The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-11
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
STATE VERSUS CHURCH CONTROL
DISCUSSED.
S25,O0o,00o SPENT LAST YEAR.
MGR. CONATY TO CATHOLIC EDU-
GATORS AT CHICAGO.

Rector of University at Washington
Says the Catholic Educational Sys-
tenn Has Great Difficulties Before
lille Discusses the Rapidly Ex-
pnnding System of state Control
and the Increase of Secular Uni
versities-Church Must Save Ats
People From Danger of Non-Re-
ligiOuS Education.
Chicago, April 10.-"Entering upon the
new century, the Catholic educational sys-
TEN in America, must be prepared to
meet with difficulties that will test its
strength to the utmost. The unitication OF
education under state control has estab-
lshed a mighty machine of secuiar!zed in
struction, which threatens to destroy all
private effort either on the part of in
dividuals or the church. 1t is important
to meet unihcation by unification, to so
strengthen the Catholic educational sys-
tenn that it may defend itself against all
attacks and says the religious instruction
of its people from the dangers OF non
religious education"
Intense enthusiasm greeted this siguih-
cant declaration to-day at the opening of
a conference of representatives of Cath
olic colleges throughout the United States.
The speaker was DR.. Thomas J. Conaty,
rector of the Catholic University at Wash
ington, d. c., and president of the Ma
tional Association of Catholic Colleges.
Entering into a general view OF the
ia, Mgr
Conaty, 1T is important to realize the
meaning of the facts which face us
Among these facts must be reckoned the
state school system with its rapidly in
creasing high school and even college de-
velopment. the tendency to do away with
colleges by uniting the high school to the
university, the establishment of educa-
tionai institutions of all sorts endowed
by private munifcence of non-Cathollcs
and attracting Catholic students because
these schools have not the character of
state institutions, the tendency of the
universities to control the state schools.
to dictate the examination of teachers and
to demand the university degree or ap-
proval as a condition of appointment"
Reference was made by the speaker to
| what he construed to be the efforts in this
| direction, as manifested in the schools
of some. of the large cities, and as pre-
scented in the non-catholic character OF
scientific publications, as also that or
many of the aids to public instruction.
spent $25,OO0,OcO Inst Year.
| To offset these conditions DR.. Conaty
| A. 90 CbnrNh Ghpnt last wear
in the United States the sum of $4,000, =
600 on education, chiefly in parochial
schools. and exclusive of what was spent
i'm academic, collegiate and university cd
ucation.
Notwithstanding the serious demands
made upon her for church and charita-
BILE development, she has under her edil-
cstional training over one million pupils.
OF these about ten thousand have re-
ceived collegiate instruction under her
direction.
Mgr. Conaty contended that a most i'm
portant issue in Catholic educational work
is in the development of the Catholic
high schools, which are the necessary
links between the parochial schools and
the Catholic colleges.
yHartlneIIi Expresses sympathy.
A communication was read from the
papal delegate, Archbishop Martinelli ex-
pressing hearty sympathy with the pur-
poses of the conference, especially the
uniGcation and coordination of Catholic
educational work. the communication
said:
1--WE live in times when natural values
are appreciated first. Catholic education,
IL is true, offers first and as most i'm
portant, supernatural value. This, 1t must
and shall always continue to do. But
there Is no reason why it should not Of
fer at the same time a natural value
equal to and SURPRISING that which nom
Catholic education can possibly hope to
offer My earnest prayer is that God may
bless every effort made in this country
to further the interests of truly Catholic
education"
A message was received from Cardinal
Gibbons, saying:
1--WE cannot too much insist on the
great advantages TO be derived from con-
certed action on the part of our educa-
ticnal leaders. Above all unity your sys-
TEN and march with serried ranks in the
great cause of Christian enlightenment"