The Irish standard., 1914-08-29
Requisites of a. School
Choice School Should be Matter of
of School Mouds Moral Character of Youth

In the first years of it's existence
the University of Paris had no build
ings. Professors delivered their lee
lures in any convenient place, often
in public squares, at the functions of
streets and sometimes in taverns.
Students who fiocked in thousands to
the banks of the Seine, sat upon
straw to listen to the lectures and
dispute with the professors among
themselves. Out of this university
came the philosophy that for centur-
les ruled the world of intellect and
which yet is accepted in great part
and influences much of the learning
of today.
1t is difficult for us now to form
any conception of how a university
or school of any kind could exist I'M
der such circumstances. We are ac-
customed to magnificent buildings,
even for elementary schools, equip
ment with every appliance for inn
parting knowledge and our idea of
the Importance and worth of school
is often founded on these outward
and visible features. The school with
building. we'll endowed, furnished
a beautiful, modern, commodious
with the latest designs in desks, the
newest editions of text books, the
most accurate maps and other para
phernalia, and having staff of high
ly educated and accomplished teach
ers, appeals to us as the best insti-
tuition in which to place child in
whose education we are interested.
All these material things are but
the body of the school. They are as
lifeless and useless as the human
body without the soul. They are the
machinery but not the motive power.
They may even conceal corruption of
the vilest nature that would be ruin
Gus to the intellect and moral pow
ers of the pupil. A school, to fulfill
it's mission, should have spirit and
soul to animate it. This spirit grows
out of the conception by teacher and
pupil of the real purposes of educa-
tion-the development of the entire
man that he may live to fulfill the
ends of his being.
/ The school has often been called a
Temple of knowledge" There is
an aptness in the comparison. There
| is Il sacredness about the school that
| is second only to the church and the
home. The temple was the place of
sacrifice, where men gathered to lift
their minds and hearts to God. The
school is the place where minds are
lifted and developed, brought as far
as possible to perfection. where
hearts are lifted up from affection
for the things of life to love for
the things of God. When animated
by this true spirit, a school will en-
gender in the pupil reverence and
a love that will endure for life.
The spirit of the school should be
the spirit of love. In the school mind
acts upon mind. will upon will. In
such an intimacy between pupil and
teacher it cannot be expected that
great good will result without mu-
tual love. When in family there
is no love between parents and chill
dren we know what to expect. The
love of the teacher should not be
merely for teaching like the school
master in Goldsmith's Deserted Viii
lage. 1t should be love for the pu-
pills, and this love should be founded
on Divine charity. The teacher
should see in the child the image of
God and upon the teacher is the
dread responsibility that this image
be not distorted.
Love begets love and the teacher
animated by such love will find the
pupil reciprocating with the reverent
love child has for a parent. 1t Is
only when the teacher is consecrated
to the work of education that we can
expect such love. We may without
irreverence apply to the teacher the
parable of the Good Shepherd and
the hireling. The friends of Catho-
lie education, especially in the past
few years, have been encouraged and
gratified that in public competitions
the pupils of parochial schools have
shown themselves the superior in
mental attachments to those educated
in the public schools. It was not
that the parochial school buildings
are better than those of the state.
AS a rule they are inferior. Nor until
quite recently has the equipment of
parochial schools been equal to the
public schools, owing to the lack of
means.
We will grant, too, that the teach
ers of the public schools are of equal
Intelligence, Of as good education
and training in pedagogical methods
as parochial school teachers. The
difference was in the school spirit. In
the parochial school there was that
closer union Of mind and heart of