The sun., 1916-08-27
Popular Education,
It's History Began With
Early Christian Church
The Story of It's Brilliant Record-One Finds the Best
Results in the Countries or Communities Where the
Church Was Unhindered in Her Educational Plan.


Sunday schools afforded the working
boy. besides instruction in religion.
continuation courses In reading. writ
Ing. mathematics and even special
courses In the arts. as for example,
architecture. One of their great In
fiuences was welded by the normal
school, organized by De la Sale for
the training Of primary teachers. an
institution now adopted everywhere
n conceded to be an essential feature
OF any educational system. The prac-
teal adaptation Of the simultaneous
method Of teaching. which made pos
sible our class methods and graded
schools. was a contribution Of this
teaching community to modern educa-
ton.
Other religious orders and commune
ties as well OF women as OF men ave
since been called into existence in the
different parts of the Christian world
by the various educational needs OF
times and places. In the eighteenth
century France was an especially
fruitful soil for such establishments.
and many other countries. like the
United States and Canada, have shared
in the educational advantages which
ensued when the communities became
large enough to spare attachments for
foreign fields. In this country espe-
cially the communities aided materially
in solving the problem OF supplying
Catholic teachers. and it Is unde-
niably true that the present state OF
the Catholic elementary and high
school system can be largely attributed
70 the energy and yea OF communities
established here from abroad.
One !ccks for the best evidences Of
Catholic pOpular education in the
countries or communities where the
Church was unh!ndered in her edu-
cational plans. not in England and
those parts OF Europe which. through
Professionalism. had been lost to the
Church. Under normal conditions
church and state coOperated in this
field and for the common good, not, OF
course. without the occasional lapse
into neglect and indifference in certain
places and the consequent need OF re-
form. In the Catholic diocese Of
Munster, for example. the vicar-gen-
eral and minister OF education, Franz
Won Fuerstcnberg G12y-lSlO), On
Quoted an educational reform in the
latter part OF the eighteenth century
which gave new life to the whole
school system OF that country. With
rare administrative genius he drew up
a series OF Achool ordinances affecting
the elementary schools in particular
and provided for their effective SUPER
vision by appointing Bernard Over
berg, one OF the most practical or
modern educators. as inspector OF
schools. 1t Is interesting to note that
Overberg directed his attention i'm
mediately to the teachers. Through
teachers Institutes that all were
Obliged to attend. and through a nor
mai school the teaching body was
completely transformed and the sys-
TEN showed the results.
The most notable school reform OF
tho eighteenth century was accom-
plished by a Catholic abbot and In
Catholic surroundings. Johann Ignas
Won F%elbiger, the Augustin!an abbot OF
Sagan in Silcsia. by h reform OF tho
schools near his monastery so won
the admiration Of Frederick h Great
that in 1865 the Emperor invited him
to draw up the school c0fe for all
Silesia and the county OF Glatz. Be
cause OF his success In Silesia he
was anerward invited by Empress
Maria Teresa Of Austria to become
general minister OF education Tor all
the German schools Of her domains.
Under his administration effective laws
requiring elementary schools in all
cities and villages and higher schools
in all cities went into effect: education
became compulsory; parents were
compelled under fine to send their chill
dren to school. In every province he
opened normal schools for the training
Of teachers. and his plan included girls
schools providing instruction In the
domestic arts.
Felb!gers methods Of organization
and his numerous manuals and text
books were adopted In many parts OF
Germany and elsewhere. even In st.
Petersburg. Before he withdrew from
Austria he called into existence or
shaped answ 3.sS3 schools.
The nineteenth century has not been
without ample evidence Of the Church's
concern for the education Of the pec-
pla In so-called Catholic Countries
France. italy, spain-her activity cor
tinued. but often strongly curbed by
the limitations set upon her by the
state. Her teaching communities never
ceased to flourish nor lessen their zeal
to meet the educational needs Of the