The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1936-09-12

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Tniefels C. S. Sp., pastor of st.
Peter Claver Roman Catholic
Church. in communication to the
Tribune. declares that the paro-
chial school being established by
his church, at Beaubien and Eliot
streets, is not an attempt on the
part of Catholics to draw the col
or line or to establish a segregat-
ed school. The letter reads as fol-
lows:
September 9, 1886
Detroit Tribune
2146 st. Antoine Street,
Detroit, Michigan.
Dear Mr.. Editor:
With reference to your editorial
In the September 5th issue Of your
paper entitled "Detroit's Negro
Catholic School," l would like to
state emphatically that st. Peter
Claver Church is not opening
school under any other title except
that of a Parochial School. Various
papers in this city have published
articles in which st. Peter Claver
Parish School is called the first
Negro School, for colored, etc, but
this was done by misinformed per-
;sess and ant hy me nor by the
| Church to whic hi belong.
We of the Catholic faith in spite
of what individuals say to the con-
trary, do not draw the color line.
Walk into any Catholic Church in
the city or in the diocese and you
will see for yourself that this Is
true.
st. Peter Claver Church like any
other church in Detroit or else
where has a right to open a paro-
chial school for its children where
in the name of God is respected
and and wherein it's children are
taught respect for parents and for
country because there is a God to
reward or punish.
We do not blame you or hold
any ill-will against you for your
editorial as the local papers from
which you doubtless drew your in
formation put false light on our
undertaking. We have not opened
this school as a means Of prosely-
tizing children. No one Is obliged
to enter this school and parents
who do send their children to it
, may rest assured that they will be
given an education equal to that
given by any school in the State of
Michigan. We are under State SUI
pervision, and to recapitulate we
have a parochial school first, and
: If the children who do come here
happen to be colored-this is en-
tirely incidental The children who
go to St. Josaphat School are
Polish; the children who go to San
Francesca School at Brewster and
Rivard Streets are Italian, etc but
this is so only because the
churches are composed Of these
national groups. So also for us. AS
a matter of fact, st. Wenceslaus
School at Leland and st. Antoine is
in a Bohemian Parish but had a
hundred Negro children enrolled
last year. At Sacred Heart School
Germany at Eliot and Rivard, Me-
gro children constituted a large
percentage of the total number
enrolled. And at St Mary's School
at Monroe and st. Antoine there
were many Negro children in at
tendance. There are many other
schools throughout the city that
had Negro children In attendance.
If objections are sometimes raised
over the admission of Negro chill
dren in Catholic schools because Of
lack of space we cannot complain
as these schools are private schools
supported solely by the members
OF parishes in which they are To-
Gated. If my neighbor refuses to
lend me butter and eggs and to
support by children he is doing 1t
on the same grounds as these
churches are refusing at times to
admit Negro children; they must
take care Of their own first. 1t Is
not a question of color. 1t Is a
question of finances as 1000 OF the
burden of these schools is borne by
the parishioners. II It costs the
Public School System which Is sup
ported by the taxpayers, from
sent. Business of much import
ance.
$4,000 to $4,000 per child to educate
our young, how do the Catholic
Schools do this without any aid,
either from the State or local gov