New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-19
SCHOOL RELIGION DEBATE.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
Former Would Eren Oppose Read
ing of Bible in Schools.


Before an audience of nearly eighteen hundred
people. who assembled IN the New-Rochelle
Theatre yesterday afternoon TO hear a joint de-
hate under the auspices of the Peoples Forum
on the question. should Religious Instruction
Be Given in Public Schools?" Congressman
II. Bourke Cochran attacked the system OF pub
lie instruction in the state, and said that IL was
not Christian but agnostic. He declared that
the public schools rapidly becoming the
poor schools. and thar every day the withdrawal
OF the rich was increasing. He declared. In part
the child OF the poor dossnt go TO h Sch9f
he is pursued by the truant ofneer ana pr s7cb
back 20 his classroom. But the child or Inc III
a9 % ns'fG Fe to bGGing with the word school
PAINTED on the doorpate so far as the SSaIe are
10 inherit the great property interests OF ms
try are being educated outside of the domain 90, %
state supervision and in none OF our great cibfS
do The children Of the rich attend the pupIaS &c
eGeo %ho atends and have made point ind
,out how rich people educate their children
Mr. Cochran said that the public schools are
not Christian. because they ignore religious
.teechings.
The sgnostic Mr.. Cochran asserted. dld not
DENY GOD but ignored Him He said that ne
ssfd not favor the teaching Of religion in the
.nublio schools but ne thought that the State
should exact the right TO inspect all schools
toarochal as well as public, and yield 10 the
financial support Of all Institutions whether
Catholic or Jewish or belonging TO any other
rect If II was shown that the work done by
Them was up TO the standard established by the
State Regents.
On the stage were President Finley of the city
college. who presided, and President Schurman
sof Cornell University. who took the negative side
cf the question. Many other prominent edu-
Gators were in the audience. Several priests OF
the Roman Catholic Church were present.
Mr.. Cochran went on TO say:
IN a Democracy like ours we cannot put down cyl!
59Tse 95 me o o governm T must rest
on public morality, and education is not alone sum
Is how 10 resist the ingenuity Others But such
Individual 70 violate the laws Of the STATE Relglon
based. Religious reaching in the schools would be
an excellent tntng PI3Sl { ex, GGlr1 seCis
/ DO not believe that the state should undertake
Equipment or the teach cheers, and then tc~St would
have 10 select creed. That would mean the es-
tablishment of state religion. l would be the
Arst TO oppose such step. ...,-.-. ,,,,,,.o
OF which they obtain no share and fer which they
say that the etate cannot give religious t in.
eSsoluteIy essential to the safety and welfare OF
lie state that our children should have moral ana
Sase no poWsr TO give religious irsTuc'on but what
we are opposed TO Is me assLlI "a ma mi
Rete institution that supplies such irslrucImoh
n
In replying 10 Mr.. Cochran. DR.. schurman
said that he did not believe that the public
schools were anti-Christian. or that they had
come To be 2 reservation for only 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 nor have them in private or denomlna-
ttoual school he declared. for the reason that he
wanted them to get the thoroughly democratic
training which only the American public school
could give. DR.. Schurnan continued:
egree with Mr. Cochran that piety, and virtue
are The highest things in this world Great Us Is
e lcatiOn greater stlll are reverence ana
92enaa 70 .b manner amer IN Rhh INSTRUCTION. is given
and 70 agents by which that instruction is I'M
Ehie IN this country the majority OF the people
are CHRISTIANS our government IS not necessarily
Christian one for willie most OF US believe Chris
xialiry the State has nothing 10 do with religion
The state IS not charged with minsterlng 10 these
tterests or interfering with individual PTeIerenees
tie greatest Of these are the cISA ana me alg
w look 20 the parents 10 make religion ana morals
years ago. For one ! would go so fan as 70 oppose
even the reading Of the Bi2le in the schools. am
opposed 10 for the benefit OF religion as well as
sor the good OF the schools, ,.,-
I believe that the influence Of our public schools
makes toward moral character.
President schurnan then took up Mr.. Cock
rams ideas OF substituting parochial and de-
noninationaI schools. and SAID that II was at
present being tried in ENGLAND under the Bal
four act, but the result was so unsatisfactory
that the new Liberal government which was
1ikely 70 come into power i'm short time was
pledged 10 repeal il. The existence of such d
large number of UNCONVENTIONAL schools in this
country supported By persons who also were
paying taxes for the support Of the public
schools, was a remarkable thing, and many felt
4llat they were being unfairly dealt with. But"
said the speaker, Il call attention to the fact
that the state provides free schools for all and
that all children Of all denominations are vel
come 10 attend them" He added:
But some people say that do not want public
schools They say that when their children learn
arithmetic they also want them TO learn the
catech!sm. Then why do you not teach them at
home? You say that you have no time. They why
DO YOU teach them in your churches? That
q system such Mr.. Cochran advocates VIII IloI
work II the recognized the existing parochia
schools. il would have to so further and recognize
& II others that might spring The result Woulc
be multiplicity and dissensiOn, While the educalloi
OF the children would suffer Leave US with oul
nresent schools relieve Of this awful spectre
Which religious zeal and bigotry threaten TO brine
on US I appeal only for this generation but
for generations TO come
Both speakers were applauded frequently
but President Finley said that he had decided
not TO give his opinion TO who had the better
of the argument.