The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1958-01-17
Catholic Education:
Which Years Are Most
Important To Student?
BY Erik Won KuehneIf-L eddihn

IL Was III interesting ulSCuSSlOI We L1ICW
American and three European educators. What we de-
bated was not the necessity. of a Catholic education but
its very nature if the material resources are limited.
There was a Swiss from Canton Zurich who explain
ed to us the plight of the Catholics in that part of Swift
land where religious education is strictly outlawed from
tHof course, he said, I'VE would not dream Of
wasting our money for elementary schools in which
primarily the three RS are being taught. We consider
The age-grovps from II to 10 the most important ones.
1t is during adolescence that the religious crisis with
which almost everybody has to cope, sets in. And This
is the time when the youngsters need help in a spiritual
$50 you don't believe in the Jesuit principle: Give
a child up to the age of seven and | will form it
for the rest of its lfe'?' an American inquired.
81 doubt that this has ever been said by a Jesuit
| interjected. 81 never heard that the JeSuits specialized
in baby care or Kindergarten training"
II see your point, an American lady said. But.
on the other hand, during The grade school years q child
will accept certain set habits. And when il finishes,
let US say, q secular grade school and has made friends
there, will il let itself be showed off to . paroehial high
school,? wonder"
"Why not?" a German priest asked. eff the parents
decide that it ought to change school, how could the
child effectively ~resiSt?"
sAh, YOU don't know our kids, the lady replied.
by nagging and crying, protesting and criticizing they
finally should win out
"Tm sure that this is not generally true", an AM
erican Dominican remarked. SIN a few cases may
be. Yet at the age of IA a child has not even in Ameri-
ca the power to make such decisions. ], for my per-
son, see the advantages In concentrating on the nigh
schools and colleges"
u hear that in your country there is a general
trend TO provide a junior college education for all young.
sters", an English lecturer said. IF this is so, why
don't American Catholics plan to establish . school
system embracing the last two years Of grade school,
high school and junior college?
That would be a truly strategic position. These
eight years from the age of II to 20 would certainly
leave a deeper imprint on the budding Catholic than
the training given in the years from 6 to IA. Of course,
if you have the cash to provide also for an elementary
school education, then do it by all means. On the other
hand, faced by the bitter choice to teach children or
adolescents, then | would choose the adolescents any
time" s.. ~
"And how would you teach religion to the chill
dren'?" the lady asked sourly.
retorfed, "esteehism on Sundays. released time. speeis!
instruction by trained Iaymen. Yet am convinced that
an hour r., Of rsI's co., at ), the h. age acct Of ~ or at = $ infinitely dany
think that this could ever be . matter OF serious dis
CUSTOM"
"Some of the public schools would collapse under
the weight of the Catholic children demanding admis-
sion'', the American layman unused. "It would be un-
fair to them and the public would criticize us for the
lack OF consideration and community spirit"
This would not cause me sIeepIess nights, re-
smarked. ut would demonstrate in . striking way TO
the broad public what burden they should have should
cred which you American Catholics had been carrying
year after year. In a way it would teach them a lesson"
"t would, the lady admitted, "but l am still uncon-
WINGED. The faith of an adult has its roots in the faith
of a child. Take for instance Mass. | wonder how easy
1t would be to make suddenly Il year old ones 60 reg
ularly to Mass"
SWould you imply that the Catholic children in the
public schools never go to Mass" 1t was the turn of
a European to be astonished. after all, they have
Catholic parents, haven't they?" =.
The good lady only shrugged and now it was the
turn of the German priest to say.something. ut is my
conviction, he said, "that the faith of an adult and of
a child is something fundamentally different. \
We have here a similar difference as between a
black and white photograph and a tridimensional color
film. g
This also explains why so many children in Adde'S.
eenee become i~rreligiovs and so many others gain q
faith which they never had before. The religion Of
childhood, as q matter Of fact, will ALWAYS be lost.
ALWAYS. /
Remains the problem Of the acquisition Of a new
one. Our burning problem is the birth Of fhe new faith
which has to last a whole lifetime. II is not the out.
going, but the incoming faith which has to be fortified,
bolsfered and confirmed. Hence would think that
adolescence rather than childhood is the critical and the
crucial Time"
This seemed to be the final argument. It convinced
almost all of us. =