and the only
| objection that can be made is that nuns are
employed to do the teaching. The nuns
have proved themselves to be competent;
they perform their duties as well il not