Evening star., 1961-02-20
School Finoncinq

SSUOOB EIUoUStHy
In Q letter Gertrude M.
Hoyt says that. because pa
rochial schools relieve q bur-
den on the public schools, the
taxpayers should begin sup
porting pafochial schools.
Well. instead Of being taxed
more In order to funnel money
into the divisive private
schools, I would rather be
taxed more in order to ex-
pand the public school sys-
tenn to take care Of all chill
dren. whether Catholic, Prot
estant, or Jew, and whether
Caucasian, Negro-or Oriental.
Our system Of democracy
thrives only because We have
been able to maintain some
form Of unity in spite Of our
diverse religions, races, and
national origins. This unity
has as its very foundation the
free public schools. Protes-
tants and Jews, even those
with their own private schools.
realize this and wisely refrain
from fighting tooth and nail
TO undermine the public
schools. II public funds are to
be handed out to private
schools. we may come to q
time when we will have a
splintered educational sys-
tem-with each church, sup
ported by public funds, insu-
lating its children from mem
bers Of other churches and
thereby fostering even great
er suspicion between groups
rather than q climate Of. toll
erance and cooperation.
] for one would be glad to
have my taxes doubled for q
few years in order to institute
q teacher-tr and con-
Struction program to accom-
modate all Catholic children
who might be allowed to at
tend public schools, But I am
unalterably opposed to hav-
ing my tax money funneled
into any private school.
Violet Palmer.
Gertrude M. Hoyt asks how
our public school system
would react II all parochial
school children were to begin
attending public schools.
In March, 1857. Catholic
leaders in Augusta, Me-.
threatened to dump about 600
parochial school pupils into
the public school system un-
less the city acceded to Cath
olic demands for school bus
money. Perry F. Shibles, su-
perintendent Of Augustus
public schools, promptly
shouldered the responsibility
and decided to operate the
public schools on a split ses-
sion basis so that the paro-
chial pupils could inmedi-
ately enroll.
The threatened dumping Of
pupils never materialized. The
Catholic leaders were appar-
emily interested In public
money, but only as long as
the public did not supervise
its expenditure.
Julian C. Holmes.
=
To maintain the principle
Of separation Of church and
state, public funds should not
be used to support any reli-
gious institutions school sys-
tenn. The level Of education Of
the total population Of the
people Of the United States is
due to our great public school
system. This system permits
the youth Of our Nation from
all races and creeds to be to-
gether in o democratic way.
Therefore public schools must
be supported by the total pop
ulation as an institution pro-
viding an opportunity for
everyone to receive a basic
education without influence
by any particular group.
Those who choose to set up
separate facilities must be
willing to support them with
their own resources. If public
support Is given to the paro-
chial schools, I foresee the
eventual breakdown Of the
public school system. This
will ultimately result in the
loss Of many Of the freedoms
we now hold.
David e. Primm.