The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1922-12-16

Sunday, December 10, 1922, mark
cd an epoch in the history of the
Knights of Columbus at Pass Chris
tian, when one Of the largest classes
initiated into the order on the coast
was most successfully carried through
the long and impressive ceremony,
says the Pass Christian Beacon of to-
days issue.
Continuing, that journal says:
Saturday night and all through the
early hours of Sunday visiting
Knights from New Orleans, Bay St.
Louis, .Gulfport, Hattiesburg. Biloxi,
Mississippi City, Pascagoula and
Ocean Springs began to arrive, and at
the appointed hour of $50 when the
candidates and the Knights were to
form in parade at St. Paups Club,
there was a fine body of something
like five hundred men in line, follow
ing the Union flag, carried at the
head by Louis Dufrechou, one of the
most enthusiastic of the local Knights
and proceeded to st. PauPs Church,
where high mass was conducted by
Father Leech, who was served by
Hugh Fitzpatrick and Leo McDer-
mott. Frank f. Farrell, Adlai Lang,
Bernard Knost, r. Y. Ammley, En-
right Curtis with the other local MEM
bers directed arrangements and moth
ing was left undone to make the in
itiation successful, and the stay of the
viaig;4tes Knights pleasant.
The church was filled to the doors,
and when Bishop Gum arose to well
come the Knights every one present
oII
would benefit the solemn, impressive
occasion. In this they were not the
least disappointed, for it was the con-
census Of opinion that never before
has the talented divine appeared
more impressive or more effective
His sermon was one that not only
Catholics could enjoy, but one that
every American should have heard,
for it thrilled with patriotic emotions
and pointed out plainl /ythe duty OF
every true American to his God and
his government.
After extending a most cordial
welcome to the Knights, Bishop Gum
said that he could not let the oppor-
tunity pass without speaking on edu-
cation as a week which has just been
brought to a close. He brought out
the statistics furnished by the gov
ernment on illiteracy and pointed out
that 25 per cent of those examined
in this country in the late war could
hardly read or write.
He then brought out the fact that
the Ignorance of so many people IN
this country was caused by the lack
of education. While on the subject,
Bishop Gum stated that it was first
believed that the ignorance was beng
imported and so an attempt had been
matM to curb immigration, but that
1T has now been found that much OF
the Ignorance is native American. he
mentioned the low literacy of Missls-
sippi. Alabama, Georgia and other
parts of the South.
Bishop Gum then brought in the
point that while the government was
making an effort to further education
there is much un-American in this
country today when efforts are being
made to close schools. In reference
To this he mentioned that while Mich
loan had failed to enact a law to pro-
hibit the parochial schools IN that
State, Oregon was successful. The
closing of schools" the speaker said,
'only helps to make America more
ignorant. No wonder the govern
ment tells Us to wake up before 1t IS
too late"
He then read text taken from a
government educational pamphlet,
written by Victor Hugo, which said
that every school closed forced the
building of another jail.
Bishop Gum then declared that
there were over 100000 American
children in the parochial schools to-
davs~and that if these schools were
ddIte away with, it would cost the
government millions of dollars of ad-
ditional money to keep UP other
schools. He further stated that 1t
would REQUIRE $4,000 more teachers.
Pointing to the large American
flag within the altar rail, the speaker
told the Knights to love their country, !; !,
and then, pointing TO a cruclfx, toid
them to work for their ehurch ana
TO do their best to further education,
.sWe are not against any sehooi ana
are in favor of any teaching, Wnetnef
in public or In other schools, Blsnop
Gum declared. He further said that
he had never heard a Knight of Co
Iumbus say a word against q public
school or teacher, and that in obedl-
ence to the government and presldent
that the Catholics are in favor of edu-
cation in any school.
Bishop Gum spoke on the anti
Catholic work being done, in which It
was stated that Catholics were not
fit to be loyal. In this regard he
brought sout a few facts to the
Knights of Columbus in the late war
and stated that 35 per cent Of the