The Irish standard., 1909-06-19
THE PARISH SCHOOL.

The Catholic directory for 1909
gives 4,703 parishes with schools and
1.197,s13 children attending them. In
the diocese Of ST. Paul the num-
Der OF parish schools is IS with an
attendance OF 21,35o. OF that number
of pupils 800 are attending the par
ochial schools of Minneapolis. AS these
figures were furnished to the publish
ers Of the official directory in 1908 II
is safe to assert that the attendance
in the parish schools of this city for
the current year is much greater We
make no mention of the higher Catho-
lie schools for boys and girls, but con-
fine ourselves to the primary schools
of the different parishes in the city
At this time it may be appropri-
ate to say few words about them,
as the newspapers for the past two
weeks have devoted considerable space
to the parish schools conducted by
the Catholic Sisters of the various
religious orders in connection with
graduating exercises.
The people hear a great deal about
the public schools and the public
school superintendent, directors, prin-
c1pals and teachers, and what they
hear is sometimes not very edifyinR.
The public schools, unfortunately, are
in politics. and the directors are poll
ticians. In years past the superin-
tendent of the Minneapolis city
schools was such an active politician
that he received a consular appoint
ment in recognition of his services 10
the Republican party. and the school
board paid him a gratuity of $1,000 q
year out OF the public funds during
his absence for some ina ginary serv-
Ices rendered to the city schools at a
distance Of 5000 miles. until Judge
Lochren restrained the board from be-
Ing so generous to an Office holder
when they could not give satisfactory
reasons for the disbursement.
For the past year we have heard
of graft" in connection with a certain
member of the Minneapolis board; wa
have heard of dissension among the
members. and about dismissal Of
teachers, but who has ever heard that
the Catholic parish schools were faint
ed by a breath of scandal? So far as
the newspapers go, except at COM
mencement time. reader could hard
ly know there is any parish school in
the city. And yet there are nine of
them. and the tenth is in course Of
construction.
The Catholic priests and sisters are
doing excellent work in the cause .,f
Christian education. but so quietly and
noiselessy is the work being done
that those outside the church, and
many within it, do not realize the
debt of gratitude due them for their
unselfish labors. Unlike the public
school teachers. the sisters never ask
for an increase in salary nor 20 be-
fore the legislature demanding the
passage of a pension bill. They give
their services gratuitously and devote
their lives to the teaching Of youth.
Not only do they impart secular
knowledge. but they train the children
in morals and manners. They give
religious instruction. and teach the
boys and girls the important truth
that there is a God whose command
ments they must obey to escape pun
ishment in the world to come.
The Irish Standard has never found
fault with the public schools. The
greatest defect in them is that no re-
ligious restraint Is inculcated. Not
only do Catholics realize that fact,
but orthodox professionals realize the
lack of it. But constituted as the
American system of education Is. it
is out of the question under present
conditions to introduce religious in
struction into the schools. The state
school must remain non religious, bu,
not necessarily Goddess.
The Catholics who have parish
schools ought to thank God for it.
Any Catholic who desires that his
boys and girls should grow up Chris
tian men and women and retain the
faith of their fathers should send
them to the parish schools and then
to the Catholic colleges and academ-
les. They will preserve the faith and
acquire as good an education for Ill
practical purposes as in the state in
situations. Success to the parochial
schools here and elsewhere.
LION AND BEAR ON oUI VlvE.
England is not only afraid OF Ger
many. but OF Russia, Ger she was in
Strun1enta1 in bringing ,houf tho Pur