Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-27


let in which he opposed very strong
~ the granting of any additional
funds by the cities to the country
schools. as proposed by the Grange
Of the state, saying that there was
not one scintilla of right. justice or
equity in the position of the state
Grange" Bishop Walsh contended
that the then existing arrangement
constituted a fragrant injustice and
then Went on to say:
! The remedy for this abnormal and
really unjust condition is very SIM
pie. The constitution permits the
legislature to encourage and suitably
| endow all semiraries of learning, and
since it has already opened up this
great fund for the support and MAIN
! tenance of the public or common
schools by following the spirit ra-
Their than the letter of the conStitu-
ton, the Honorable Members of the
legislature will be doing a most just
| and equitable thing in maintaining
that broad and beautiful tradition OF
our constitution, by simply permit
/ ting 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
share of the sait per capita grant
| (of state school funds) TO any school
that has u building, course of stud
| les, teachers, equipment and educa-
| tonal fruits, on STANDARDS estab-
| llshcd by state authority or city or
dinance. the final decision in every
! case to be left to the state or city
| educational fathers
In the most recent statement of
Bishop Walsh regarding this matter,
| issued TO the public press on October
%. 1928, Bishop Walsh continues his
attack upon the system now in vogue
| by which an increased share of the
state school fund has been given To
the various country towns at the eX-
ponse of the cities. lie characterizes
! this as highway robbery of the cities
by the country schools" and refers
| To it as 'fiim-fla game developed
! under the farmer political machinery
OF the present Commissioner of Edu-
cation" whom he characterzes as
MARKHAM Socialist" Bishop Walsh
then goes on to commend very highly
! the system in vogue IN Holland "as
! one of the countries that had solved
! the same question by adopting and
| financing all the schools of the couii-
/ try as State Public Schools whether
| they were religious schools or not
! and goes on to say that many other
| European countries have also de
velopcd a school system substantially
on the same basis of justice and
equity"
1t seems necessary to cite these
! facts to show that the Roman Catho-
! lie authorities believe that the exist
! ing system is very unfair and that
| it is both equitable and eXpedient
that they should secure a share of
the public school funds for their pa
, rochial schools. They have n perfect
! right so to believe. Is it unreason-
able to anticipate that there will be
! further attempts to establish what
they believe to be a more equitable
| system when conditions seem favor
! able? The very strenuous opposition
| to the constitutional amendment pro-
! posed by me would seem also strong
/ evidence as to their policy and intent.
This constitutional amendment was
! designed solely to prevent the appro-
pration of public funds to scctarian
or parochiaI schools. Why does the
! Roman Catholic Bishop of Maine OPP
/ pose such an amendment unless il is
desired at some time 10 lnaugurate n
! different policy"
Senator Farrin@ton states that he
/ lis absolutely AGAINST the appropria-
! tion of any (public) money for paro-
: chial schools. as such. Il understand
him TO mean by these words. as
/ such, exactly what bishop Walsh
/ has always contendcd. /. O.. that
/ money may at some time be given to
these parochial schools TO pay for n
portion of the cost of the secular edu-
cation there received. which It IS of
course true relieves tho public school
system of a financial burden It is
cCntcndcd that this morCv is not then
maid to n parochial school as such"
! but is paid for the secular education
! there received.
! This is exactly what I am firmly
/ opposed TO as | believe il will involve
! all the evils incident to the confusion
of the church and the state.
| have tried TO show that the pro-
! posed constitutional amendment
/ should not he opposed On the ground
| of its effect uDon the non sectarian
/ academies Of the state. first. because
! ii will not. in nv JUDGMENT. embar-
J ross tho eXistin~ a~rannaments ard
1 e"cond. because. if those interested in.
! Tho academies gre troubled regarding
| this matter. thn Dh"iSoOlo~v can
! readily be adapted to meet their.
! views.
| ] have tried to show clearly that
II is a fair statement TO say that i'm
/ northern Aroostook thu public school
/ system and the parochial school sys-
tenn are identical and / have done
! this bv Roman Catholic authorities.
upon this point. since they should he
/ qualified TO sneak this seems to me
rcgrettable. Finally / have submit
/ ted certain evidence as to the exist
! cnce of settled policy among n
: substantial group Of our citizens look
t" grant of public funds to paro-
/ chial schools and | have pointed out
certain attempts to influence public
thought and legislative action in this
direction.
From careful reading Of Senator
Farrington's recent address / should
understand that # he were convinced
on these points he would consider q
constitutional amendment desirable,
since these are the only objections
which he advances to it's considera-
ton and adoption at this time.
This is not a problem peculiar to
Maine as thirty states within the
last few years. under conditions very
like our own. have adopetd similar
amendment to their constitutions
/ This policy has been specifically in
Gorsed by President Madison and
! President Grant and In more recent
times within our own state by Gov
ernor Baxter. Neither can its advoc-
acy be charged to sectarian or par
tisan prejudice since in Massachu-
sets within the past decade this very
amendment has had the Enforcement
and legislative support Of Hon. David