The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-02-07
FARIBAULT SCHOOL PLAN.

| u VI AONNA~"1 OAAN
editor quotes from an editorial
published some weeks ago in The
Catholic Bulletin, and draws
therefrom Illogical conclusions.
! The article from which he
Iquotes was comment on Attorney
General Smith s opinion that Bible
reading in the public schools OF
Minnesota was unconstitutional
We stated that it was the duty OF
all to obey the law in this regard
and eliminate whatever religious
teaching is now being given in the
public schools We further de.
clared that cit behooves Catholics
to continue to make provision fol
the religious education Of their
children as they are now doing in
the parochial schools"
From this editorial Mr.. Preuss
concludes that the ideas of the
Most Reverend Archbishop Of St.
Paul on this subject "have mani
testify undergone a change since
the days Of the Pougkeepsie-Fari.
bault-Stillwater controversy" He
then drags in a quotation from a
work Of Rev. j. A. Burns, G. S. c..
to the effect that, after this famous
school plan was voluntarily dis,
continued in the schools of Fari-
bault and Saltwater, "practically
the same arrangement was entered
into by school boards and Catholic
pastors, acting under the advice
of Archbishop Ireland, in other
places IN Minnesota II II *where
Catholics constituted the great
majority of the population" and
concludes: '''Of course, this ar
rangement will now have to be
discontinued in Minnesota.
Those who know Archbishop
Ireland need not be reminded that
he has always been an advocate
of parochial schools wherever it is
possible to have them, even at the
cost Of great sacrifice ON the part
of Catholics. He has never urged
the teaching of religion in the pub
lie schools during school hours.
This was no part Of the Faribault
school plan, and hence, the opinion
Of the Attorney General, which
merely states the generally recog-
nized view of a question which has
not been definitely settled by the
Supreme Court, has no bearing at
all ON the question, nor does it
necessitate the abandonment of
the Faribault school plan wher-
ever that plan is now in operation
There is at present a number OF
schools throughout the State of
Minnesota where the Faribault
plan is in successful operation and
the citizens of these localities have
no intention of discontinuing it
Wherever it has been discontinued
the change was not brought about
by any sudden realization that
religious teaching has no place in
the curriculum of the public
schools. The Faribault school plan
sought to provide a means OF
remedying this defect of the pub
lie school system by affording
Catholic children an opportunity
for religious instruction after
school hours in the public schools
conducted by the Sisters.
That this plan of instructing
public school children In their re.
ligion after school hours is re.
garded as feasible is shown by the
fact that movement has just been
started in New York for the pur.
pose Of having the Catholic pupils
of the public schools assemble
after school hours in the nearest
parochial school to receive in.
struction in their religion from
Catholic public school teachers
This plan has the endorsement Of
Cardinal Farley and of the Super.
intendent of public schools
Furthermore, the Baptist minis
| tiers of that city are heartily IL
accord with this method Of In
structing school children in then
religion and are urging all Prot
estant churches to copy this plar
of seeing that the public schoo
children receive religious instruc
ton. This goes to prove thai
others besides Catholics are
anxious to find some method Of
teaching religion to public schoo
children who do not attend de
nominational schools. The Fari
bault school plan solved this diff
Guilty in a very satisfactory man
ner and if, as Mr.. Preuss con
tends, the recent decision Of
the Attorney General of Mime
sofa will have the effect of discon
tinuing this plan in localities
where it is now in successful oper
alton, it will be a misfortune
i However. we have no fear of SucE