The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-11-11
CATHOLIC ALUMNAE
: PROTEST AGAINST
BAD LITERATURE

literature and a defense OF the rights
of parents in educational matters were
two of the salient points brought out
in addresses and reports during the
closing sessions of the, fifth biennial
convention of the International Fed
Grafton of Catholic Alumnae here this
week. Mrs. Harry M. Benzinger, of
Baltimore, was elected president of
the Federation to succeed Mrs. John
McEniry of Moline, Ill. Mrs. Benzing.
er's candidacy was unopposed.
A denunciation of questionable
literature, and the RIGHTEOUSNESS of
the modern motion picture and speak
ing stage was contained in the report
presented by the department of litera-
ture presented at Thursdays session
of the convention. eve have come to
season Of hectic literature with
many desert romances," the report
read, adding a condemnation of
"lurid, cheap and disgusting stories
which under the guise of realism
make an unnecessarily microscopic
analysis of the more sordid features
of life. A note Of censure was added
because publishers spend fortunes in
advertising such books and girls in
converts read them"
1t was urged that Catholic women
confine their fiction reading to stories
exemplifying the working of Christian
principles of self-sacrifice and heroism
instead of filling their minds with
'sstories of the overheated imagination
of some popular feminist whose wom-
en- characters make loose living a
virtue" The Rev. Charles P. Ratio,
pastor of st. Charles Borromeo's
church, Of Louisville, addressing the
delegates on the subject of literature,
told the members of the Alumnae Fed
Grafton that they are "the best bull
wark against the spread of bad 1itera-
ture and an influence in favor of the
spread of good literature"
The right of parents to direct the
education of their children was vigor-
ously upheld by Edward J. McDermott,
former Lieutenant Governor of Ken
lucky in an address to the delegates
"All State Constitutions and the Fed
eral Constitution guarantees the right
of parent to educate child as seems
proper to the Individual Mr.. McDer-
mott declared. eff the State should
have the right to say to the mother
that she shall not regulate or educate
her child, then the State should take
over the responsibility exactly as it
did in ancient Sparta. But unless we
go back to Spartan methods it must
dawn on America that this principle
is retrogression and dangerous to so.
ciety." He advised that the Catholics
of America undertake to educate the
general public to the proper viewpoint
on the school question declaring, "No
| matter what your laws are, you are
the slave of public opinion around
you" A report of the Theater Depart
ment urged the federation to coop
crate with the Catholic Actors Guild
and the Better Shows Movement AT
| the close of the sessions here mum
Der of delegates took part in a special
tour of the religious institutions OF
Kentucky and other points Of interest
The officers elected besides the new
president are: first vice president
| Miss Mary B. Finan of Chicago, grad
uate of Sisters of Charity, B. V. M.
of Iowa; second vice president, Mrs
Frank Bandle of Omaha, Neb., grad
uate of Sisters of Mercy, Omaha;
third vice president, Mrs. Thomas A
McGoldrick of Brooklyn, N. Y.
graduate of Sisters of st. Dominic
Sinsinawa, Wis; recording secretary
Miss Anna Ward of Chicago, graduate
Of Mesdames of the Sacred Heart
Chicago; corresponding secretary
Miss Margaret T. McHugh of Ports
mouth, Va, graduate of Daughters O
Charity, st. Vincent de Paul, Virginia
treasurer, Miss Marion McCandless o
Pinckneyville, Ind, graduate of Sis
tiers of the Holy Cross, Indiana.
The five trustees selected were
Mrs. Robert Devine of Ottawa, Canada
graduate of Grey Nuns of the Cross
Ottawa; Miss Mary Brennan Of New
i York, graduate of st. Vincent de Paul
i New York; Mrs. John Morrissey o
Denver, Colo, graduate of Sisters o
Charity, Mother Seton's Daughters
! Denver; Miss Margaret O'Connell o
Waco, Texas, graduate of Sisters o
Il st. Mary, Texas, and Miss May Car
roll of Brooklyn, n. Y, graduate o
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