Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-11-10


From the foregoing. I would under
stand that he does believe the system
In vogue in these countries, In which !
understand him to claim public school
FUNDS are appropriated, to some extent,
70 reAgious schools, represents a
nearer approximation to Justice and
equity" than the American Public
school System as established in this
country.
Bishop Walsh then goes, on to say
that he has often stated that II would
not accept that our Catholic schools
shouid be supported by the public nau-
nieipal funds"
think 1t is very unfortunate to
nave any confusion arise in this matter
BY distinguishing state school funds"
from public municipal funds" This
IS especially meaningless in this State
where very snbstantials norton OF the
funds In all towns and practically all
the FUNDS in many towns come from
the state treasury. although they
originate by taxation in the various
municipalities. Bishop Walsh drew
this same distinction at Augusta In the
hearing last winter 1t was not re-
garded as helpful but rather confus-
ing by the committee.
have never stated that he was
seeking ''public municipaF funds" for
his schools, but have stated that he
was seeking public school funds" for
his schools. and l have not yet seen
him deny this statement.
Nor do believe that he will deny
this statement, as he has made a re-
quest of Mayor Carroll S. Chaplin OF
this city for a share Of the public
school funds" received from the State
treasury by the city of Portland. He
has further made request for a share
of the State school funds in a printed
pamphlet, the authorship of which he
admitted at the time of the hearing.
last winter entitled, Facts Pertaini
to the Distribution, of the School
Fund" This pamphlet argued in ia
Tor of apportioning public school funds
to parochial schools instead of to the
country schools, claiming that this
was both wise and just under under
our Constitution and practices. This
pamphlet was an anonymous pamphlet
distributed to the Legislature of 1917.
of which l was member, and copy of
which / had preserved since that time
In this pamphlet. admitted at the hear
ing last winter in response to a Ques-
tion by. me as written by him. Bishop
Walsh states that 1.-THE LEGISLATURE
will be doing a most just and equitable
thing in maintaining that broad and
beautiful tradition of our Constitution,
by simply permitting the various cities
of Maine to come to an honorable and
equitable agreement with the Catholic
school authorities in these respective
cities, and grant to them. if not all. at
least q share of the said per capita
grant, referring to the amount re-
ceived by the towns under the State
school fund law.
The closing paragraph of this re-
markable document urges that we
shall "all keep in mind that the school
children of this State. in whatever
school. academy, college or seminary
they may receive their education, shall
know that they are all equal before the
Constitution and the laws of our Com
monwealth, that they may say: The
State and the city have enabled us to
get the right kind of education in har-
mony with the ideals of our state and
country, and that. therefore. we must
be forever devoted citizens of the State
of Maine and the United States of
America
Coupled with the now enuncia ted
Roman Catholic doctrine that it is a,
sin to attend the public schools of this
State, If parochial schools are avail
able, the foregoing paragraph must
mean that public school funds shall.
TO some extent, be diverted to the sup
port of these schools.
Senator Edward w. Murphy. whom
Bishop Walsh praises as a very INTEL
ligent and experienced educator. in
1915 advanced the same doctrine of
diversion of public school funds to pa
rochial schools in an amendment pro-
posed by him to the so-called school
fund law when he was chairman Of the
Committee on Education of that Legis-
lature, and urged very strenuously in
the terms of his amendment that ANY
city or town shall have authority TO
pay certain portion of the public
school funds ito the authorities hav-
ing in charge any private or parochial
schools located in said city or town"
and in advocating the necessity of this
amendment. Senator Murphy stated
that there is great danger that the
scholars in all these schools (parochial
schools) will rightfully say. Neither
state nor city has done anything for
my education. Why should l be gen.
erous or grateful under the Circum-
stances?"
But aside from all question of what
Bishop Walsh has said or written re-
garding his desire to secure grant
of public school funds for parochial
schools is it possible to answer the
following question in more than one
way? If Bishop Walsh is not seeking
public school funds for parochial
schools, why does he continue so
strenuously to oppose constitutional
amendment the sole purpose of which
is to prohibit that very thing?
In advocating this amendment
spoke of similar action Wy Massachu-
netts ind thirty other states. Bishop
Walsh. in his reply, refers to "the in
tolerant State and intolerant Church
that featured that so-called Puritan
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
(then including Maine)" and then
adds Let me also tell him (Mr
Brewster) that the amendment
against appropriation to religious
schools in the constitution of
the old Bay State is simply a relic
of that previous barbarous age,
Nothings of 1886 and the other
states simply followed slavishly
Massachusetts"
1t is true that an amendment to the
Constitution of Massachusetts de-
signed to protect the public schools.
was adopted in the middle of the last
century, but it was not regarded as
sufficiently effective and consequent
ly, within the past ten years. under
the leadership of their commissioner
of Education, Payson Smith, Massa-
chusetts has adopted an amendment
almost identical with the amendment
proposed here in Maine, in order to
avoid any possibility of the diver
sion of public school funds to sectar-
ian schools. The most interesting
phase of the recent struggle for the
adoption of this amendment in
Massachusetts was the decisive sup.
port and influence in favor of the