The sun., 1916-08-27
Mission of the School in
Service of Society Is of
the Highest Importance
Catholic Education by Its Training of Child in Religion
1mparts a Meaning to the Word Sacred as Applied
to Human Personality, to Freedom and to Law.

II Is not very anxious about theories
and probably It Is not as deeply inter-
ested as It should be in processes; but
II does look at results. and occasionally
It looks At them somewhat closely.
The public is disposed to make due al
lowance for the changes and additions
by which the school endeavors to meet
new conditions. It will assume that
there must be some value even In those
results the importance Of which Il does
not perceive. and II will look with in.
diligence upon some things that are
evidently ornamental rather than USE
full. But II does wish now and then
that the plain substantial elements
were more conspicuous in the school
product In its w non-pedagogical
yet practical fashion It regards educa-
ton as q preparation for life. and II ID
slow to understand why the prepara-
ton must be begun when the school
has completed its work.
The public has been told more than
once by competent educational au-
thorities that the aim Of education Is
citizenship: and I think there car be
no question as to the %worthiness Of
this object or as to the need OF Sc
curing II BY the very fact that It
undertakes to produce the right sort
Of citizen. the school gives q pledge
~ society. II say in effect: Go on
with your tasks In the workaday
world; do your share in developing
the social organization and rest as
sured that your children will be quail
fled to take up n carry on what
you are constructing or beginning.
Now so far as this promise is kept,
the school certainly performs its obli-
cation. So far. in other words. as We
find that the average graduate pos
scsses those qualities which citizen
ship implies, We have reason to be
satisfied. We have to deal, Of course.
with the citizen IS such, not with cit
iZenship in the abstract We have
meanings for such terms as truthful
ness and honesty. but what We are
looking for is the man who tells the
truth and who acts honestly. II We
have to deal with one whose word we
cannot trust and whose action requires
watching we will not set much store
By any zeal he may show for the pub
lie veal Whatever it may demand in
the way Of cooperation. citizenship
presupposes personal righteousness. A
bad man may tax a leading part in
social movements or in affairs Of state
but he will not be a citizen in any
real sense OF the word. And II he
possesses ability we are inclined for
that very reason to treat him with
greater vigilance-an attitude which
Is anything but social.
The welfare OF society requires that
there should be some degree OF mutual
confidence and we should expect that
degree to be higher among those who
have enjoyed the educational advan-
tages which society provides. But IL
the school confines its efforts to de-
~veloplng the puItl's intellectual ca
pacity the only result will be a GER
tain smartness Or quickncss which
society must take In hand and In
self-defence educate. perhaps by So
we're measures. to q tolerable manner
Of living.
1t has been held. and I think quite
properly. that the school is not only
q preparation for later life. but also.
In itself. a phase Of life. The pupil
Is supposed to do. on the school scale
as It we're. the things, which he will
afterward do on q larger scale: and
the doing Is to be as real In the one
form as in the other. This conception.
however. makes il imperative for the
school to inculcate principles OF right
action and to see that they are put
into practice. This It can do moro
efYectually because It has the training
Of the child during the plastic period.
when undesirable tendencies can be
checked and good habits. 1. e.. good In
the social as we'll as In the individual
sense. can DO formed.
Ono may 60 further and say that
the school Is obliged for its own sake,
not merely for the pupils. to insist
on tho social virtues. without the
spirit Of order or respect for authority
and consideration for tho rights of
others the work of the school would be
impossible. "~Discip.ine.' according to
its original meaning. Ii q body OF
knowledge. that which has to b
learned; and tho same word. In Its
more familiar acceptation. denotes q
system Of government. q body Of rules
for the regulation Of conduct. espe-
cially for the control Of action where