The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-02-14
INrERMoUNTAN COLORADO

ing with fearful rapidity and apparent
ly resistless force, so much so that
that a nation without faith cannot al
ways last. Statistics clearly demon
strate that the percentage of church,
goers is decreasing, whilst the number
of those who are Indifferent or down.
right infdels and agnostics is increas-
ing. For this deplorable effect in our
national existence there must be some
cause. The evangelicals of Chicago
and elsewhere begin to realize that
the primary cause is in the defect of
our common school system. which is
purely secular. They find that one
hour on Sunday is not sufficient to i'm
bue the child with religious feeling and
sentiment, and that before children
have reached their majority all re-
ligious restraint is irksome, and that
the club room and society hall have
kmore attractions for them than the
| temple of God. They are now deplor-
ing the departure of the last remnants
of their congregations from the old
landmarks of faith possessed by their
ancestors, and, being unable to arrest
the downward tendency by their church
| influence, they will ask the government
to cooperate so that the rising gen.
Grafton may come back to the truths
their parents have abandoned.
The common school system, which
was first introduced in Massachusetts,
was founded by religious people for
religious end. In it's origin it con-
sisted of system of parochial schools,
in which secular education and re-
ligious training were combined They
were maintained by tax on the popu-
lation and property, levied according
to the assessment roll. The amount
needed to sustain the schools was de-
cided by the parish at the annual meet
lector, and embursed by the school
committee, chosen by the parish at
its annual meeting. New Hampshire
and Connecticut adopted the system
which Massachusetts originated. A diff
ferent system prevailed in Vermont.
Here the towns were divided into
school districts, leaving each school
district free to decide for itself the
amount of money to be raised; also
the mode of raising it. It was optional
with the people to raise it by tax lev
led on the property or by per capita
tax on the scholars attending school,
the latter system was more generally
used in that state. The free system
that now prevails, was not embodied
in any or the original systems of the
New England states. AS the country
developed and the population increased
through the sale of public lands and
from lands reserved in each township
for educational purposes, sufficient
money was accumulated to enable the
people to introduce the free school
system which we now have.
In the schools which originated in
Massachusetts, the Bible was read and
the cathechism formed a part of the
curriculum as much as any secular
branch. The pupils who had complet-
ed their studies entered the world as
God-fearing and loving young men
~N--N
their superiority from a religious and
moral point of view to those of the
present generation. These facts,
taught by experience, are now press
ing hard on Protestant clergymen, who
we'll know that all education which is
entirely divorced from religion is anti
religious.
In the past they were willing to COM
bine their strength with the common
foe, infidelity, against the attitude of
the Catholic church in striving to unite
the religious training and secular edu-
cation. Her past history clearly dem
onstrates that she places the highest
value on education. Her zeal in this
matter comprises all her children, rich
made many great sacrifices. But re-
ligion being the supreme law, she al
ways embodies it in her system of edu-
cation. AS old prejudices die out, and
the different Protestant denominations
realize their inability to stem the tide
Of infdelity and indifferentism that uni |
prevails, they would now glad
Iy retrace their steps and devise means
that would bring back the religious |
of their forefathers. They are
now pretty well convinced that in their /
war against the attitude of the Cath
olic church they have been supporting
an infidel or atheistic system, which |
is included in the secular education
alone Separate the temporal from the
eternal, God from the universe, and
all your sciences, be they literature or
politics or political economy or
chronology or history are nil.
What the outcome of the present agi-
alton may lead to it is difficult to say,
out certain 1t is that wise statesmen
who realize the necessity Of religion
Is the very foundation of the state
will lend their aid TO the present move
nent in behalf of religious training in
our schools.
New Light On Manila Schools.