Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-01-27
FAVORS LAW TO
MAKE ALL GO TO
PUBLIC SCHOOL
Rev. A. A. DeLarme Discusses
Bills to Abolish All Sec
tartan and ParOChial
Schools.

day morning, the pastor, Rev Alon.
20 Alvin DeLarme, discussed a bin
that is now before the Nebraska leg
islature for its consideration, the
measure being one looking to COM
pei an attendance upon the public
schools. The topic under discussion
by Rev. Mr.. DeLarme was: why
the Bill Requiring Attendance at
Public Schools Of All Under IL
Years OF Age Should Become a
Law
Rev. Mr. DeLarme, in part, said
Several bills relating to the pub
lie schools Of Nebraska have been
introduced in both houses of the
legislature during the past two
weeks. One of the most important
it seems to me, is that presented by :
Senator Perry Reed of Hamilton
county Mr.. Reed is chairman OF
the committee on education in the
upper house and was elected on a
platform pledging him to work for
Legislation looking to the banishing
of foreign influence in the schools
Bill Compels Attendance.
"The Reed bill requires that all
boys from 2 to 10 years and all
girls from 2 to II shall attend the
public schools during the full school
year
"In the house, Representative
Maurer has introduced a like meas
ure requiring attendance at the pub
lie schools and would limit the pa
rochial schools or other church
schools to that time when the public
schools are not in session.
while neither bill is aimed at the
Roman Catholic or other church
schools. it is evident that they would
be unable to continue while free pub
lie schools were in session, as all .
children of school age would be re-
quired to attend the latter The
measure has several most desirable
and commendable features. One is
that of compulsory school attend
ance. Most states have had such a
law for some years, but the exigen-
cies of the war, when every effort
was made to increase the man pow
er of the country, largely annulled
or set aside this wholesome law.
Would Be a Good Thing.
"If this bill should become a law
and if it should abolish the Roman
Catholic Jewish and other church
schools, that would be the best pos
sible thing for those affected and
for the whole country, industrially,
educationally and morally.
There are six reasons why such a
law as that proposed is needed and
why it should have the hearty sup
port OF all loyal American citizens,
regardless of nationality or religious
belief.
First, every child is entitled to
the best the state can give him. The
church school is not under state
supervision, is not standard school
and is not equal either in equipment
or efficiency to the public school,
Second, a portion of the teaching
is in other than the English Ian
guage. We want no unknown
tongue in our elementary schools
and should not have in church wor-
ship.
Religion in Homes.
Third, much of the time in the
parochial school is taken up in learn
ing and reciting by rote church
creeds and dogmas that are anti
quated and anachronisms to this
age and if taught at all should be
taught in the church and in the
home and not in school.
Fourth, it is unfair and unjust
for the priests and other officials of j
any church to compel the parents Of +
Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic and
Jewish children to support these
schools when much superior schools
are provided for all children at the
expense of the state. Many loyal
Catholics would hail with Joy the
abolishing of the church schools,
thereby saving them the burden OF
their support and permitting their
children to rningle with the children
of their protestant neighbors, on
equal footing and with equal adj
vantages. A creed segregation in
the schools is most inexcusable.
Want to Tighten Taxes.
Fifth, furthermore, the Roman
Catholic hierarchy has always been
trying to have Roman Catholics re-
leased from public school taxes on
the ground that they do not patron
ize them and have their own schools
to support. If this were carried out
and this divisive spirit were permit
ted, Methodists, Presbyterians, Bap-
fists, etc. might all establish their
own separate schools or pretend to
do so, and on that ground be re- (
leased from the support of the pub
lie schools and thus the whole free
public school system would come
to naught
Sixth, this is an age Of union and
cooperation. If we are to get
together and cooperate Harmonious
ly as citizens of the commonwealth
and the country in business, in So
ciety, in religion, there is no better
place to begin and no better way to
foster such mutual fellowship than
in the public schools. There is no
more reason why the children OF
Catholic, Jewish and Presbyterian
parentage should be separated into
different schools than there is for
Presbyterians and Baptists to be
thus segregated.