The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-02-17
Facts and Figures Disprove the
Accepted Theory.
VALUABLE ARTICLE on THE SUBJECT
In School Attendance Catholics
are in the Lead.

why is it that Catholics are so ig-
norant? The people in Catholic coun-
tries cannot read or write, while the
people in Protestant countries are we'll
educated?
ooh, the reason is simple enough
The church of Rome is the masterpiece
OF human wisdom. She knows how to
keep the people in her fold. Ignorance,
she teaches, is the mother OF devotion.
Therefore, to make her followers de-
vout, she keeps them ignorant. In
Protestant countries, on the other hand,
the people must read the Bible for
themselves and think for themselves.
That is why Catholics are ignorant and
Protcstants educated. Ii you don't be-
licvc that this is so, compare Catholic
and Protestant countries and see the re-
suits. Put Mexico and the United
States side by side and look at the diff
ference between England and Portu-
GAL"
This is a comman argument made
against the Catholic church, that she
keeps the people in ignorance. Let us
see what truth there is in it.
In the beginning it may be we'll to no
tice that those who argue in this fash
ion mean by the word education popu-
lar education or the ability to read and
write. OF course education means more
than this, and many man who is able
to read and write may be very ignorant.
But, putting this aside, let us see how
Catholic and Protestant countries COM
pare in the matter OF popular educa-
ton.
There are many false tables of Stats
tics hawked about which pretend to
give the percentage of illiteracy in vari-
Gus countries. These tables are utterly
unreliable. We will take the record OF
school attendance given in the Diction-
airy OF Statistics by Michael G. Mulllall,
fellow of the Royal Statistical Society.
He is acknowledged to be the chief att
thority OH statistics in the world.
Before looking at this record we must
bear two things in mind First, coun-
tries differ very much in natural wealth,
in race, in opportunity. 1t is not fair
to compare rich country with poor
country, nor a big nation with little
nation. 1t is not fair to compare Eng
land with Portugal, nor the United
States with Mexico. Compare Eng
land with France, compare Belgium
with Holland, and we shall have bet
ter opportunity of reaching the truth.
In the second place, it is we'll to re-
member that i'll many countries the peo-
pie are not all of one religion. Thus,
Germany is not wholly a Protestant
country. North Germany, 2o,37o, 900, is
Protestant. South Germany, with 49,
10000 people, is Catholic In such
countries it will be necessary to sepa-
rate the Catholic and Protestant pro-
vinces and then see how they compare
as regards school attendance.
We will, therefore, divide the coun-
tries into three groups, Protestant
countries, Catholic countries and mixed
countries. From each we will take four
groups of countries. The following ia
Bile gives the statistics. The figures un-
der the head attendance" show the
average attendance of school children
per 1000 population.
Protestant Attendance
Australia ........ ............ lao
Norway, Sweden and Denmark. 14o
United States acknowledgements. 100
Great Britain and Ireland ........ 123
Average -. Observation-Disclosures. 1873
| Catholic. Attendance
france ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 40
Belgium .............. .......... I35
AuStrla .................... 100
Average ....... .......... I35
Mixed Attendance.
Switzerland ..... ................ 2Io
Holland ................. ....... 145
germany ......-. ............... 14O
Canada 800. .................... 100
Average ............... ..... I4o
1t will be seen at once that in COM
parison between countries under Prot
cstant governments and countries un-
der Catholic governments, the Cathol-
les are slightly ahead in the matter Of