Evening star., 1948-10-23
Catholic Leaders Saw
Private Schools Suffer
Under U. 5, Aid Plans

Under. extensive Federal aid to
education, public institutions of
higher learning will thrive, but be
State controlled, while private
schools will be faced with q grim
struggle for survival, four Catholic
educators have agreed.
Speaking at a forum yesterday
at the Hotel Statler, the four warned
of the dangers to the country's edu-
cational systems if recommends
tions of the Presidents Commission
on Higher Education are followed.
The forum opened the annual re-
union OF alumni of Catholic Uni
versity, which is being held here on
the campus for the first time.
The speakers were DR.. Roy J. De-
farrari, secretary general of Cath
ollc University; DR.. Martin r. p.
Mcclure. Catholic University pro-
lessor and member of the Presi-
dents commission; DR.. Michael j.
McKeough. o. Praem.. editor of the
Catholic Educational Review, and
the Rev. r. j. O'Connor, Catholic
University professor, who delivered
a speech prepared by the Rev. VIII
liam E. McManus, assistant director
of the educational department of
the National Catholic Welfare Con-
ference. Father McManus did not
return in time from a European
trip.
Fears Political Influence.
Noting that some members of the
l7-man commission dissented, DR..
McKeough said "these eminent edu-
Gators are apparently quite willing
to turn over higher education in
this country to the State, to make
education political"
The recommendations of the COM
mission are that private schools re-
main status quo, DR.. McKeough de-
clared. Federal, State and local
funds are to be poured into the
community college but not one cent
OF public money is to go directly to
the private school, he added.
He warned of the dangers of
state control over education, point
ing out that the first efforts of die
tators in their efforts to set I'D a
totalitarian government is to gain
control over the schools.
The idea of extension of commu-
nifty colleges was approved by the
speakers, but not the restriction of
all aid to public schools. DR.. Nc
Guire said the rise of the commu-
nifty college was inevitable and it
was UP to the Catholics ito assume
the staggering but necessary" bur-
den of expanding Catholic educa-
tion to meet public education.
Fee Differential View.
Father McManus noted that the
commission, after recommending
that student fees be eliminated on
the ground that they are an eco
nomic barrier to equal education
opportunity, suggested that pri-
vately controlled schools derive at
least so per cent of their income
from student fees. He said the or
ganized public school profession
would continue its opposition to fur
ther development of private schools.
DR.. Deferrari told the alumni that
the commission was packed with
men whose philosophy of
includes a belief in direct
supervision and control by the state
and who have always been open and
strong advocates of this philosophy.
The Right Rev. Frederick G.I
secretary general Of the
National Catholic Educational AS
ISOLATION, was chairman. He and Dr..
Mcclure were dissenting members
Of the Presidents commission.
The annual reunionA banquet will
be held at 7:30 o'clock tonight at the
Statlef with the Most Rev. Patrick
J. OBoyle, Archbishop of Washing
ton, as principal speaker. A memo
rial mass will be said at IL am. to-
morrow in the Gibbons Hall Chapel
with the Right Rev. Patrick ]. NC
Cor:nick, university rector, as cele-
orant.