The Washington herald., 1921-04-04
CATHOLIC PRIEST
ATTACKS MOVE TO
UNIFY EDUCATION
Mgr Thomas Says Church
Will Not Submit to
Change.

Ihe NJ rev. Sofheheo =.
rector Of st. Patrick's. yesterday
afternoon attacked the movement
to standardize education in the
United States. asserting that cur
tailment of the privileges of Cath
olics to send their children to paro-
chial schools would be an infringe
ment of personal liberty.
The occasion was the laying OF
the corner stone of the s25o.ooo
parochial school building of the Holy
Comforter Church at East Capitol
and Fifteenth streets.
The stone was pleased by Arch
bishop John Bonanzo. Apostolic del
'egate to the United States, in the
presence of more than 1900 spec
tators, including high ecciesiastics.
members Of the Holy Name and
other parish societies.
In his sermon Mgr. Thomas
defended the parochiaI schools
maintained by the Roman Catholic
Church in the United States
No Apologies
Exclaiming that there had been
a feeling in the United States that
Catholics should nrst apologize for
their religion and secondly that they
should apologize for the desire to
send their children to their own
schools. the prelate said that as an
American citizen he did not admit
the right of anyone to challenge
him as to his religious faith or
the kind Of education he preferred.
The Catholic schools are not hot
beds of anarchy: they are not un-
American; they are not nurseries OF
crime in which are sown the seeds
of revolution and anarchy" declar-
ed Father Thomas. Our schools
not only recognize the sanctity Of
civil law. but what is more, they
recognize the sacredness of Divine
law. II is yet to be proved that
any parochial school has ever taught
contempt for either civil or divine
Law. Our aim Is to make faithful
and loyal citizens, and along with
that to inculcate what we believe
to be the true doctrine Of Jesus
Christ"
VIII Defend Rights.
Referring to the movement for
the Standardization Of education.
Mgr. Thomas said that although he
was not opposing any effort to raise
the standard of education in the
United States. Catholics would fight.
II need be. for their rights as
American citizens TO give their
q children the form Of education they
believe was the best.
There IL an effort on foot. to
standardize education In the United
States" said Father Thomas. DO
you know what Standardization
means? II means one set of books,
one kind Of teachers. all with the
same training. II means that there
shall be no individuality in our
schools. nor In ourselves We are
all to be poured out Of the same
mold. to be made over, to be stand
ardized.''
Father Thomas pointed out that
although IL had been said that the
public schools had saved America,
that nevertheless a Congressiona Al
committee reports that the United
States lags behind.
o. s. Ninth Nation.
We are only ninth in education
amongst the countries of the world
eight other nations are ahead of
u.s." said Father Thomas. "notwith-
standing our boast. And the Hitter
ates in the United States are not
the children OF foreigners. not the
children of kacks. They are the
children of the whites-it Is not a
race question"
In reply to critics of the parochiaI
school system, Mgr. Thomas
declared that he would like to see
the relative merits of the parochial
and the public schools put TO a
competitive test He expressed con-
hdence that the result would show
the superiority of the Catholic
schools.
7 would like to correct the all
too common impression that Catho-
lie children are taught nothing but
prayers in the parochial schools, ["
Father Thomas continued. "Our
children do not spend the entire
day in prayer, In our schools-they
are not meant to be merely nur-
series of piety. On the contrary
they give good secular as well as
sacred training. take this oppor-
tunity to say to the entire nation
that better schools do not exist
anywhere nor are better educated
boys and girls graduated by other
institutions than are turned ont
every year by our own parochial
schools"
Choice II Individual
Father Thomas reminded hi,
hearers that Catholics are not on
posed to, the public schools, but thai
they would hold jealousy to their
privilege of giving their children
chose.
1T Is nobody's business what edu.
cation we give our children. nor 4,
ft anybody's business what is IN.
spirit Of that education" he de-
cIared-
The laying Of the cornerstone Of
the school was a neighborhood af.
fair. bringing out the entire parish,
old and young.
The portion Of the completed fr.t
moor Of the school, which had been
rallied OF for the ecclesiastics who
accompanied the Apostolic Delegate
was gaily decorated with the ma
tional emblem and yellow and white
papal nag. A circle of altar bovs
in their red and white stoles sur
rounded the platform while Rev,
Thomas preached the sermon.
At the conclusion of the Monsir-
nor's sermon, the Rev. Charles z,
W6eeler. paat0r of The .k,-.h