The Irish standard., 1906-04-07

sciences: q Catholic education in the
fullest sense of the word" 1t will sur
prise, no doubt, many American Cath
olics to know that at the present time
English Catholic schools receive sup
port out OF funds raised by public
tax. Here in this country Catholics
are bound to provide their own school
buildings. their own teachers for their
schools, while at the same time they
pay their proportionate share of taxes
for the support of public schools to
which they refuse to send their child
rem. But it must be borne in mind in
this connection that in England there
is. properly speaking, no such thing
as a public sch Dol system. The schools
are largely private institutions in
England, and it is only recently that
an attempt has been made to establish
what corresponds to our public school
system. The private schools through
out England are, of course, largely
Church of England schools.
The on-Corformists, people who be-
long to Protestant sects outside of the
Church Of England, and those who be-
long to no church, oppose the giving
Of aid to these private schools whether
they are Church of England schools
or Catholic schools. The Catholics
| are perfectly willing that aid should
be given to the Church of England
schools provided only that the Cath
Ollie schools receive the same proper
tionate share. They are also willing
that other schools established by other
sects should receive the same sort of
| treatment. The school system in Eng
! land is tased upon the proposition that
the parents have Il right to dictate
how the children shall be educated.
The parents there are the guardians
of the early training of their children.
The American school system is organ
| lied upon the principle that the state
| is the proper guardian. We are
| obliged to admit that some things
| they do better in England, and educa-
l ton is enc of those things. 1t ought
| not to require any very deep thought
| Or extended argument to convince one
that the parents are the natural guard
ians of their children and that those
natural guardians should have the
right to determine the character of the
| education which their children should
receive. The supporters Of the Amer
| lean system will say that the parents
in this country have that right. 1t is
true that Catholics have a right to send
their children to Catholic schools in
1 the United States, but in order to do
SO they must tax themselves twice.
They must provide for their own
schools and also support the state
schools. The unfairness of that sys-
tenn is apparent Supporters of the
public school system say that it is
not the fault OF the public schools but
the fault Of the parents who refuse
to send their children, and the argu-
mcnt reverts 10 the old question who
has a right to determine how the chill
dren shall be educatcd: the parent or
| the state.
| Ir a city like New York where the
Catholic school population comprises
such large proportion OF the whole
number of. school-go children, the
| Catholic schools furnish school build
| ings and teachers for a vast army of
school children who, if it were not for
| the Catholic schools. would either
themselves have to go without any edu-
cation or force others to go without
education, for the public school sys-
tenn Of New York city is now unable
| to furnish sufficient schools and teach
ers for the children. The situation that
prevails in New York city exists in
every crowded center of the country.
In the past Americans have been
proud to speak of the accomplish
| mcnts Of the public school system. We
have been proud to ascribc our en-
tlightcnment anG progress as Il nation
to our system Of universal education.
The time has now come, however, when
others besides Catholics realize that
] there are serious defects in our educa-
tional system. People are beginning
to learn that an education of the mind
| that leaves the heart untouched is a
dangerous sort OF education. The
growth Of socialism, the increasing
lack of respect for constituted author
ity, the loosening Of home ties, the
Increase Of dishonesty in public as
well as private life, the disregard of
human law may all be traced in
large degree to L lack Of proper cdu-
cation Of the children OF the country.
1t is not sufficient that men should be
educated to think; they must be edu-
Gated to think rightly. The day is
fast approaching in this country when
Protestants rs well as Catholics will
realize tho necessity Of impressing
upon their children in early youth the
lesson Of religion as we'll as that of
material things.