The sun., 1916-08-27

opportunity and the other solicitations
offered by the official school system.
And particularly does the Catholic
school system become morally sublime
when We realize hat in spite of the
fidelity and generosity of the Catholic
laity and the zeal Of the Catholic
clergy. this great network OF colleges
and schools Is made possible only
through the work and s~elf-sacrince Of
members Of the religious orders Of men
and women to whom Is practically en-
trusted the whole work Of Catholic
education in our country. When II is
remembered, for example. that Of the
great army Of sisters engaged In the
schools the majority receive less than
$500 q year In the way Of salary and
that they do not spend anything like
This amount on living expenses but on
h contrary lay by q considerable part
Of It each year to build new schools or
better or larger ones to make their
work more effective. one In constrained
to stand In admiration OF q faith which
works out into such superb heroism.
1t Is not surprising, perhaps. that a
school which begins to be unpopular
by the very fact that II associates it,
self from other schools In spirit. aspi-
ration. method and end should be little
understood and less appreciated by
those other schools. The State sys-
tenn Of education. SO far as resources
and emoluments are concerned, Is in
possession Of the field. Daily the num-
Der Of fine modern. hygienic and hand
some school buildings IL multiplied.
Larger and larger each year grow the
appropriations for supplying teachers.
equipping laboratories. or libraries.
and the other apparatus Of education.
Constantly more and more attractive
grow the infinite variety Of classes and
ordinary work OF life. The Catholic
school. built up in the heart Of a de-
voted little parish. supported by the
people out Of their poverty and their
faith. doing the essential work for
which 1t was created with remarkable
efficiency. but having neither the ex-
traordinary im-pressiveness OF the pub
lie school nor the largo attendance
nor tho numerous faculty nor the
many other adventitious aids that
money may supply. very often looks
lev and cramped and dingy n unat-
tractive In comparison with its official
sister. Moreover. the methods and
processes used in our schools are q
matter Of mystery to most non-Catho-
lIcA It u natural, therefore, for
teachers in the public schools. and
moro particularly parents who pat
ronize public schools to have fabulous
notions Of the inefficiency Of Catholic
primary education and Catholic high
school work.. Nor is the case better
when one considers the Catholic COLI
lcges. The large appropriations en-
toyed by State universities annually
and the magnificent endowments be-
slowed by alumni or admirers upon \
large numter of private non-CItholic
colleges and universities naturally M
press the beholder with awe as COM
pared with the Catholic college winch
enjoys, il Is true, an endowment ut
flesh and blood in the shape Of Cul-
turcd and heroic men and womcn who
give their services for the love OF
God. but who cannot eXpend none on
whims or eXtravaginccs. nor pad an
nual reports with magnificent figures,
Besides, in the case OF the colleges
there is n curious and amusing suspi-
cion that because scholarship there is
religious and believing 1t must ncccs'
sarily be u~nsclentific.
I heard OF a curious instance Of th!s
kind lately. One Of the professors al
Notre Dame was going over the uni
versity equipment with the president
Of a large state university. While cX
aiming the science departments th'
president asked what Nj attitude Wa
to science. whcrcupon the profess,
answered that IL was pretty large,
the same as Our attitude toward beef
steak or lobster. That eminent cdu
Gator really believed that II was impos
sible for a man 10 have n fair know
edge Of modern science without ccas ~
to believe in the Christian RELIGION
Strange as It may seem to the IN
initiated, this condition OF mind is al
most general among non-Catholic can
Gators. m therefore they are throw
back into tho unpleasant dilemma a.
believing either that we are not s!N
ccre as regards our religion or not pro
found as regards our science. In 4!
same way Or. Elliot. aforctlmc e.
Harvard, rendered Catholic cducltlp
the only service of his life ny dccllriu
that the religion OF the future wojl
he n religion Of science and that
would therefore be without priest q
altar, without mystery or sacrifice.
Is not surprising. therefore. that nor
Catholic educators. and In less measur