The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-03

and who the arbtter or what Is morally
. right and morally wrong? VIII q
passage from Plato or a quotation
from Shakespeare give sufficient
strength to the soul in the hour OF
temptation? No. Without the foun-
cation Of the eternal Jaw and the COM
polling authority Of God Himself. who
reads the secrets Of mems hearts and
Is the Supreme Judge OF the living and
the dead, can any system Of ethics
raise mems lives to the highest forms
Of moral conduct?
There are those who tell US that re-
hgious training Is the special province
Of the church and need have no part
in the daily programme Of the school.
But this plan has been tried and found
wanting. Its failure Is only too ap-
parent. Restrict the teaching OF re-
ngion to an hour or more on Sunday
and there Is great danger that men
will come to restrict its practice to the
same circumscribed period, as though
religion were something to be put on
and OF like ones Sunday clothes Sup
pose some one were to advocate that
the teaching Of patriotism be restricted
to an hour on Sunday. what a mighty
protest it would call forth But re-
ligion deals with the eternal and is the
only soil that can nourish true pa
trlotism. II religion is to so impress
the heart that its blessings may abide
forever, that it win dominate life and
regulate conduct, then ii must form
an integral part Of the childs daily
life in that plastic period when habits
arc being formed and impressions
register deeply. Moreover, the unity
OF the educative process demands that
IL it Is to produce its fullest fruit 1t
must have its stated place in the reg
ular programme OF school studies. SO
with the wisdom of the ages behind
her the Catholic Church builds and
maintains her own schools, and al
though her policy entails tremendous
sacrifice she never has abandoned nor
ever will her holy enterprise
A convincing proof Of the splendid
practical patriotism implanted by our
Catholic schools in the hearts OF their
pupils was given in the recent world
war. In numbers double their pro-
portion they rallied from village. town
versity In answer to their country's
call They showed that they could not
only live for the flag. but that they
could also die for it How nobly they
fought and bled and gave their lives
In that gigantic struggle VIII be for
them and for the schools In which they
were formed q crown Of glory through
all future years.
The charter under which the Cath
ole Church carries on her mission OF
education was given to her by Christ
Himself; the grandest. most compre-
hensfve charter ever given to any in
stitution: '.Going, therefore, teach all
nations, teaching them all things
whatsoever I have commanded you;
and behold / am with you all days
even to the contamination Of the
world From that distant day when
centuries ago she received her divine
commission, she has cherished It ever
since as her most sacred trust Her
monastic schools were the first schools
to be established. She was teaching
through her priests and monks from
the day she came forth from the cata-
combs, and was still teaching before
Columbus set foot on American soil.
and her basic principles are the same
now az they were then. She founded
the most famous universities Of Eu-
rope-Onord and Cambridge. Paris
and Bologne, Aberdeen and Glasgow.
With her wonderful power Of adapta-
ton she finds herself at home in all
At all times. and under al
forms of government. The Oldest uni
versity in the western hemisphere u
the University Of San Marcos. In Lima.
Peru, founded in 1851. Two years
later the Catholic University Of Mex
leo was founded, and both Of these
were teaching the higher branches OF
seventy years before the first
In New England was
opened Here IN America there arc
spread over. the continent from sea
to sea over 5000 parochial schools.
with an enrolment OF about LOO, 200
pupils This vast system represents
IN investment OF 500, ooo. 900 in school
property, and requires over $4,000
BOO for its annual maintenance. Upon
the cornerstone OF each Of these
schools we find inscribed motto which
points out the object Of its
highest aims: For God and Country"