The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-12-31

-Ah, MA l. SAeA11AL, DESL4hDLh D
supervision. and in none of our great
cities do the children of the rich at
itend the public schools. In all my ac--
Quaintance. do not know of one who
attends and have made it a point to
find cut how rich people educate their
,children."
In replying to Mr.. Cochran, DIR.
Schurman said he did not believe that
the public schools were anti Christian.
or that they had come to be rescrva-
ticn for only a part of the community.
For his own part he said. he had four
children who had attended the public
schools, and he had more children to
go. He would not have them in pri-
waite or denominational school, he de-
clared, for the reason that he wanted
them to get the thoroughly democratic
training which only the American pub
lie school could give. DR.. Schurman
continued:
II agree with Mr.. Cochran that piety
and virtue are the highest things in
this world. Great is education, but
greater still are reverence and moral
itN. If l differ with him, it is solely
in reference to the manner in which
instruction is given and to the agents
by which that instruction is impaired.
Our state is purely secular institu-
ton. While in this country the ma
jority of the people are Christians
our government is not necessarily Il
Christian one. for, While most of us
believe in Christianity. the state has
nothing to do with religion.
1.-The state is not charged With min
istering to these interests or interfer-
ing with individual preferences. We
have other agencies that teach reli-
gicn, and the greatest of these are
the church and the home. We look
to the parents to make religion and
morals a vital force as much as they
We're a thousand years ago. For one
l would go so far as to oppose even
the reading of the Bible in the schools
1 am opposed to it for the benefit of
religion as we'll as for the good of the
schools.
II believe that the influence of our
public schools makes toward moral
character"
President Schurman then took up
Mr.. Cockran's ideas of substituting
purOcllial and denominatonal schools.
and said that it was at present being
tried in England under the Balfour
act, but the result was so unsatisfac-
tory that the new Liberal government
which was likely to come into power
in Il short time was pledged to repeal
it. The existence of such Il large
number Of denOminational schools in
this country, supported by persons who
also We're paying taxes for the sup
port Of the public schools, was re-
markable thing, and many felt that
they were being unfairly dealt with.
But" said the speaker, II call at
tention to the fact that the state pro-
vides free schools for all, and that all
denominations are welcome to attend
them" He added:
but some people say that we do not
want public schools. They say that
when their children learn arithmetic
they also want them to learn the cate
chism. Then why do you not teach
them at home? You say that you have
no time. Then why do you not teach
them in your churches? That is what
the church is for. Experience shows
that Il system such as Mr.. Cochran adj
vocates will not work. If the state
recognizes the existing parochial
schools, it would have to go further
and recognize all others that might
spring up. The result would be multi
plicity and dissension, while the educa-
ton Of our children would suffer.
Leave us with our present schools, and
relieve us of this awful spectre which
religious zeal and bigotry threaten to
bring on us. l appeal not only for
this generation. but for generations to
come"