Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1905-07-07
Our Public Schools.
J, J. w. STARR

S""o'o PiohiSo ny say Ing tlNV aii
not friendly to church schools Cor the
primary education of children. Less
han three years / visited one and
heard the advanced class taught that,
Cuba belongs to the United States"
md that, "The Governor and the fresi
lent make the laws"
If we compare our country with
Turkey and Persia it is Christian; with
Spain and Austria it Protestant. But
its government is purely secular.
Church and state are. Mt least in theory,
entirely separate Religious teachings
and acts of worship are free to all, and
every citizen may worship as he
p'eases without restraint except what
may be necessary for the maintenance
of public morality.
Our public school system is one of
the institutions of this secular govern
ment, established to prepare orr
children for American citizenship. 1t
is supported b v tax on all the people
without regard to religious belief or
unbelief, and on the same condition all
have equal rights in the public schools.
They are purely secular and their sup
port is compulsory. Under the organic
law we have no right to compel people
to maintain religious worship or instruc-
tons in any form. But Intelligence
and morality are necessary for good
citizenship, and to furnish these qualifi-
cations our school system was establish
ed. Therefore all religious training
and acts of worship, including Bible
reading as part of the same, have no
right nor place in orr public schools.
Our Roman Catholic citizens object
to our schools on the idea that we make
them Protestant by the introduction
of religious services, and from their
standpoint their objection is valid.
They donot want their children taught
Professionalism at their expense, and we
Professionals as vigorously object to the
teaching of Romanism at our expense.
The Catholic has precisely the same
rights in the public schools that We
have, and the fact that we Protestant,
are in the majority, does not give us til,
right to, by sheer force of numbers
force our religion into the schools tn,
Catholics must help support. We
ulust be as just to them as to ourselves
As our country is governed by all tn,
people, and the perpetuity of our insti
tutions depends on their intelligenc,
and morality, we must maintain TIN
right of compulsory education in tn
public schools, to be exercised wheneve
we deem it Necessary. But when W,
make these schools Protestant in tn
sectarian sense, or religious in an,
sense, we deliberately surrender tina
right to those who are enemies of tn
system. All will admit that publ,
schools flourish in Protestant but not i
Romish countries. That does not alte
the case, form this land of absolute re-
ligious freedom the R0manist has e1
actly the same rights as the Protestant
and when we make the schools religion
we accord Catholics the right to witt
draw their children, establish schools {
their own, and demand public supper
for them. Morality does not have it
foundation in religion, bnt true religio
must have u moral foundation.
There will be great contest in thi
country ere long. Our public schoC
system has bitter and determine
ecclesiastical enemies who are aiming g
its overthrow, and to defend it success
fully we must face its foes from
genuinely American platform. TO d
this we must eliminate the religiO,
question from the schools and MAX
them what the genius Of our free inst
tutions demands, leaving the teachil
and practice of religion to the home, II
church, the Sunday school, the churC
school, and other church institutions
/ urge every reader to give this matte
serious thought and prepare to join
a. the rally for the defense Of our publ
IS schools.
l. This is the last in the regular series
ia letters. sincerely thank the edit
t. for their publication and the readil
s. public for their gracious reception.
g they accomplish any of the good inten
ID ed / shall be highly gratifed. | nc
y offer my services as teacher to any COZ
~ muuity having good schoolh"us
wanting thoroughly progressi