The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-02-03

half tho nulmlb 6 Sc Ostholic child r ts h
private schools. It 81 d greet I
drum to me what those poor dsludsd
people, who claim to believe that the.
Catholic Church is plotting the destruc-s
ton OF the public school, imagine this \
Church would do with the ruins when
the public school tumbled to the ground
Differences Of opinion exist among
Catholics as we'll as among her classes
of our people upon educational systems
and the rights Of parents, the claims Of
religion and the powers Of the state. No
individual Catholic, no matter how ex-
allied his position, or how eminent his
learning, is authorized to speak for the
Catholic Church, which is a living organ
ism amply able to speak for itself and
responsible for it's utterances. No off,
cial pronouncement has ever been made
by the Catholic Church against the
American common school. As far as my
knowledge goes, the vast majority of
American Catholics are unalterably OPP
posed to division of our common school
funds am >ng UNCONVENTIONAL schools.
Such varied and extensive discussion Of
this vexatious problem has recently dis
tracted the public mind that hope
may be pardoned for making these state
ments here. Our public school system
is by no means perfect. It's shortcom-
lngs certainly are legitimatetopics of dis
cussion among it's friends and support
ers. Every system, no matter how wisely
devised, must largely depend for it's efa-
Gent operation upon those to whose care
it is entrusted. The responsibility of de-
velopipg our common school sy stem in
accordance with the enlightened princi-
pies upon which it is framed, rests to
great extent upon your profession. The
teacher IN the public school must not
fell into the mistake of imagining that
in all things he mnst yield to the wishes
of the majority who are interested III the
school. The majority in this country has
no power to ignore the rights of the min
ority. While the teacher should repeot
the wishes of the patrons of his school
he acts unjustly and is disloyal to the
liberal provisions of our impartial sys-
tenn, if to please an unjust majority, he
disregards the sacred rights of religious
equality to which the weakest member
of society is entitled by our laws.
Your sublime work, ladies and gentle
men, is to impart all possible useful Gull
ture, by word and attractive example, to
the undeveloped minds entrusted to your
guidance. Permit mo to congratulate
you on the advantages you enjoy and
the opportunities ever present of doing
Gods best and grandest work in labor
ing for humanity's welfare. You are not
modelling in lifeless clay that must re-
spond to the touch of intelligence. You
have questioning minds to answer, way
ward Wills to train, and evil tendencies
to turn to noble aims. May l be per-
mitted the friendly privilege of exhort-
ing you to steadfast]y direct your every
effort in fitting yourselves we'll FOR your
responsible task, and in being content
only with the very best you can always
offer to those who wait upon your words.
Be upright, be honorable, be just, be
generous in protecting the rights of 9TH
ers if you will feel safely protected in the
Enjoyment Of your own. Aim to be hon
est and true rather than expedient, In
culcate principle rather than policy. Vir
tue is more precious than learning, and
it ) influence will live when the power Of
knowledge has faded away.