The morning call., 1894-03-27
FRANK McdLYNN'S ATTACK.
He Argues That the Book Is
SeCtarian.
DRS. HIRST AND HENRY ANSWER
The Board Listen to the Arguments
and Defer Action Till Wednes-
day Evening.

special meeting of the Board of Education
10 consider whether Myers History should
be retained or rejected from the list OF
| public school books.
The only representative of the CATHOLIC
| church present was Frank McG!ynn, but
there were a number of Protestant clergy
men on hand. The discussion was exceed
| ingy mild in tone, the only episodes in the
way of enlivenment coming from applause
in the gallery, which exhibition was
promptly checked by the chairman, but as
| frequently repeated.
| Both denominations at issue we're heard
| by the board, which sat as committee OF
the whole. ana both insisted on their
points with equal firmness.
When the committee sat President Hyde
moved that the discussion be limited, and
1t was agreed to give each side one hours
time.
President Hyde moved that all those
VIII. desired to be heard in the line OF
heard first. and subsequently those be
invited to speak who favored the retention
of the book in the public schools.
Frank McGlynD, who was the only rep
resentatlve of the Catholic side present,
began his hours address, and did not close
until every Bi0uto VI HIS tlIue OaQ Deen
occupied. He asked that Archbisho hop
Rordan's analysis of the book be taken in
connection with his remarks.
| Referring to the book, be said: "I find
that il contains sectarlan views, and claim
that il is prohibited by law. AS such it is
our duty TO withdraw it from the public
school curriculum.
"The only question is. Is this book sec
tartan, and is it prohibited by the law?
| There is no theological question involved
| in the discusslrn."
The speaker quoted from the coustItu-
| tlon of the United States and that of Cali
! fOrnia, which guaranteed freedom of re-
| ligious thought and prohibited sectarian-
ism IN the public schools. He also Quoted
from the Political Code the section that
prohibits the introduction in the public
schools of all books of a sectional, parti-
san or deDominational character; also a
| section prohibiting the appropriation OF
any public money for the support of any
school which uses books that directly or
| indirectly tend to lead TO religious discus
| sion.
| Mr.. McGiynn took up the history and
| began to point ont those features which he
claimed justified the claim tha, the book
was of sectional character. After quot
| ing from the preface of the history. the
speaker read sections OF The chapter
on "The Reformation" and that
treating of The introduction of the
Catholic religion in Northern Europe.
From the statements contained in these
passages he claimed that the idea brought
eut was that the religion taught by the
Catholic church was not the religion of
G rist. but that the Reformation repro
duced The religion of Christ. Consequently,
be claimed, il was sectarian.
I'VE do not object to the history stating
there were bad priests, bad popes, or that
the Catholic religion has been abused. but
do Ohlpat saving that 10
of the Catholic church are unreasonable.
We do Object to the manner in which the
Catholic doctrine is enuneiated in this
book"
Speaking of the phrase in the history
that the monasteries were a source of i'm
morality" the speaker said he objected to
the statement that the Catholic system
was responsible for any immortality that
may have existed.
''Do you wish to teach the boys and girls
of this city," be asked, that the Sisters
of Charity at st. Mary's Hospital, who
lately fed hundreds of the unemployed, are
leading life tending To degrade? Do You
wish to teach them that the Sisters of
Mercy, who tended TO the wounded on the
battlefield, live in manner that tends 10
degrade? Can you permit such doctrine
as this to be taught in the public schools |?
| Certainly not.
Next, take what this history saws about
i
morality. Outside of the truth If the
| question, do you tn ink this is question
for children to discuss? Would you wish
to have your daughters arguing on such a
! proposition?
"rhe question is not on the correctness
of the statements in this book, but whether
! they tend TO create religious discussion
From the few quotations [ have made, as
| reasonable men you can come to no other
| conclusion but that IL is sectarian and
should be prohibited.
1--WE protest against attributing all the
superstition. bigotry and ignorance OF the
| dark ages to Catholicism. We protest
against the manner in which this history
makes the Catholic religion responsible
| for all The darkness of the middle ages.
I'VE don't want Catholic doctrine taugh t
! in the public schools, and we don't wan
| IL taught as IL is attem mpted to be taught in
Myers History"
| asked that the book be stricken from the
list OF schoolbo0ks because it was ia viola
| tion nOC only of municipal law and State
law. but also of national law.
"There should be no sectarian doctrines
taught in land like ours, where all are
Interested In one grand national destiny,
| and worship at whatever altar we please "
ID. L. Stanley was the first speaker in
favor OF Myers History, but his address
! was not his own. being the views of n
number of citizens in answer to Arch
bishop Riordan. The paper was a strong
plea TO retain the book. the claim being
made that il was historically truthful.
j. Q. A. Henry said that the attempt tn
! remove the history was an assault upon
| the genius of the public school. The opIv
| question was, was the book sectarian !?
| He claimed that book that held up the
virtue and vices Of religion with due re-
| spect to truth was not sectarian He
differed from MIR. McGlynn and held that
| correctness was the main question in
| voived aud that book which held up his
toric truth could not be attacked. He said
| that it was not right to select particular
| pass ges from the book. but that it should
| be taken as a whole.
II challenge any one to point out a
| single passage in this history" said DR..
| Henry, lin the hook of any historian out
side OF the Catholic church, not excepting
Ranke himself. where any statement made
In Myers history can be c0ntroverted."
Rev. Dr. Hlrst of the Simpson Memorial
Church said he appeared not as a Protes-
tani but as a citizen and a man. He paid
a high compliment to the character of he
public schools aud began au ans er to MIR
| McGlynn. He claimed that the central
idea of Mr.. MeGlynn's argument was
that any other TRACKING but that of the
i a. III. II.