The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-07-10

fe A UNIFORM method or procedure III
a country so large in extent and va
ried in interests as the United States
would seem to. be wholly impossible,
Nevertheless certain fundamental
truths may be ennnciated which will
help to coordinate Catholic opinion
as to a wise and safe plan of action
in dealing with the school question.
These truths are:
1. We should make frequently a
clear and simple statement of the
principles and the purpose that under
lie Catholic education. The basic
principle of the Catholic school is
religion. The primary purpose of
Catholic teaching Is to prepare the.
pupil for eternal life; its secondary
purpose is to fit him for the present
life. Because the public school sys-I
tenn of the State either ignores the,
fundamental elements of religion in
education or makes them assume a.
secondary place, and because, as one
of the great thinkers of England de-
clares, division between religious
and secular training implies a. dual
ism of object, divided object which.
no thinking man, whatever his views
are, can really approve" (Balfour) the.
Catholic Church in America has found
it imperative to bring into existence,
for the protection of the faith and
morality of her children, system of
education which gives adequate and
proportionate consideration to relig-
ious truth and secular knowledge.
2. No apology should ever be Of
fered for the existence of our Cath
Ollie system of education. The right
of the Church to establish her own
schools, provided always they are in
conformity with the just and legiti-
mate requirements of the State, is a
right guaranteed by all laws, both
national and State. Liberty of edu-
cation is an established principle and
fact in America, where, so far, no
atheistic oligarchy, like the cynical
incompetence of the wretched little
men who now control Frances des-
tinies," has been able to destroy the
spirit of true freedom on which is:
established the American Republic.
8. No apology should ever be made
for the attitude that Catholics assume
towards the public school system. All
citizens have a right to enjoy the
services or benefits to be found in
any public institution. The non-exer-.
else of that right neither destroys nor
impairs it in the slightest degree.
Every citizen has right to condemn,
approve or disapprove of any institu-
ton created by the State and sup
ported by a taxation upon all citizens
alike. The public school system, be-
ing creature of the State, has no
claim to exemption from the criticism
or condemnation of the humblest
citizens. If, in the estimation of any
citizen, the public school system fails
to afford facilities for the acquisition
of the highest virtue, he has the lib
erty tos criticize that want, especially.
when he provides means for supply
ing that want. In view of the incon-
testable rights which Catholics share
in common with their fellow citizens,
the denunciation of Catholics because
of their real or reputed opinion of
the school system, and the demand
that they shall suffer discrimination
if they aspire to public Office, should
be treated with utter scorn and con-
tempt.
4. We should make known not
only the principles of Catholic edu-
cation, but also the true character of
the present State system of educa-
ton. Let not this be done by sweep
ing charges that the public schools
are goddess, immoral and irreligious,
but by the simple statement that the
system is sectarian, is un-American,
and is based on class legislation.
The strongest claim on behalf of
the present public school system is
that it gives no recognition to any
form of religious belief; that it is
non-sectarian and, consequently, is
absolutely fair to all classes of citi-
zens. The question may be asked,
does this contention rest upon
sound basis? Does system of edu-
cation become non-sectarian because
it does not recognize in its curricu-
lum some definite form of Christian
belief? Does a school become mon
sectarian" because it teaches only
moral code but ignores doctrinal
truth? Rather, may it not be urged
with logical cogency that, every ex-
clusively secular system of education
rests upon creed, a belief, Aand con-
sequently is sectarian? A system of
education based ON the principle of
the exclusion of all religious teaching
has its inspiration in the belief that
religion either is not necessary in
education, or, if it be necessary, it
should be taught in the church and
the home, not in the school. This
belief is itself a creed, because ga
creed is the statement of belief"
even "a statement that one believes
in nothing is creed" Hence the
creed of the secularist is no less sec
tartan than that of the most ardent
believer in the need of religion in
education.
The present public school system
is un-American, because it violates
one of the fundamental principles of
liberty for which the founders of the
nation fought-'.N taxation without
representation. The true spirit of
all American legislation and of all
democratic government has ever as
pired to protect the rights of minori-