The Press., 1918-06-27

observed Tn the managem0nb or BVNSkA' ment schools, both as regards the inatruction given during the terms Of study, and the methods of issuing certificates or diplomas at the close of the term The ends of neutrality are letter served in any government function when no creed is recognized and no religious ceremonies are ob- served. {.
 A government school graduation is a government function, performed by government officials who are paid for doing government service from the common taxes of the common people. As such this function should lie be- yond all oree1s. The government in. vests no unofficial child or parent with the right to decide in what kind of building this official function of graduation shnll be held. Neither. children nor parents might see the difficulties of the situation in all it's bearings. Unintentionally they might not be neutral. Seeing no harm in it they might favor their own church HeDoe the government empowers officials, who it hopes will be unbiaaed, to select place or building common to all citizens, in order that offense may be given to none.
 Now am going to make an assertion that will sound harsh, but which is none the less true Strictly logical. equality demands that public school.s houses be as Gotlless as saw mill. The school room should be as un- seotarian as the town clerks office. Teaching is public function, likc the issuing of a deed. Awarding 1 u .plumas is public function. like the issuing of a dog license. Both are government functions, performed by government officials, hired and paid by the clGlzens for doing the work. That is the highest form of American. equality pushed to it's logical con clusion.
 But logic is cold thing. It strips situation of all sentiment. The. government knows this, and so it. allows us not to let logic reason away our brains. In practice it permits us to dignity official school functions with suitable civil ceremonies. It even goes further If not one citizen in a given community objects, it finds no fault if the local school authorities even add pinch of re-. Ao al function Religion will warm the atmosphere Yes, that's the real danger. To season the sectarian pudding to suit all tastes is delicate operation. More general satisfaction will he given in government institu- tions if we initiate the logic of Horace Maun
 Eii,or The Press 1
 Since wrote the article above, the suu tanoe of which I used in the pull pit us a piottSt against the holding of buildings, report has been circulated that I afterwards "apologized" to the superintendent and to the president of the school board for the remarks, I made. I did no such thing. On the contrary, I repeated to themselves, with equal force, the same words l used in the pulpit These gentlemen know we'll that the most of the, apology came from themselves, for: having done, untentionallys a very. un-Amerioan thing, by selecting Protestant church building, outside of official meeting, and unknown to the only Catholic member of the hoard, in which to perform a common govern ment function. The president of the board said to me the next day.: "I think you made the superintendent shoulder more of the blame than he deserved, because some of us had talked the matter over and he did not make the choice alone" ''In that case, " said I, the part that he does not deserve I remove to the shoulders of the members who talked it over wish to put the blame where it be- longs know he has always acted the gentleman in dealing with the teachers and pupils of our parish school '' The super rintendent said to me: '"I regret exceedingly that the matter has occasioned so much trouble and assure you that nothing like itI shall occur again while am in charge. Now what would you suggest to help us out of the difioufty?" I replied, "The time is so short now that we had better not change the plans, and especially since you are so willing to change them. For this time I shall tell my children to take their diplomas at the place appointed, if they care to do so, but that my protest is not withdrawn against future instances of the same kind. " My reasons for protesting were two: First, the principle of neutrality. Second, the principle of "tit for tat for which all nations fight, namely;-e You kick against our hall; we kick against yours. Try a doae:of your own medi- cine, etc. All of which is foolish, but we must deal with tie people as they are, and not as they ought to be. .--. ;, Felix J. O'Neill.
 The family of R. W. Smith went into camp at Crystal Lake yesterday.
 There are nine alien women regis | trants to date. Two are expeoted to- day.
 Harold Oomins has passed the ex- animation for the naval reserves and expects to report at Newport within ten days. a~>
 Grade seven of the: public school, Miss Mary Smith teacher, held their