Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-03-11
British Educators Talk of Idea as Demon
strated in United States,
KNOCKERS" IN AMERICA ARE QUOTED
Some People in This Country Do Not Like
Present System,
LAwLeSsNesS SAID TO BE TAUGHT
Letters and Publications from United
states Used by Those who Desire
to Defeat Liberal Educa-
tiOnaI Bill.


sion Of the English and Irish school sys-
TENS to say nothing about tho talk con-
cerning the school system OF Scotland and
Wales, has dragged the American school
system into the limelight Of the world. At
any rate in connection with the many re-
forms 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 con-
tinuallS held up as model It is not sur
prising that it has recently become the
target for bitter attack. Whether the
public schools of the United Kingdom will
ever be Americanized 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.
inadvertently perhaps. but nevertheless
started, by Rev T. A. Lacey, who, ad-
dressing a meeting OF the liberal clergymen
and discussing the American public school
system, said that he had never yet come
across a single American who objected to
IT, or who dreamed Of substituting any
thing else
Francis A. Gasaue OF the Athenaeum
club at once took up the cudgels, replying
to Rev T. A. Lacey as follows;
This certainly was not my experience
when in America a year and a half ago.
then met people of all denominations who
deeply deplored the results of this expert
ment in Goddess education on large scale
which were becoming more and more ap-
parent year by year"
Mr.. Gasquet then quoted number or
Americans. He said:
American Criticism.
IAN Episcopalian clergyman Rev w.
Montague Geer. preaching at st. Pauls
church, New York, in September, 1901, said
that the assassination of President McKin-
lev was a visitation of God on America
and attributed II to our Goddess system
of edueationsy far worse crime than
slavery or.intemheFanee. The tldestion r~w'
| is to what extent can we renould and re-
model our educational system. Almost any
| system is better than the present one.'
! Mr.. Gasquet quoted the Methodist as fol-
lows
! In our judgment the denomlna tional
| schools Of the land as compared with the
! moral grounds incomparably the safer. Our
state institutions as general thing are the
! That unbelief should be fostered and TO-
nented therein is not unnatural We thor
! vest at least 100000 in the next ten years
( in denOninational schools. Why? Because
we believe this system Is the only Amer
| lean one and the only safe one.
| Mr. Gasquet then quotes a writer in the
North American Review:
| am q Protestant of the firmest kind
| The Catholic church has insisted that II is
it's duty to educate its children In such
| way as to fix religious truths in the youth
| full mind. For this it has been assailed by
the non-Catholic population, and catholics
the people and of the flag. Any careful
observer in the city Of New York can see
that the only people as a class who are
secure the future OF the best civilization
are the Catholics, and although Protest.
| ant of the firmest kind | believe the time
has come 10 recognize this fact and for us
| to lay aside preJudlces and patriotically
meet this question.
Mr.. Gasquet quotes DR.. Levi Seeley of
the State Normal school at Trenton. n. j..
who. writing In the Educational Review,
says:
A little less than 50 per cent Of all the
children OF our country frequent any Sun
day school. The meaning OF these figures
is simply oVerwhelming. More than half
I of the children OF this land receive no re-
ligious education Even this feature does
I not show the truth. II seems To admit
that those who attend Sunday schools are
every one knows that this cannot be
granted.
In conclusion, Mr., Gasquet says:
may add that | was assured two years
| ago that the proportion OF those trained
in state schools who go 10 any place OF
worship or to any Sunday school has fallen
considerably since 1855 | have said moth
ing about the opinions OF Catholics. be-
cause the very existence OF their own
schools, built and supported entirely by
themselves whilst still called upon to pay
their rates for the state secular schools Is
proof OF their intense belief I'm the neces-
sty Of training, the minds OF children dur
and in the moral obligations OF their reli-
gion.
Preacher Aids Abbot.
The statements OF the Abbot Gasquet
made from the Athenaeum club. have re-
oeived striking confirmation from Rev.
Charles W stubbs Of the Deanery. Ely,
He says
During a three months visit 20 America
in the winter Of 1S0O took every Opportu-
nifty which fell &C me OF inspecting the
common schools. both IN New York and
spondenee with American friends | select
an extract OF letter from my friend the
late DR.. Donald, the rector of Trinity
church. Boston. the disciple and successor
OF Bishop Phillips Brooks. a man Of cosmo-
politan experience OF the widest culture
Of the hroadest Christian. sympathy and
OF deep-hearted religious faith. lie SAYS
I'VE Americans are trying 10 understand
your education bill. We certainly study Ia
But somehow the real hub OF il eludes US
But the writer's Of them for the most par,
take il for granted that those for whom
they write are acquainted with the facts
! which Americans are most eager to gel
/ hold Of. Can YOU send me a copy Of the
I full text Of the biilf ! fear that you vii
be compelled finally 70 adopt theory q
purely secular education. such as We have
here. II is a bad theory. for while Il works
IN respect % educating the mind and i'm
parting secular knowledge. il utterly faili
to train pupils morally. Our children lack
and conspicuously lack. the temper OF obe-
, dience and Of respect for law. They alss
show a certain unsensitiveness 20 funda
mental right and wrong. which I can ex
; plain only by the fact that they are reeeiv
ing no religious instruction and precious
, little religious influence"
Meanwhile the Church OF England is hay
! ing troubles with the NonconformIsts
, Upon this very subject John clifford quotes
! the following figures;
/ The latest returns tell us that the fre,
churches have provided for and have n
GcsAtiRusd on second PaEsl