Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-06-14

Il believe the plan is entirely prac-
teal and a solution of the so-called
Goddess school problem as applied to
the public schools" was the emphatic
yet reflective declara ton of ex-Chief
Justice VIM. Penn Lyon in response to
a question as to what he thought of
the old Jetfersonian theory, revived by
DR.. Richard L. Ely, in favor of the
various religious sects erecting and
maintaining dOrmitorieS or anneXeS
near state universities but entirely in
dependent Of them. This question was
recently discussed in Methodist min
| listers meeting in Milwaukee and
found very general favor among those
present-so much favor in fact that
wide interest has been excited among
other denominations and the Wiscon-
sin public generally. The Milwaukee
MethodistS, however, were only follow
ing the lead Of the Episcopalans of
this state who are said to be very Sc
riously disposed to erect a building
near the university, equip it comfort
| ably, place it under good Episcopal
auspices, and thus provide a home to
which EpiScopalians of the state may
freely send their sons and daughters
while the latter are enjoying the secu-
lar advantages of the university
proper.
Yes" repeated Judge Lyon, Il am
fully convinced that the plan is entire
ly practical. More than that, | should
think it would appeal powerfully to
the wisdom of the church people, Meth
odists, Catholics, Epscopalians and all
others alike; for as rule their de-
nominational colleges are maintained
at the expense of a sore draught upon
those who are already considerably
taxed to support the churches. The
churches ought to be glad of a chance
to shift from their own shoulders up
on the states the cost of the secular
education of their young men and
young women, and this they can at
once do by adopting the scheme sug
gested by DR., Ely. AS | understand
it, this scheme involves as complete
separation of church and state as
now exists and as our advanced con
stitution demands. The churches
would simply erect their Independent
dormtorieS. anneXes, or whatever else
they may be called, somewhere adj
javcnt 20 the university grounds and
make of them homes for the young
people of these churches who come to
the university. The dormitorics or an
neXes would. of course, be in charge
Of preceptors and teachers to regulate
the personal conduct of the students
under their control in such manner
as their respective churches might di
rect. imparting ecclesiastical instruc-
ton. teaching church and Bible his
tory and enforcing correct moral prin-
ciplcS, doing in short all the sectarian
work now performed in the denomi-
national colleges and at the same time
affording the students prohting by it
the advantage of the broad sccularedu-
ca ton offered by the state university
and which is of course Incompatible
In Wisconsin, The state need not
take any cogniZance whatever of these
anneXes. In fact, it can not any more
than it can of the churches of Madi-
son. These latter are now doing in
partial measure what is possible of ac-
complishment in the proposed anneXcs.
They teach religion and morality, with
the Bible as their textbook but they
do not afford the home, for the lack
of which many parents, | am told, do
not send their children to the universe
~; nor do they provide the moderate,
personal restraints under which pa
rents may desire their sons and
daughters to live while attending the
university.
Il cannot see anything but good In
the proposition. Its adoption would
naturally reduce to mere preparatory
schools the UNCONVENTIONAL colleges,
but the great cost of higher secular
educati would be lifted FROM the
churches and more means be thus pro-
vided--more, perhaps than could be
used-for strictly religious purposes,
both in the preparatory schools and
in the university anncxes. The relief
to the churches would be great, and
the criticism, heard to some extent
since the supreme court decided the
Edgerton Bible case, that the public
schools are Goddess would cease.
That decision was inevitable from the
nature of our constitution, and it was
right, is wholesome and is being fol-
lowed by other courts; and yet the OBJ
lection to 1t is plausible. Many pa
rents really want their children to be
under Biblical influence during the
years of their college course, and this
is made possible in a constitutional,
practical and rational manner by the
Ely plan, and in a way, too, alike ben
eficial to student and TO church"
ED1SON'S FAyORITE HAUNT.