The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-03-27
Catholic School on Work Exhibit
ton,


determined not to be outdone by the
public schools in the matter of Chi
cago Fair exhibits. If the work dis
played at st. Mary's Institute affords
any criterion of the general standard,
the showing will be most creditable.
The Christian Brothers have a world
wide fame as teachers, and certainly
they appear to fairly deserve it if n
is to Judge by the results here placed
before the public.
In this form of competition with
the public schools, every one a and
should, cordially sympathize. The
Catholic schools are a perfectly legiti-
mate form of private enterprise. If
the members of that faith think it
right to maintain such institutions at
their own expense, it is not only
proper, but even Trustworthy for
them to do SO. Indeed, in this city,
t is hard to see what would become
of the children whom the public
schools cannot accommodate if the
parocliai schools did not take them
in by thousands.
Like all other careful observers Of
the elements which make up Ameri-
can nationality. and which consti-
tute the basis of American freedom
and equality, W are most heartily OPP
posed to any division Of the public
school money, to any sectarian-
izing OF the public schools or
any part of them. We should
be sorry to see the Catholic
schools, or schools Of any other sect,
become so numerous or capacious as
to draw all the children OF such sect
away from the common" schools.
We believe that the in~termingling of
creeds, races and social grades in the
s'common" schools is, and always will
be, the very best safeguard of the Con-
stitution and the principles of the
Fathers of the country.
Still it is equally a gross wron e
when any attack is made on the right
of private education. 1t is an assault
on personal liberty and personal
rights, which is just as dangerous in
its way as would be the sectarianizing
of the public schools. The Roman
Catholic Church is entitled to keep
up a standard Of Catholic education
at it's own expense, through schools
and colleges, just as much as the
Presbyterian Church is, through
Princeton College, and many subsid-
iary seminaries and schools, or the
Dutch Reformed through Rutgers
College and its preparatory institu-
lions. 1t is merely an incident of the
case that the Catholic system enters
into more direct competition with the
public schools than the other
churches, because, to a large extent, its
flock is embraced in the poorer and
humber classes of the community.
We apprehend no real danger from
Catholic schools to the public school
as a National institution. The recent
effort of Father Corrigan and a couple
of other jealous, but ill-advised gentle
men, we think, affords the best proof
of the impossibility of success for any
such thing as they proposed. 1t seems
to us that very considerable conse rva-
tive Catholic resistance to the scheme
was developed. Much more remained
latent, because, in truth, the danger
was not great enough to arouse 1t.
The organic law fully bars, at least SO
far as this State is concerned, all such
efforts, and every man OF common
sense can gauge the impossibility OF
changing the Constitution so as to
admit of any change. Catholics, as a
body, would oppose such a propo-
sition.
At any rate, it is pleasant to know
from such practical pro of as the st.
Mary's Institute display affords, that
the standard of instruction in the
Catholic schools compares favorably
with that of the public ones, and that
the practical work is efficient and
thorough. There is no way in which
these institutions can come so near
winning general favor. and thus doing
honor and credit to their church, as
by showing that they are abreast with
the times in spirit and methods, n
hat the preparation which they give
their young people for the battle OF
this life, is as thorough and consci-
antious as that which they afford for
their welfare in the world to come.
MANY of our re aders may not
think that the cut OF Mr..
Tangsman published on Saturday
lin THE JERSEY City NEWS.
| was not a good counterfeit present.
ment Of that gentleman. but we
hasten to assure them that 4
was intended for Mr.. Tangeman; but