Evening star., 1955-11-20

schools represent a diminishing
force In the American educa-
Itional system. Their growth
today, proportionately, equals
where 1t does not actually exceed
that of schools maintained by
public authority.
Let this be fully understood:
Private and church-related
schools in America exist not by
sufferance but by right. The
right Is implicit in the whole
concept of American freedom
and immunity from totalitarian
oppression and In the constitu-
|tional framework Of our Federal
Government and Of the several
States. Under attack 1t has been
rendered explicit by the decision
|of the Supreme Court of the
United States in the celebrated
Oregon School case. Thus far.
happily, the right Of the parent
to educate the child has not been
successfully challenged in any
American court.
The country agrees that this
right is basic to the definition
of freedom. Be that education
provided by the State-supported
school, the private school. or the
church -afiiliated school. the
choice of the parent is decisive.
III the State has q concurrent
right to decree q minimal edu-
cation for its citizens, as vital
necessity In q modern demo-
cratic society, that right does
not extend to an arbitrary des-
ignation of the school or the
educational agency.
Rights Of Parents
It is. rather, q general right,
limited by the primary right Of
the parent to exercise his choice
according to his best wisdom
and his conscience. Indeed. 1t
Us worth remarking that while
the State may usefully engage
In the business Of education, as
demonstrated in our national ex-
perience, it has no authority
either to monopolize the field or
to arrogate to itself exclusive
privileges and powers. The State.
by definition. is not itself pri-
|marily an educative agency.
The right of the parent to at
tend to the childs education is,
moreover. antecedent to any
human law or institution. It is
vested in his very nature and is
demanded as q fulflllment of his
actual parenthood. In this it
reflects the inviolability Of the
human person and his freedom
under God. It is indeed a right
which must be exercised In ac-
cordance with sound reason and
consistently with the Just de-
mands Of society. but 1t remains
fundamentally intact in the par
ent's keeping. II Is q manifes-
tation of the law Of nature in
concrete action. So 1t is that
private and religious education
In America rests upon the law
Of nature as well as upon the
law Of the land.
For Catholic parents there Is
an additional imperative. AS
they willingly accept the obliga-
tions Of their faith, they realize
that the mind of the church on
so important q subject as educa-
ton cannot In conscience be-
ignored. As this mind Is irl-I
terpreted for them by their
spiritual leaders, the bishops,
they know that the circumstances
of modern life demand the posi-
tive training of their children in
the fundamentals Of religion, a
training which cannot be soundly
impaired elsewhere than in
schools dedicated to the purpose.
As conscientious Catholics. they
think with the Church." with
supreme confidence in a divine
wisdom, and with magnificent
generosity, they have provided
the indicated means, the Catho-
lie school.
Challenging Variety
It is dangerous thinking toI
suppose that the existence Of the
private school Is an infringement
upon the domain of the school
supported by public funds. The
private school is q concrete
demonstration of the fact that
education is not q monopoly of
public authority. It should bel
added. moreover. that the private
school provides saving and
challenging variety in the total
system, beneficial to the whole
and manifestly fruitful in its eff
fects. Those who would seek toI
abolish the private school would
not only sin against justice, they
would destroy something very
precious in American life.
Neither is the church-related
school a limitation on the right
OF the State to insure an edu-
Gated citizenry. It exists not only
to fulfill the function Of educa-
ton in our democratic society, |
but specifically to educate the
Christian for his dual citizenship
in time and eternity. It exists
to teach not only the content Of
the accepted curriculum. but that
which the tax-supported school
under present conditions mayl
not teach. namely, positive rel
ligiof1.
Other nations. with varying
success, have attempted general
educational systems In which
provision Is made for religious
instruction In separate church,
related schools. Practical con-
siderations, In view of wide re-
ligious differences, almost from
the outset prevented the Ameri-
can unsupported schools from
following this pattern.
There are those now, even
among public school educators.
who regret the development. in-l
volving. as 1t has. the risk OIL
Al -. =