The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-11-23
CATHOLIC EDUCATION.

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should be Of perennial interest to
all Catholics. Following the die
tates Of her century-old wisdom
the Catholic Church strives to
provide an educational training
for her children in which the
fundamental principles of moral
ity are given due prominence.
None know better than she the
absolute necessity of developing
the moral character side by side
with the intellectual growth of the
child.
Intelligent Catholic laymen are
aware Of the attitude of the
Church on this point and they
deem it their duty to second her
efforts. The number Of those who
do not give practical expression
to their theoretical acceptance of
the Church's teaching by sending
their children to Catholic schools,
is small compared with the great
body of loyal Catholics who make
it a point to give their children
an educational training in institu-
tons conducted under her
auspices. Catholic schools and col
leges are now the equals, at least,
Of non-Catholic institutions of
similar character in the intellec-
tual training which they impart
to their pupils. No Catholic need
apologize for sending his child to
a Catholic school on account of it's
supposed inferiority to similar
schools, either public Or private,
conducted by non-C Catholics. Cath
Ole schools have passed the ex-
perimental stage: they are now
firmly established and year by
year they are increasing their eff
cheney in all the departments Of
human knowledge.
Prominent Catholics in the diff
ferent walks Of life are beginning
to realize this more and more and
to do their share in exhorting
those whom they can influence to
support Catholic schools. In this
connection the following para
graphs from a letter Of the Ma
tional President of the Ancient
Order of Hibernians, James J.
Regain, Of st. Paul, are worthy Of
perusal. They express the con-
viction which every loyal Catholic
ought to have in regard to this
important question:
whatever [ am about to say
does not in the least reflect on our
public schools. The public school
system is a wonderful institution,
but, like other things Of which we
are justly proud, it is still very
crude.
"From a Catholic layman's
standpoint it is not sufficient to
merely develop the brain; the
heart, too, needs to be cultivated.
That is only a lop-sided education
which ,neglects any Of the facul.
ties. Physically, morally and in
tellectually a child should be en-.
couraged and nourished. Tt is
when the heart and mind and soul
are in accordance that we have
the real man or woman.
without any fault Of it's own
the public school cannot give the
ideal training. It does not profess
to do So. There would be little OF
no justification for the existence
Of our Catholic schools if they
failed to live up to this standard
CHOW if there is one thing we
hope to leave our children, it is
the rich inheritance Of that right
living and right thinking which
we have happily inherited. But
we may just as well remember thai
these things are not indigenous Of
the soil here, as they were in ou1
Motherland. A far different at
mosphere surrounds the youth Of
today. The great antidote againsi
the poison that is to be met a.
every turn is the sweet influence
and the careful training that is tx
be had in our Catholic schools.
"But I can without any hesita
ton, 60 a step further and abso
lutely claim that from the purely
intellectual point Of view only
our Catholic schools are without
peer. Tt is only what might be ex
pected. For our teachers theil
profession is a life work and
labor of love. They have had tn
most careful training, and they
never neglect an opportunity 0:
improving themselves, and all fol
the sake of those entrusted to theil