The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-01-31
IRISH HISTORY.
Taught In Parochial Schools
Y0nkers, N. Y.

VINO look part i'll the entertainment OF
the United Irish Societies, for placing
Irish history in the parochial schools
of that city. This is the first popular
demonstration held in this country,
and 1t proved to he glowing success.
The Philo-Ce Society of Yonkers
has been a potent factor in bringing
this important subject before the peo-
pie and urging them to promote it's
study. Two years ago this society
placed in the library of Yonkers sew
eral volumes OH Irish history, in order
that the youths of the town could
have free access to books relating to
the glorious history of their ancestors.
1t has also sought and obtained the CO.
operation of the Gaelic Society of New
York, and through this medium it has
been enabled to deliver series of free
lectures on Irish historical subjects,
and these lectures in turn had a ben
Efficient effect in paving the road for
the Introduction of the study of Irish
history.
The aid and co operation of the Mont
gornery Club, the A. o. HI. and it's
auxiliaries of Yonkers, was also OBJ
tanned, and they worked energetically
and indefatigably for the success of
this great propaganda. Major Il. ~
McCrystal was the first man in Amer
lea to start this movement, and he
worked very hard and faithfully to
have all of the A. o. III. divisions in the
United States to indorse it, and his no.
BILE efforts are today wreathed with
the laurels of victory.
Rev. Il. Brady, of st. Joseplls
Church, very warm advocate of this
movement, was invited to deliver the
Introductory address. He said in part:
'"The object of this large assemblage
is to promote the study of Irish his
tory. 1t Is our desire that the youth
of Yonkcrs, especially those of Irish
parentagc, shall become good and
patriotic citizens, ana to that end we
should have them read and study the
history of their ancestors in the old
country, so that they may emulate
their virtues. We must not allow the
minds and ideas of our children to be
nodded to false models, and we must
not allow them to form :: conception
of their f0rcfathers from the vile and
apish caricntureS which are presented
to them in newspapers or from the
stage Irsl,man in the music halls
We must admit that many Irish. Amer
leans evincc Il tendency to fall from
the high ideals Of morality that always
has been and always, we hope, shall
be, the distinguishing characteristics
of the Irish people. We look around
to find the cause of this dcgrncr;lting
tendency, and we must attributes il to
ignorance of the ideals of their am
cestry. Ireland has done much to-
ward civlizing Europe; it is the land
that produced st. Colunbkilr, who
sent his teachers and missionaries to-
establish and erect the schools at Iona,
from where the light of learning
spread through Scotland. England, and
the lOwlands of Europe and penetrated
the darkness of ignorance We want
our youth to know that if ignorance is
Ircand's misfortune, that ii only adds
to Englaml's shame. We have before
us the fact that English tyranny I'M
der the name of Governments went
so far in the preparation of crime in
Ireland as to demolish or steal their
churches and close the schools, and of
fer the same reward for n teacher or
priest, as for the head of Il wolf, and
by these means to root out the seeds
of intellect and virtue and supplnnt
them with ignorance and vice, in order
to make the people subservient to
them, and to blot out the prestige
which Ireland held among nations"
After the conclusion of his address
Father Brady introduced the Hon. Nj.
j. Walsh, Mayor of Yonkers, as chair
man. His remarks were received
with enthusiasm.
Major Il. II. McCrystal was then ill.,
troduced, and he delivered a powerful
address, and the roof of Teutonia Hall
resounded with the plaudits of the as
semblage. He said in part:
'The movement which now assumes
tangible form in Yonkcrs is the first re-
suit of our agitation conducted for the
past fifteen years with varying pros
poets Of success. Why do we Amer
lean citizens of the first blood ask for
the introduction of Irish history into
our parochial schools? We who have
devoted our attention to the analysis
of the forces which have operated in
shaping the destines Of our country
insist that the full need of credit shall
be given to the forces which most
largely contributed to bring about the
present conditions. There is at pres
ent In the composite population of ours
about 81 per cent. of first blood. So
early as 1868 large volume of first
blood was introduced into the colonies.
. Between 1868 and 1862, $4,000 Irish
peasants We're gathered up in Ireland
by English ''press gangs" and trans
ported and sold by the English white