The sun., 1916-08-27

Of the public school. Of an schools.
toward religion? Those who hold that
education e the training for life
and the fitting for complete living, that
God Ii the very breath Of life. for in
Him we live and move and have our
being. that toward Him goes our high
est thought, our purest love. hat upon
Him rest our eternal faith and eternal
home. therefore annot but maintain
the method which trains "A for life.
for reverent living. for holiness. for
purity and humility. for the fear and
love OF God, as becomes n who must
live nobly hero and sublimely here
after"
And be bases this significant utter
ance on the very meaning and aim Of
education. a in the following:
"What Ii the aim Of education? 10
At men for life. for complete living:
this u the fundamental conception.
In it, scope II therefore embraces the
whole finite being; It does not strive
to develop special aptitude. but 1t
strives to call forth all the powers
and 30 various they are We know
with which man Is endowed. The
thoroughly educated man should be
trained in the completest n
in body. in mind. in conscience. in
Imagination. The ideal. therefore. be-
fore us Is 30 to work that our influ-
ence may help to form noble. brave.
pure. strong. intelligent. fair. upright,
gentle. generous. honest men and
women To take any lower view Of
education Is to take q partial view"
The Catholic Church takes the high
est view of the education Of the people.
1t was she who founded it on the
basis Of mans Immortality. Her aim
IL to ft her children for their careers
on earth as citizens. and for their
careers in eternity as citizens OF
heaven. She has always exercised and
never abandoned the right Of super
vising the education of her children.
The history Of Christian civilization is
nothing more than a history OF her
efforts II the cause OF popular educa-
ton. one OF the most glorious chap
tiers in the history Of the church in
America Is that which describes the
struggle undertaken by bishops. priests
and people in New York for the right
to impart religious training to the
young. As far back as 1925 the free
schools Of the city. then In charge OF
what wa called the Public School So
ciety. became so offensive to the faith
Of the Catholic people that they de
olined to entrust their children to It.
In 1870 God raised up the great Arch
bishop Hughes to plead the u of
the Catholic child with IN e~loQuence
whose echo rings down through three
quarters Of . century.
He said to his people: go, build
your own schools: raise arguments In
stone surmounted by the cross; raise
arguments In the shape Of the best
educated and most moral citizens Of
the republic. and the day will come
when you will force recognition"
They began to build schools, beginning
with eight in l84e. Is the next decade.
20 in 1860. - in 1870. 60 in 1880, 100
in 1880; while at this moment In the
whole diocese there are nearly 200
church schools connected with par
ishes, training almost 10000 pupils. 10
academies for higher branches. edu-
eating 10000 boys and girls. n 40
special. industrial and reform schools.
This diocese Of New York Ii maintain
ing a system Of education which looks
after 120. 900 children. 1t employs
nearly 1000 teachers. The system Is
supervised by a board which employs
superintendent and inspectors, and
every effort Is made to keep these
schools equal to their aim and purpose.
What do these schools cost us?
There's the rub. the test which makes
known whether Catholics are inter-
ested In religious education o. not. It
Ia too often charged that the Catholic
laity do not desire Catholic education.
that they are content with the nom
religious school. Where do these hum
dred thousand school children como
from? Who contributes the million
dollars necessary for the support OF
the system annually? That steady
and encouraging financial support is
the answer to those who say Catholics
do not want Catholic education. II the
public schools were good enough for
them, why should they pay the an
nual million and pass the public school
by?
The graduates Of our schools and
colleges occupy positions Of eminence
in every profession. In every walk OF
life, in every business, In the Govern
ment itself. devoting their talents to
the good Of society with an honesty.
a steadiness, an integrity. q devotion
inspired by their religious training in
the Catholic schools.
go =.