Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1912-08-24
GREAT CARE
Should BE Exercised by
Parents In Choosing
schools.

The time is coming to choose a
school for your children, II you want
them to profit by higher education.
Shall Il be the Catholic academy,
the public high school or some
private business school? Many par
ents, in determining this most inn
portant question, seem to think only
Of secular learning, type-writing,
bookkeeping, civics and other
branches; others don't trouble to
think at all. but follow the senti-
ment or fancy of their children.
Yet there are other things far more
worthy OF consideration, such as the
faith and innocence of your children,
their surroundings, their compan-
ions, the order and discipline of the
school: as these moral factors will
decide the character and conduct of
your children and their future hap
piness. Parents, the future life Of
your children depends on the kind
OF education you give them now. II
you desire them to be staunch Cath
olics. pure and honorable in life
and creditable to you, you must pro-
vide Catholic atmosphere for them;
and this you can not have outside
the Catholic school. Do not en-
danger their faith and virtue for a
petty money consideration Their
happiness and your happiness and
the happiness Of the family are
worth the sacrifice of a few paltry
dollars.
You may consider your boy or
girl strong enough, on leaving the
parish school at the age of thirteen.
or fourteen. to face any conditions
of life. Well, this is a fatal mistake;
for II is at just about that age that
their passions are awakening and
their minds are opening to the curl
Gus questions of -life-when they
need the fostering care and the guild
ance of religion all the more.
Imagine a child Of inquisitive mind.
and of nature open to every I'M
preston, learning lessons of life at
non-Catholic school, where relig-
ion is ignored, or mentioned only to
be ridiculed or questioned. The ex-
ample of companions and teachers
leads him to regard religion as of
little or no account, and scruples of
conscience are laughed at as absurd
tiles. Then your child begins to
look upon piety as out of place, and
as a hindrance to free enjoyment.
He begins to doubt about the true
religion, the true church, the Bible,
the word of God, and the use of re-
ligious practices. These doubts al
ways follow sinful habits and loss of
innocence. By degrees the corruption
of bad example. like blood poison,
creeps over the heart: by degrees a
change is observed in the ways and
tastes of your child. And what
wonderl Companions and teachers
are such sociable persons; they are
smart and witty and smiling, and
they are free to enjoy all kinds of
parties and societies and amuse-
ments. BY degrees they entice your
child into evil associations, until he
falls fascinated by an evil genius.
Thus the conditions in a non-Cath-
Ole school tend to iniure and corrupt
Catholic virtue and to undermine
and destroy the faith.
Now our faith is a priceless treas
ure, and the virtue and innocence of
your child are worth more than gold
or social prestige. Our Catholic
academies and colleges are we'll
known to stand high in educational
results, and they possess the most
devoted and accomplished teachers.
In choosing your school, consider the
future welfare and happiness of
those whom God has eonfided to
your care.