The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-06-27

clans is In such possession that the
people can't imagine any other system
possible. But it Is to be- borne in mind
that that system, has been in force
only for a few hundred years, and that
the saints and doctors Of seventeen
centuries were the products Of quite
a different system of education.
But. passing the system OF discipline,
the course of studies is the burning
question nowadays. 1t is not confined
to clerical education; 1t is found every
where. When shall specialization be-
gin? 1t Is in this form the contro.
versy about Maynooth has risen, What
can the new university do for the cler-
ical students of Ireland?
To understand the question 1t ia
necessary TO bear in mind that Nav
no"th. while practically a professional
school. just like II college of law or a
college of medicine. has always given
a full University course. Traditions
ally, this state of affairs arose from tho
fact that when Maynooth was estab-sp I
lished there was no place where the
Irish students could take their human
tiles. rhetoric and philosophy Theo-
retfcally the seminary idea required
that clerical students should be taken
young and broken early to the yoke.
The Council of Trent recommends the
age of IL or l3 as the period when
clerical specialization should com.
mence. Hence. for these two reasons.
MaynootI, was compelled 10 unite with
her Theological School a faculty Of
arts as extensive AS the arts faculty Of
any other university. but without the
power of granting degrees.
Now 1t has always heen acknowl.
edged that it would be good thing IL
the young clergy could take out their
degrees in arts before specializing on
theology. With regard to the practice
ability Of so doing the Irish Bishops
have followed two different and contra.
dictory policies. When the Royal uni
vcrsity was first founded they sent
their students up for degrees for a
few years. but they soon closed down
on the whole thing. The plan upset
the old college routine too much, and.
1t was claimed. injured discipline. Az.
ter a. quarter of n century, however,
they executed a right about face, and
again sent their students in for UNI
versity degrees. The reason Of their
reversion was apparently to make a
bid for some place in the New Univer-
sity which is now nlateriaIizing.
IT Is about the nature Of that place
that the discussion is now centered.
There are two plans. The first is to
leave Maynooth as It is, but to affiliate
it to the New University in such wise
that it's arts faculty will under certain
regulations present for degrees. Tho
second plan is to turn Maynooth into
d. professional school Of theology and
bring all the students In arts UP ~
Dublin. where they would sit on the
same benches and hear the same pro.
fessors as the future medical students
or candidates for the bench.
In the first place there would be no
disturbance of Maynooth, except that
the arts faculty would be stronger and
better paid. The clerical students
would be still isolated from what
would be in our system their sopho-
more or second university year. In
the second plan, while they would live
some kind Of a community life, ana
under discipline they would in the
schools be thrown into contact With 4.
their brothers and cousins and friends 4
that are going on for the secular pro-
fessions.
People who consider the Irish behind
the times may be surprised to learn
that in favor Of this second and ap-
parently modern plan there is strong
body Of opinion in Maynooth itself, &
and among the Bishops. Against It,