The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-10

the state and that it was the gov
eminent which should say how the
boys and girls were to be educat-
ed into citizenship.
The Concordat of 1929, which
was one of the pacts in settlement
of "the Roman question:" contain
ed clause by which the state per-
mitted religious instruction in pri-
mary and secondary schools, but
this did not fully meet the conten-
tions of either the churchman or
the statesman and the dispute was
never definitely settled.
Attacked Women's Attire
Another subject which brought
forth steady condemnation from
Plus was women's dress. In fact,
he deplored every manifestation
OF tendencies to change the con-
cept OF motherhood as the chief
duty and privilege of women, in.
Guiding in his denunciations beau.
ty shows, athletic meets for girls,
modern dancing and similar activi.
ties.
At one time he awarded a prize
for a design of an attractive but
modest dress, the medal going to
a model which had high neck
and long sleeves and reached to
within a few inches of the ground.
He summed up the whole question
in one of his encyclicals in which he
declared that the women among
the early Christian martyrs were
more concerned over nudity than
death. In another encyclical, is
sued in May, 1928, he said:
Christian modesty has been Ia
mentally forgotten in the way of
living and the dressing of women
especially, while an Unsuitable
hunger for the perishabie Things of
the world, anxious seeking for
popular favor and a disdain of
legitimate authority and the word
of God predominant, thus shaking
the faith"
Family Name Was Achille Ratti
The family name of Pope Plus
XI was Achllle Ratti. He was
born at Deiso, near Milan, May
81, 1857, the son Of francesca and
Teresa Ratti. His father was a
silk worker, who became manager
OF the business in which he was
employed, and later partner.
The future Pope was brilliant
student from childhood and in the
records of the various institutions
which he attended many praise
worthy remarks may be found OPP
posite his name. He obtained his
first education in a country school
conducted by Don Giuseppe Volon.
teri, a priest, and which he at.
tended until he was ten years old.
His academic education was com.
pleted at the seminary of st. Pc
ter the Martyr, under the tutelage
of his uncle, Damiano Ratti, and
at the high school at Monza.
The young Ratti showed so
much aptitude for mathematics
that some of his teachers recon.
mended that, although he was in.
clined toward the priesthood, he
ought to take mathematical
course in the University of Turin.
At that time he had nearly finish.
ed his course in the theological
seminary and disregarding the
recommendations of his teachers
went to Rome and in October,
1879, entered the Lombard SEM
mary.
Ordained Priest in 1879
On December 20, 1879, he was
ordained a priest and celebrated
his first mass in the church of San
Carlo al Corso, in Rome, while
still continuing his studies in the
seminary, where he was specialize
ing in philosophy, theology and
canon law. 1t was while he was
attending this seminary that his
father died, and left the young
priest to fight his own way through
life, heavy blow inasmuch as the
pursuit of study required consid.
cradle financial support.
In 1882 Father Ratti was grad.
uated from the seminary, receiv-
ing at the same time, the diploma
in philosophy at the Pontifical
Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas,
instituted by Pope Plus XII to pro-
mote the study of that historic
teacher. The young priests work
was of such high order that before
leaving Rome, he was presented to
Leo XIII together with his com.
rade Lualdi. with whom he had
taken the examinations and who
later became director of the Lom-
bard seminary and then a cardi-
nal. The two were destined, years
later. TO sit in the conclaye which