Saint Mary's beacon., 1905-06-01
Says Teaching Is Wrong.

my resolution" said DIR. Smith to a
correspondent Of The Sun today.
was because l had noticed, as |
said in my speech to the con vention.
that as long as the Roman Catholic
Church was contented, by it's clergy
and others, TO make statements from
its own pulpits and amongst its own
people as to the origin Of Maryland.
the religious beliefs of its founders
and the motives which influenced
those founders in coming to Mary
land, we had perhaps no special rea
son 70 set them right in their his
tory. They were mistaken-very
much mistaken-in their ideas: but
after all, their enlightenment was
not our special business. But there
has of late been inaugurated among
US campaign of education, where
by our children are to be inoculated
in the public schools with this same
erroneous teaching.
This year, for example, our child
rem were subjected through all of
the Maryland schools on Founders
Day, not only to having erroneous
views proclaimed in their hearing.
but they were actually enlisted as
active propagators of the heres.
Witness the precious specimen of
the program OF exercises for Found
ers Day given by Mr.. NJ. Bates
Stephens, the State Superintendent
OF Education in Maryland:
"The Purpose of Maryland Day and the
Meaning OF Religious TpleratiOn"-By the
"Kellgious federation in Maryland--By
seventh grade pupil.
The Act Concerning Rellgion"-By q sixth
grade pupil.
Nov, inasmuch as IL is not TO be
supposed that teachers and children
draw on their imagination for these
facts, IL is TO be presumed that they
get their Information from some
source, and, forsooth, what source
other than the booksof history which
we find in the public schools?
History Said to be Incorrect.
But these books are full of state
ments, copied undoubtedly from
sources entirely untrustworthy and with
out any reference whatever to the orr
ginal sources Of information, putforth in
the interests of the Roman Catholic
Church. assert, for example, without
fear OF effectual contradiction, that the
statements In paragraph 26 on page 35
OF "McMaster's School History OF the
Uni'ed States are utterly misleading and
absolutely false. They are sectarian To
the last degree, and the State that per-
mits its use il aiding the Roman Church
in it's work. To that extent Romanism
is State paid religion In MARYLAND and
the District OF Columbia, since it's teach
ing is provided for out Of the public
funds. The convention OF a diocese il
the proper place Tor matters of this kind
TO be discussed, and there seems to have
been a general, and indeed enthusiastic.
approval OF the position taken by my
self in this matter"
The Diocese OF Washington takes in ad
joining counties in Maryland, including
st. Mary's, Charles and Prince George
counties, and the delegates present from
those counties have taken a great deal
OF interest In the movement inaugurated
by Rev. DIR. Smith. Among the delegates
present at the convention from Mary
land were Rev. Millard +. Minnick. rec.
tor OF st. Mary's, where the Calverts
landed, and Rev w. r. Barker Turner.
rector Of William and Mary parish. across
the river from st. Mary's, also the place
OF the original settlers and known then
"a nfu