The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-11-27
CAUSE OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION
is OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OR.
DAM A DAY OF THANKSGIVING
NEW LAW TO HAVE FAR
REAc HING CONSEQUENCES
CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY FOUND.
ED.
(By n. C. w. C. News Seryice.)

(By n. C. w. C. News Service.)
The Catholic Bishops of Holland set
aside October 20 as a day of thanks
giving for the favorable vote on the
school bill by the Chambers, June 80,
and by the Senate, October 8, and for
its subsequent enactment into a law
through Her Majesty's signature and
PRONUNCIATION by the Government.
The law is fraught with far-reach.
ing consequences for the Catholic
Church in Holland, writes Rev. ]. Van
der Heyden. 1t is unique and an ideal
one for Catholic parents; for it places
all primary schools and the three first
grades of the Dutch Secondary School
System, whether UNCONVENTIONAL or
public, upon a footing of perfect fnan-
cial equality. For Holland it ends the
fight for the children's souls" and the
crying injustice of neutral State
schools supported out of the public
treasury with everybody's tax-money
and of UNCONVENTIONAL schools relying
for their support upon the self-imposed
additional tax of such citizens as felt
conscientious scruples against the use
of a religious school for their children.
Fight Began Fifty Years ago.
The fight of Dutch Catholics for
equal treatment by the State of all
children of school age began in all
earnest fifty-two years ago with the
bugle-call from the Bishops. In a joint
pastoral of the year 1868 they ap-
pealed to their f1ocks to combine
prayer with action in order to obtain
redress from the wrong to which they
were subjected. The appeal was not
in vain: prayer and action were liber.
ally and perseveringly supplied.
Upon the day of victory, when the
political leaders who conducted the
last stages of the combat in the legis-
lative bodies were congratulated for
their success and received the warm
thanks of their constituents, exalted
mention was made of the share of
prayer in the glorious issue, especially
by the complimented chiefs, who pre-
ferred all honor to God for having
vouchsafed to hear the supplications
of parents and children, of priests and
religious, in the holy cause of Chris
tan education.
1t was but fitting that having at
length obtained what they so perse-
veringly begged and worked for, they
should render thanks to~the Giver of
all good gifts for the precious boon
that is now theirs. Therefore, the
Bishops ordained a solemn High Mass
of Thanksgiving and Te Deum to be
try upon October 2S,, and urged the
| children and their teachers of the
| Catholic schools to assist at that Mass
and receive Holy Communion. The re.
! Spouse was but a new and grand man.
Hesitation of faith. ut stirred the
hearts and it prompted resolutions for
the future development of education
along thoroughly Christian lines, from
the lowest step to the pinnacle, from
the infant school to the university
For now that the all-important pri
mary-school contention has been dis
posed of to the satisfaction apparent
ly of all concerned, since both Houses
combined mustered but three adverse
votes, the further planks of the educa
tional platform may be accorded
proper attention.
Grants to Secondary Schools.
Secondary private schools, which
comprise high schools, colleges, acad
emies, industrial and commercial
schools, have for years past enjoyed
State subsidies. The subsidies do no
sby any means come up to the expenses
to the State of it's schools of the sam
class; but, for various reasons, NOR
is not asked for nor desired. Th'
grants allotted to them amount to 20
gulden per weekly one-hour lesson TO
classes of not more than twenty-si'
scholars. Glasses exceeding that mum
Der must be divided and are upon tina