The Irish standard., 1893-12-02
IN R0IUN ] ! q C q; l''||
TEE school g EsTIoN

q kly - -
TEE IL SCHOOL QUESTION .
F.ther Clsary says "a ths Bigot ands
Sss OF our Public Schooi ss'' & s5.ss
y AZ; announced III The sIRIsH SrANDARn
Father Geary spoke last Sunday evening
II Labor Temple On = omanism and the the
public Schools He commenced hia
lecture d al 7:45 but half al hour previous
every seat in the hall was occupied and
those. who afterward came in were obllg-
"a to stand. He spoke substantially aa
follows and was repeatedly applauded:
"a most unjust prediudice has been
epeendered ia the minds Of many Of our
sellow-citizens concerning the entllm q
Of our Catholic people toward the public
schools. Tho pnbllc school is = eonyen-
lent topic TOR many 8 blatant, blgot VINO
Is ambitions only to stir up strife for nla
own ignoble ends. It best suits the ENDS
u bigotry and religious ranoor TO assume
that Roman Catholicism is but another
name for hostility to popular education
and to the American common school.
The Catholic church has never been
the enemy Of universal knowledge, ana
haa never shown q hostile attitude to
any system Of popular education. The
Catholic church understands better
shan any other institution in the world,
that Ignorance is one Of the greatest
enemies Of religion, and that the proper
enlightenment OF the human mind is
she first and most important step IN
planting the seeds Of religion and y1r-
tue in the heart Of man. knowledge OF
she truth, and Of all truth, alone en-
thrones real liberty Of thought in the
mind of man. You shall know the
truth and the truth shall make You
sree,' said our Divine Teacher. Ignor-
anoe is the enemy Of the human soul.
because the Catholic Church inspired
by the Holy Ghost, the spirit OF wisdom,
understands this fact so we'll, che 10 So
iicitous, as an anxious mother for the
tender cars Of her children, that ignor-
anoe NAV not enslave the souls OF the
people and that they may enjoy che
liberty Of the children Of God in all Wis
com and spiritual undertaking.
The Catholic Church has given most
convincing evidence Of it's sincerity and
sarnestness in caring for the education
II the people. During the ages that
have been termed dark by many flip.
pant and ignorant writer's and speakers,
The schools of learning tostered, en-
slowed and supported by the Catholic
Church were the refining aud civilizinR
agencies that reclaimed the barbarians
,,f Europe to Christian civilization. The
church was the fostering mother OF
learning, and her schools and colleges
were planted in every center OF human
civilization centuries before any protest
ant religious sect now known to history,
or to the present generation, arose to
distract and mislead the human mind.
Out OF their poverty the generous Catho-
lie people Of this country have within q
very few years built and supported
primary schools, academies and colleges
all over this fair land.
With the monuments OF history star
ing them In the face. the great univera-
ties Of Europe, Oxford, Cambridge, Pisa
Bologna, Salamanca, Paris, and others,
;ihe offsprings of Catholic genius, Catho.
lilo enterprise and love Of learning, and
tho Catholic schools and colleges OF our
own country. q certain class Of shamelese
biqots and calumniators Of their fellow
non has the effrontery to assert that the
Catholic Church is the enemy OF learning,
They pretend to be frightfully alarmed
lest tho Pope sieze upon our public
schools and plunge the people into hope
less ignorance. Well, their fears are not
we'll grounded and F don't believe they
are very sincere. Our public schools are
generously maintained by all Glasses OF
,,ur people for the benefit OF all. They
must not be used for the advantage OF g
lew. They must not be regarded ae
annexes to any religious sect. They
mist not be abused and turned into
polemical arenas whore disputed ques.
sions Of religion are to be discussed
Catholics have as much right, both as
seaohers and as pupils, in our public
schools as any other class OF people.
Their religion must not be insulted in
our schools We say to all bigots and
tanatioal seotarians, hands of our pub
lie schools! The public schools OF this
country will never Be- injured Or de-
stroyed by Catholics, but unless Catho'
lies exercise oeassless vigilance ti1el'
efficiency viii be undermined by rs
oiRoted fanatics who play the part q
fool friends, "
The Orphan Fat:
The bazaar for tho benefit Ct t tEl
11a4hnl;c nrnhan asylum closed ut Har: