Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-10-02
Churches to Become Schools to Help
Educate Little New Workers.

Churches in Greater New York are
about 10 offer the use of their build
ings for day schools. to relieve the tre-
mendous congestion of the public
schools. In many cases the public
school buildings are so inadequate that
70 meet the call upon them children are
seated on boxes and sometimes on the
iloors during half sessions. Many of
the little ones are of foreign parentage
and they need all the instruction that
can be given them to become good cit
liens of America
II seems the difference between a
good citizen and a public charge. is
largely a matter of education and en-
vironme1t, SO anything to keep the lit
tie peopl e Off the streets and from the
evil of gang association is Christian
duty. No matter how much church
property is damaged, no matter what
the money loss to the parish in wear
and tear. il seems a brilliant Christian
plan to help the city to- help the edu-
cation of the little coming citizens.
But, there seems great fear on the
part of the public that in accepting the
generous offer of the churches, some
danger of proslyting the young Amer
lean might be attempted There is an
element in the country that so fears its
religious liberties will be curtailed that
it wishes to eliminate religion alto
gether from business and social life
This, to thinkers, is great mistake
and a great pity. The country was set
tied by God-fearing men and women
the Constitution breathes the spirit Of
recognition of a higher Power in the
affairs of State: the Presidents take
oath of faithfulness swearing upon the
Bible. Why should the faith that has
kept the country from destruction so
long, be thing the young American
and the alien child be denied, when the
money which pays for the education
is. in many cases. the money from a
Christian people?
This attitude is met by the commits
sioner for the Board of Education
John Whalen, when he joined the min
listers of various denominations 10 talk
over what the churches would do to
help the commission house the many
children who could not be accommo-
dated Speaking of the fear that sec
tartan teaching might be introduced
into schools ii sessions were held i'm
church buildings. Mr.. Whalen said:
when parents understand the condi-
tions there should be no complaints.
Let us say that in certain schools there
are three thousand children, and The
building capacity is but two thousand.
THAT meansthat one half time teaching
can be given. the rest of the school day
the children are probably running the
streets. Now, if parents direct and des-
gnate where the children are to go
and what religious instruction they are
TO receive. what possible harm can
come il the children go to church
school rooms and learn sound doctrines
of life. and gain good thoughts?
The public school teaching is not
enough. The city does not pay cent
towards the proposed religious instruc-
tion under the Gary plan Nobody
proposes that il should do so The
churches pay the salaries of the teach
ers. provide rooms and meet all ex-
penses. 1 am strongly in favor of
giving the plan a try-out.
"On our committe are Jews. Roman
Catholics and Protestants. None OF us
wish to advance the interest of our in
dividual sect 1t is simply that the
churches want to help solve big
problem. They ought to be welcomed
gratefully"
IF the plan is faithfully tried and
meets with merited reward, it might
be worthy of emulation by other cities
in other sections of the land. Those of
us who have much TO do with children
are painfully aware of the lack of
Christian training in the modern
| school If the churches would take
hand" the inext generation would
| doubtless be a great improvement on
the nreseut materialisitc age.