The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-06-30


public school system has become the
home of fads and new tangled ideas
lit has become the dumping ground of
novelties. American children are the
Victims of every educational expert
ment which fits through the profess
serial brain. And or course, the great
business concern which lies back OF
the public school system of the land,
is always readysto supply the neces-
saEg, "educationalia" That concerns
the A. B. C.Spf the schools.
Children who are wasting their val.
liable time on fads must neglect fun-:t
damentals. A great cry has gone.
forth for the three RS
1t is characteristic of the parish
schools that they seek no novelties
They have centuries of conservatism.
behind them. They know the value
of good foundation. They are not
willing to exploit on the defenseless
child the educational schemes of,
sensational professors. The school
is not a mere experimental station
for bizarre theories.
Our parish schools keep up with
any genuine advance in education,
but our eyes are not strained for the
fads and fancies.
Among the new ideas" creeping
into the schools of the land is the
notion that children can learn with
out studying. An educational benev-
olence which lengthens holidays and
locks books up in the schoolroom
has taken hold of us. But the re-
volt has begun. More school
days." is the voice of the people.
Already some municipalities in New
Jersey have fixed a minimum OF
school days.
The parish schools are controlled by
men who realize that it is not fair
to pupil or parent to curtail school
days.
The parish school advocates home
study. The other road to learning lies
through the moving picture show.
The craze for amusements especially
among the young in our country, has
Slapped discipline and disorganized
the. home. It is led by the hopeless
ness Of getting any home study that
| the public schools have, in many To-
ealities, abolished all home study.
The limit of educational effort is four
hours day. The millennium is at
| hand; American children are to learn
without study. We are the most edu-
cated-at people in the world; the de,
| lightful externalism of our education.
al system is producing the era OF
shallow thinking SO prevalent. We
| are forgetting how to think. The
| branch Of science in which we excel
we learn after I'VE have left school
There is a biting quality in the word
| Commencement"
1t is the desire of the parish school
to develop home study among the
children. To this end the Church ap
peals to the parental sense of duty
The best protest against the abolition
of the home is the custom OF home
study for the children. From every
standpoint, educational and moral
home study is desirable and the par
ish schools insfstgonz home. study.
The discipline of a school is
mighty help in obtaining educational
results. The discipline in the parish
school rests not merely on the desire
for learning but on moral and relig
ious motives. The atmosphere OF the
school is the atmosphere of duty ele
waited by. religion. This force is the
i great creator of character and charac
ter is the highest and most desirable
result of education. Learning with
out virtue and character is a danger
GUS instrument put into the hands O.
the young.
We are now using this religious ele
ment in our parish schools as an In
Eeentive to discipline, an incentive
(which is not confined to the walls o
the school but follows the pupil to TIT
home and throughout his days. This
accidental result, so to speak, OF tn
religious character of the parish
school is of vast Importance in tn
general scheme of education.
We submit these observations t.
the careful consideration of our read
ers. They will unfold what boo1
our Catholic people have in the pa1
ish school system.
If every black cloud had a cyclone il