Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-19
.L|MEL|GHT OF WORLD.
American School System Re-
garded as a Model.
Special Cablegram to The Star.

Special Cabegram to The Star.
LONDON, March 1s.-In way the heat
ed discussion of the English and Irish
school systems, to say nothing about the
talk concerning the school systems or
Scotland and Wales, has dragged the
American school system into the limelight
OF the world. At any rate, In connection
with the many reforms which many OF the
citizens OF the united Kingdom expect the
liberal party to act upon Is the reforms Of
the school systems. And, inasmuch as the
American school system Is being constantly
and continually held UP as a model 1t is
not surprising that It has recently become
the target for bitter attack. Whether the
public schools OF the united kingdom will
ever be Amerieanized is beyond the power
of mortal man to determine. But one thing
is certain-this session OF parliament gives
promise of witnessing the sharpest contest
over the school question ever known In the
history of this country
The trouble appears TO have been started
by Rev. I. A. Lacey, inadvertently per-
haps. but nevertheless started, by this gem
tieman, who, addressing a meeting OF the
liberal clergymen and discussing the Amer
lean public school system said that he
had never yet come across q single Amer
lean who objected to It or who dreamed OF
substituting anything else
Experiment in Goddess Education.
Francis A. Gasquet OF the Athenaeum
Club at once took up the cudgels replying
to the Rev. 7. A. Lacey as follows:
This certainly was not my experience
when in America year and a half ago
then met people of all denominations. who
deeply deplored the results of this expert
ment In Goddess education of a large scale
hnCOmi0p
parent year by year"
Mr.. Gasquet then quoted number of
Americans. He said:
An Episcopalian clergyman. the Rev. w.
Montague Geer. preaching at st. Paurs
Church, New York. in September 1901. said
that the assassination of President McKin-
ley was visitation OF God on America, and
attributed IL to our Goddess system of ed
ucatton, far worse crime than slavery or
fntemperance. The question now Is to what
extent can We remoid and remodel our edu-
eational system. Almost any system IS
better than the present one"
Mr.. Gasquet quoted the Methodist as fol-
lows:
" In our Judgment the denominational
schools Of the land, as compared with the
purely secular OF state schools are on
state institutions as general thing are the
hotbeds OF iHfidelity not less than OF vice.
That unbelief should be fostered and TO-
mented therein is not unnatural. We thor
ousuly DeileSe Llat our cnufch should IN
vest at least S10,000,000 in the next ten
years in UNCONVENTIONAL schools. Why?
Because we believe this system is the only
American one and the only safe one .
Mr.. Gasquet then quotes q writer in the
North American Review:
f" I am Protestant Of the f.rmest kind
The Catholic Church has insisted that It is
Its duty to educate Its children In such q
way as to fix religious truths Ia the youth
full mind. For this 1t has been assailed by
the non-Catholic population; and Catholics
have been charged with being enemies OF
the people and OF the flag. Any careful OBJ
server In the city OF New York can see
that the only people as q class who are
teaching the children In the way that will
secure the future OF the best civilization
are the Catholics: and, although Profess
tant OF the firmest kind, believe the time
has come to recognize this fact and for us
to lay aside prejudices and patriotically
meet this question -
Less Than 80 Per Cent.
MIR. Gasquet quotes DIR. Levi Seeley OF
the State Normal School at Trenton. NJ j..
who says:
"a little less than so per cent OF all the
children of our country frequent any Sum
day school The meaning OF these figures
Is simply overwhelming More than one
half OF the children OF this land receive
no RELIGIOUS education. Even this feature