The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-10-16
BOTH SIDES OF THE SHIELD

Some weeks ago it was an
nounced in the public press that
the Alabama House Of Repre-
sentatives passed bill requiring
all children between eight and
fifteen years of age to attend the
public school for at least 100 days
a year
The Interpretation put OH this
statement-Which is borne out by
the wording Of twas that the
bill was aimed at private and
parochial schools, in as much as
all children, without exception,
were obliged to attend the public
school for stated period each
year.
1t seems, however, that the pub
lished statement regarding the
provisions Of the bill was incor-
rect. The Right Reverend Bishop
Allen Of Mobile, in letter to
"Thc New World" of Chicago,
says:
This item does an injustice to
the state. The legislature Of Ala
bama passed a compulsory educa-
ton bill but it does not aim to
interfere with the parochial
schools. 1t will oblige every child
from eight to fifteen years to at
tend some school, either private,
parochial or public, for one hun
dred and sixty days during the
year. We have no fault to find
with this regulation. The only
item that could be thought to in
terfere with us is the law requir-
ing us to make reports concerning
attendance, etc. AS we have been
doing this as a matter of cour-
tesy for years, it will not put any
new burden upon us. The law is
aimed not at parochial schools
but private concerns that do not
wish to have the amounts Of their
revenues made public =
Bishop Allen incloses in his let
terra newspaper clipping which
sums up in the following words
the educational measures to which
reference is made:
"To require private, denomina-
tional and parochial schools to
make reports to the State Depart
ment of Education.
''To require compulsory attend
ance at school after Oct. |, 1917.
of all children from eight to fif-
teen. Mental and physically de-
fective and poyerty-stricken are
exempt. "
We are pleased to be able to
make this statement in justice to
the Legislators of Alabama, who,
evidently, are not as bigoted as
we were led to believe by the an,
nouncement in the public press.
L
Another item which conveyed
all erroneous impression was sent
out by the Press Bureau of the
Central-Verein and published III
many Catholic newspapers to the
effect that the Commonwealth OF
Georgia had passed law prohib.
iting the teaching Of negroes by
people of white color. 1t was
stated that this was aimed direct
ly at the work of Catholic priests
and Sisters among the black men
of the South.
Before publishing this state
ment, 1.-THE Morning Star" oil
New Orleans sent telegram OF
inquiry to Bishop Kelley Of Sa-
vannah, Ga, and in reply received
the following answer: "Bill in.
troduced last year. but not yet
passed, and not likely to pass
Legislature not in session.
The impression conveyed by
the foregoing erroneous state
ments is derogatory to the COCO
name of the states mentioned il
the dispatches and it is only right
| that publicity be given to the
true facts. Newspapers in gen
eral, and Catholic newspapers II
particular, cannot be too careful
In. regard to these matters anc
when a mistake has been made
unintentionally full PREPARATION
should be given by publishing the
| facts of the case as they are
| There is no need to mislnterpret
incidents III order to show thai
sectarianism is rife in the South
| The authenticated facts are elo
| quent enough to satisfy even {
doubling Thomas. But IN JUS
tice to this and other sections Of
| the country where religious preju
dices are rampant, both sides O
the shield should be shown.
1 Our senses arc 81 many doors by