Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-08

our Legislature. do not think shy
Of US would have reason to be dis
tprbed, because I think we may
recognize that it>would be . very
long time before the Legislature OF
this State would enter in any large
way into the support Of such secta-
rian schools" Senator BFewster's
view on the matter OF the higher
seetarian schools Ia shown from the
fact that In the session Of 1917 he
personally introduced the "Resolve
in favor of st, Joseph's Academy OF
Portland" and the resolve was re-
ferred to his own Committee on Ed
ucation and later received favor
able report which carried the appro-
priation asked for. st. Joseph's
Academy is one of the two Catholic
sectarian schools receiving State aid.
the other being 81. Mary's College at
Van Buren,. all the other sectarian
academies being Protestant schools.
] can not understand the attitude
OF some men who are ordinarily
fair in their judgments and not
swayed by prejudice who are allow
ing this one consideration TO control
them in their mental attitudes. !
do not wish to be understood as say
ing or meaning that men will not
vote for other reasons tor my oppo-
nent and friend but / was told by
one man that he would not vote for
me. though he believed me qualified,
well equipped and safe In my judg-
ment, unless ! changed my view
point on this amendment. After
had explained to him what the
amendment was as have tried to
explain to you, he said. II would
have done Just a. you did" and he
furthermore became convinced that
| the present constitution prevented
| any appropriation to parochial
! schools. and that he was not anxi-
GUS over the sectarian academy
phase of the subject.
The situation In Aroostoolz County
in the st. John Valley is the one
referred to as showing the danger
of encroachment by parochial
| schools. In the st. John Valley In
| Aroostook the population Is ninety
| five per cent French Catholic. In
| all the towns money is raised in the
| usual way for schools and all the
| schools are under the control of DIR.
| Thomas, the Commissioner OF Edu-
| cation. just as are all other schools
| in the State. The schools in every
| way conform to the requirements OF
| the State law and are not parochial
| schools. At other times than the
regular sessions some OF the bund-
ings are used for the religious in
struction but this Is entirely sepa-
rate in every way from the regular
work and after the days work has
closed or before it has begun. 1t is
not fair to say that this Is a case
: where public money Is used in the
maintenance of parochial schools.
The situation in that part of the
State Is peculiar from the fact that
the population Ia almost entirely
French Catholic. / am told by the
! Department of Education that the
| present arrangement works out sat-
lsfactorily. / am referring to this
simply as showing how easy 1t is
| Tor people to secure wrong impress
sions OF things on incomplete state
ments or statements which, not pur-
posely misleading. are not correct in
fact. have no objection to fair.
unpreJudiced and frank discussion of
this issue. 1 would welcome it, and
the more frankly 1t is discussed the
better for all.
Recently the Commissioner of Ed
ucation sent out to superintendent
of Schools In this Aroostook section
a QUESTIONABLE In which appears in
answer to question by those superin-
tendents that there are no parochial
schoOls:--that there are now public
schools in three places where there
were formerly converts: that no re-
ligious instruction Ia given in any
school or schools under the juris-
diction. OF those superintendent to
| which public school funds are be-
ing applied in the form of salaries,
equipment, or other expense, except
reading OF the Bible and in some OF
the schools-not all-religious in
struction outside of school hours
where parents request: that no re-
ligious work required by the Church
Is provided for the schools and that
the Church has nothing to say re-
GardinG the schools; that occasion
ally Protestants attend the schools:
that the training required by the
catholic Church is not being given
in any public school except in some
cases after school the teaching of the
! catechism or the reading denomina-
tlonal Bible after school hours. <he
service being gratuitous; that nc
public funds are being applied to
any school which is under the con-
troll OF the Priest rather than under
the control of the Superintendent OF
schools. and the experimenting
committee duly elected; that the
superintendent and School Commit
zee determine the teachers in the
schools; that all the public schools
|
IN the English language as required
by law. The facts noted as tn the
schools in the st. John Valley are
taken from what I am told are
sworn statements of the various sun
erlntendents in that section OF
Aroostook. 1t certainly docs not
seem from the facts that the parc-
email school has encroached on the
domain OF the public school, espe-
claiiy when one notes the fact that
mere are now public schools in three
towns where not long ago there were
converts.
This ,fAestion should be settled IN
calm judgment. not with people
moved by hatred and prejudice and
ny passion. Any candidate for the
high office of Governor of Maine
should not be animated by too strong
prejudice of any sort, lest per
chance. in stress of circumstance
he might not be able to deal Justly
ana fairly with all questions which
might arise.
| II there were any real danger con-
fronting the State of Maine along
the line of the school question, tho
attitude of some who now feel very
strongly could be understood. 1t is
easy to make statements about the