The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-04-11
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
ARE THREATENED
Fear Unification of Education
Undef State Control.
REMEDY IS SUGGESTED
REPRESENTATIVES, OF CHURCH
COLLEGES MEET IN CHICAGO.

Chicago April 1O.-''Entering upon
the new century. the Catholic educa-
tional system in America must be pre-
pared TO meet with difficulties that will
test its strength 20 taa utmost. The
unification of education under state
control has established a mighty ma
chine of secularized instruction, which
threatens t. destroy all private effort,
either on the part of the individuals or
the church. II is important to meet
funftication by unffcation, to- so
+ strengthen the Catholic educational
system that it may defend itself against
an attacks and save the religious in
StructiOn of its people from the dangers
OF non religious education"
intense enthusiasm greeted this sig
Illcant declaration at the opening of
a conference of representatives Of Cath
0ic colleges throughout the United
states. The speaker was the highest
oihciai in the Catholic educational sys-
tenn in this country, DR.. Thomas J. CO.
naty, rector of the Catholic university
at Washington. d. G.. and president of
the National Association of Catholic
Colleges
Entering into a general view of The
situation which presen,.. itself" said
MOnsigneur C9naty. lit is important to
realize the meaning of the facts which
face US. Among these facts must be
reckoned the state school system. with
It's rapidly increasing hi-h school and
even college development the tendency
TO do away with college by uniting the
nigh school to the university the estab-
hshment Of educational institutions of
ali sorts, endowed by private munif-
cence of non-CathOiics and attracting
catholic students because these schools
have not the character Of state instftu-
tons; the tendency of the universities
TO control the state schools to die
tate the examinations of teachers. and
90 demand the university degree or ap-
prevail as condition of appointment"
To OFFSET Conditions.
Reference was made by the speaker
10 what he construed 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
the scientific publications, and also of
many of the aids to public inst.uc-
ton
To Offset these conditions. said Mr..
COnaty. the Catholic church spent last
year in the United States the sum OF
S25,OOOOO0 on education, chiefly in pa
rOchial schools, exclusive of what was
spent in academic, collegiate and uni
Versity education.
notwithstanding the serious demands
made upon her for church and charit-
a bic developments. she has under her
educational training over 100000 pu-
pills o. these about 10000 have re-
direction.
Mgr. Conaty contended that a most
important issue in Catholic educational
work is in the development of the Cath
Ollie high schools and the Catholic col
leges. The tendency to add college work
to the high school course, and thus
make an easy step to the university or
to business life, presents a serious
problem TO the college and demands
consideration. IF the high school move
ment be overlooked or neglected, the
parochial school system IS in danger OF
becoming a feeder for the public school,
and thus leading its graduates to the
non-CathOlic college or university.
Urged to be Loyal.
Mgr. Conaty closed with a strong ap-
peal to the colleges to be loyal to one
another and to the university. They
she 1ld strengthen themselves within
the line of what is recognized as college
work. The terms need to be carefully
defined. and until they are there can
be no perfect system. The declaration
of entrance condition and the fixing of
requirements for the a. b. degree would
limit college work and avoid the con-
fusion which results from the over
lapsing either in preparatory or uni
Vcrsity work.
Uni6cation should lead to system;
shou clearly define the part which
each should do in the general scheme;
thus parOchiaI school, preparatory, nigh
school. college or university would work
in harmony, the result would be better
and "A more complete formation would
be had according to the ideals of the
educational sy stem Of the church
The Rev. James A Burns, president
of Holy Cross college, Washington, ID.
g. followed with an address on the
Catholic High School Movement a
communication was read from the
papal delegate, Archbishop Martinelli,
expressing hearty sympathy with the
purposes. especially for the unification
and ordination of Catholic school work.
\ message was received from CaTdi-
nal Gibbons. saying: we cannot too
much insist ON the great advantages 70
be derived from concerted action on the
part of our educational leaders. Above
al. unity yoUr system and march with
serried ranks in the great cause of
Christian enlightenment"