The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-01-18

ear. With this knowledge of
musical notation as a foundation
it is comparatively easy matter
to train the pupil to take part in
the services of the Church by
singing Benediction, Vespers, and
Mass. The benefciaries of this
system of musical education in
the parochial schools will become
the nucleus of future choirs and
the training thus impaired will
make the observance Of the Motu
Proprio of the Holy Father re-
garding church music less diff
cult than it would otherwise be.
Furthermore, a good foundation
for congregational singing can
be laid in no better way. If
congregational singing is ever
to become a practical feature of
church service, and there is no
reason why it should not do so,
the foundation must be laid
among the rising generation of
pupils in the parochial schools.
The Sisters of st. Joseph are
making provision to assign to
each parochial school under their
jurisdiction teacher qualified by
careful training to instruct the
pupils in this important branch,
and, no doubt, the other Sister
hoods in charge of parochial
schools will do likewise.
The incubation of ideals Of con-
duct based upon the commonly
accepted rules of good breeding
should be special feature of the
training impaired in the parochial
schools. They aim to afford the
pupils such knowledge of relig-
ious truth as will enable them to
become well-informed and prac-
teal Catholics. True politeness is
nothing more or less than the flow
ering of religion in the heart Of
the individual. It is the tribute Of
respect and Difference which one
child of God pays to another. It
is the mark Of the gentleman or
the lady in the truest acceptation
Of these terms. It is something
more than a veneer Of good man.
ners which can be put on or off
at will. True politeness never
sits gracefully on one who is a
boor at heart. AS mark of good
breeding, true politeness mani
tests itself in a fine sense of what
is due from one person to another
in the more or less complicated
relations of social life.
What institution is better quail
fed to inculcate by word and
example the canons of true polite
ness than the parochial school
where the law Of God is the rule
Of life? It is true that the founda-
ton Of good manners should be
laid in the Christian home by the
parents themselves. Too often,
however, parents are lacking in
the knowledge and practice of
what constituted true politeness.
Even if the children are trained in
the rules Of Christian propriety at
home, insistence upon these rules
in school will supplement the work
Of the home and serve to mould
the character and conduct of the
child in such a way as to make
the observance of these rules an
important feature of every day
life.
The parochial schools have al
ready done much in this regard.
AS the nurseries Of religious edu-
cation, they have always taught
good manners and emphasized the
polite requirements Of social Ell
quette. In the future more atten-
ton is to be devoted to this; but
in order to bring about uniform
ly of teaching, it is necessary to
have a standard text book Of Ell
quette which will be placed in
the hands Of the pupils and used
as basis for instruction in polite
ness. Where can such a book be
found? There are many books
written on this important sub
ject; but it is difficult to find one
that is adapted to the needs of
school children. When the de-
mand for such a book is created
it is not improbable that some
one will be found who is willing
to undertake the task Of COM
piling it. A work of this char
acter suited to the needs of chill
dren, would be Of incalculable
benefit to teachers and pupils, and
we hope that it will be forthcom-
ing in the not distant future.