The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-09-11
EDUCATION IN HOBOE EN-
Father corrigan's Reasons
For Closing the Paro-
chial School.
oVERcROWED PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
New Annex aud Seven New Teach
ers Made Necassafy-Jther
Hoboken News.

AT all Of the masses in the church OF
Our Lady OF Grace In Hoboken yesterday
the Pastor. Rev. Father Corrigau, sta ted
that his parochial school would not be
opened today as he had promised. That
is exactly what The JERSEY CRY NEWS
said exclusively In its issue OF last
Tuesday. M
Father Corrigan said that owing to the
scarcity of money and thu heavy ex-
peuses attached TO running his big school
he could not see his way clear as yet.
de did not state when the school would
be opened. He asked Catholic parents,
however, not to send their children to
the Public Schools until they would hear
from him again, which would be Sunday
NEXT
FATHER ooRRIGAN's REMARKS.
From what you have seen in the daily
papers the past week." says Father Corri-
gan, you will no doubt like to hear a
statement from ME relative TO the closing
Of the school. The newspapers are very
good in their way. but they sometimes
get things wrong. and in the matter of
thec closing Of the schools they have got
1t wrong. The school Is closet simply
because we have no money. It takes
money te u the school. Times are hard
and the members of this congregation
are working people who earn barely
enough for the necessiries of life. Tbs
debt on the church is some $118, 900 Our
property Is worth $500. 900. So you see the
people would rave you believe.
Seventeen years q today 1
| first spoke to you as your pastor. You
had no church then. nor parish house.
nor school. as you lave now. Two
priests had gwen up rhs parish because
OF the debt. | Came here rs a friend or
the Bishop to try to do something. The
debt fifteen years ago WAS over $l70, 900.
Since that time the parish house has been
built. q 100000 school erected. the prop
erty beautified aud improved, and vet the
uebr is bat Sl1S,000. This / consider good
work. DON'T wish to increase the debt,
and for that reason l closed the school.
Wednesday. q week a week ago, IseEt
an Invitation to all the p~ewhoIders 10
meet the following Friday night to con-
slider the master of the opening of the
school. l,us not one person answered l
I'M a friend Of parochial school educa-
ton. My work for years has be 20 equal.
IL not ahead, OF u advocate OF
Catholic school education. The erection
Of our magnificent school proves this.
We had the largest attendance OF any
parochial school IN the world last year.
/ am anxious to open the school. Give
me the money to pay tie teachers. and |
will do so tomorrow morning. | have
given SIS. 900 OF my own money for the
church aud school the past two years,
and have had to mortgage my belong-
Jugs to do this"
THE BACKNUMBER SCORED,
Continuing. Father Corrigau said his
work in the parish had been good because
the congregation, by their iiberality. had
made it possible for him to 40 good work.
he scored the Journal for It's miss5ate-
mentS relative to the action of Certain
trustees, denied the Journals story. and
said that only Que man mad left the
parish, and he should have baen one of
first to congratulate priest on the work
accomplished.
He deuied that he had made overtures
to the Board of Education. or that that
body had made overtures 10 him.
Catholic parents are In an unpleasant
~predlcament. Many of them wanted to
send their children to the public schools,
believing that the par0chial school will
not reopen. yet now they do not care 60
disobey their pastor. Father CorrigRu's
request has oue good feature, however.
II catholic parents Iced it there will be
less o~vercrowding OF the public schools
han IL the priest had stated positively
that his school would not reopen.
The school question is being thorough
~ discussed III all parts Of HoUoken. Yes
tsrday it vas almost the sole topic of
conversations. There are all sorts of
rumors afloat as TO the causes Which lei
Father Gorrtgan TO close his big school
and his object In closing 1t. A reporter
for TAE JERSEY CITY NEWS is In a posi-
tion TO know just why the school Is
closed aud Father Corrigan's object. The
schoof was closed simply for the lack of
money with which to operate It.. Besides
this. Father C~orrigan probably had an
object in view. He hoped thai by closing
his school SO abruptly he might induce
the Board OF Education TO hire it. This
seems to DO the opinion Of those who are
close to Father Corrigan.
An ANNEX NECESSARY.
Tonight the Board Of Il fueation will
hold q regular meeting. There is little
doubt but that the meeting will be one
OF the most Interesting held by thar body
in some time. 1t is Thought that some
communication will be received from
Father Corrigau. A new annex school
will be opened to accommodate the
children who are fiookiug 10 the public
schools, and seven new teachers will be
appointed.