Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-10-10


and whether or not these are culpable
more than the parochial schools, and
an effort was made to do SO. One OF
the most popular periodicals address
ed inquiries TO the presidents of 19
of the largest universities in the land,
where the public school pupils go to
finish their course. in order to OBJ
tain light on the question. Two of the
10 seem to have had no data on which
to base an answer. but with the two
exceptions all of them are unanimous
in their opinion. The report sent
back is as follows: Experience jus
tifes the statement that. when mea-
sured by moral and religious stand
ards, the character produced by the
public schools is as high as that pro
duced by the parochial schools"
This is where the question is today
Those who are the best qualified to
know are in favor of the public school
system. Experience has taught that
this is superior TO the parochial meth
cd, and while there is no time to en-
ter into a discussion, one may say
that the chief reason is that a parooh.
ial school limits education to those
with means and relegates the poor to
perpetual ignorance; but while few
would exchange the public schools
for the parochial, none fails to gee
before them different problem. Cir
cumstances bring this more and more
into light, and the patrons are as re-
sponsible for the solution as the
schools themselves.
| saw a squib in a newspaper a day
or so ago to the point That was
this: The trustees had thought proper
to transfer a principal from one
to another of the schools in Chicago.
The consequence was that 200 chill
dren went ON strike. People were
foolish enough to ask them to arbi-
trate. but their plea was in vain.
These boys and girls of tender age
refused to return until their beloved
principal came back. and the school
was thrown into confusion. and the
work brought to standstiu for a
time.
Nor was there any need for me to
go for an illustration as far away as
Chicago. My own child came home
few days ago with similar senti-
ments on his lips. His words in par.
aphrase were as follows: We were
told to do so and so:we did not do so
and so; we let the teacher know that
If she would do so and so, we would
do so and So" and the thought that
first struck me was this: To what are
we coming? The idea that my child
should be bold enough to dictate
terms to his teacher came to me as
the most inconceivable thing in the
world. If he had made such "A spar al
me he would have had to take off his
coat and let me pour hickory oil into
The valves of his moral nature until
The wheels in his head would have
run smoothly; and If his teacher
would adopt my plan, she would do
To please me. and-what is more to the
point-improve the morals of the
community
| myself believe one of the reasons
Tor this condition to be in the atti-
tude of the people toward the Bible.
Ihat which is known as the higher
criticism has gotten false spirit in
10 the air, and though the higher crit
les them selves would repudiate the
charge, the impression made by them
is leading the public mind to impugn
the authority of the Scriptures. Old
Testament literature is thought of as
obsolete: the ten commandments are
given second place: the gospel has
To be sifted of all its stern truths to he
made acceptable, and the principle of
love taken as the principle of life:
so there is no moral lever with which
the schools can lift their burden. The
no-as'you-please idea is becoming the
fegnant law of men. | may illustrate
the truth as follows: Once upon a
Time minister went into the shop of
shoemaker to visit him. During the
conversation he invited him to attend
church. His response was this: 81
go to church! Not much: | am not
going to church and hear the ten
commandments, and say. Lord have
mercy on me. and incline my heart
To this law The ten commandments
are documents of the past. God never
spoke them Thereupon the preach
er replied: 81 am pleased If that is so
am much in need of some new shoes
These are my size" and so saying. he
took a pair from the bench and start
ed down the street. But the cobbler
at once saw his folly His second
thought made him better man. and
calling to the pastor, he assured him
that he would be at church next
Sunday.
This. too. is a common halIucina.
lion. One of the triumphs of the dew
II is his power to persuade people to
qestion. Parents seldom talk about
religion to their children. and some of
them feel justified in abstaining from
inculcating its truths in them. since
there is much doubt current in regard
to scriptures; others send their child
rem to some sabbath-school. or those
who will go, with lingering regard
for the same old paths, where, under
an ametuer teacher. and for fret
ful half-hour sufficient instruction is
supposed 10 be given them to enable
them to walk in the way of holiness
and riybf tho rAgt rs tho;,