Year: 1870

! u


nrofossioD ~ all The only object which our fel
lowctzens can have the education Of all the children
of the Commonwealth in literature morality ana virtue
II there be error, let reason be enlightened 10
combat II If there prejudice let the hunanzng ana
liberal influences Of education be brought TO bear upon
| IT, LET NOT ERROR AND PREJUDICE BE PERpBIuATED by
BEING SHUT Up AND EXCLUDED FROM TIE LiGIr or
| SCIENCE"


at very true" he continues, that the Government
has assumed only the intellectual education of the chill
dren of the state and has left their moral and religious


instruction be given at the fTesde, at the places OF
public worship and at those institutions which the iey
OF individuals may establish for the purpose. But 1t Is
believed that country where the great body of our
fellow-citzens recognize the fundamental truths OF
Christianity, public sentiment would be shocked by the
attempt to exclude all instruction Of religious nature
from the Public Schools and that any plan or scheme OF
public education in which no reference whatever was hu
to moral principle founded on these truths, woud 10
abandoned by all" at is believed TO be an error


TO suppose that the absence of all religious instruction,
IL were practicable, mode Of avoiding sectarianls
on the contrary, it would be in itself secaransm; De
cause il would be cOnsOnant to the views OF peculiar
class and opposed to the opinions OF other Grasses
Those who reject creed and resist al efforts to nfuse
them into the minds Of the young, before they have
arrived at a maturity OF Judgment which may enable
them TO form their opinions. would be gTatiied by
q system which fully accompishes their purposes.
He concludes by recommending the extension OF the
general School law Of the State TO the City OF Newfork


leaving the schools of the Public School socetyn their
existing condition, and authorizing the establishments OF
additional schools wherever required by the wants OF
the community and placing them under the charge OF
Ward Commissioners and local trustees and other Off
GERS chosen by the people OF the respective wards
and dstricts-such Commissioners to adopt and take
under their charge and general jurisdiction the schools
Of tho Public School Society and other corporate ins-
tutos entitled to share Of the public money, leaving
their immediate government and management to their
respective trustees and directors.


II the apprehension should still be INDUCED that any
school would be perverted to the purposes Of narrow
and excus secaranism during the hours allotted to
instruction, instead Of the proper subjects of common
school education q remedy may be found Of giving au
thorty TO the Board Of Commissioners TO investigate
complaints OF such abuse, and upon satisfactory e
Gence dissolve the offending school, or withhold from 1t
any share in the public school moncys.'


on the 1st of May, the Commissioners oSchoo Moneys
for the City Of New-YOrk transmitted their report in
answer in which, after full and thorough examination
of all the positions assumed, they observe in reply to
the allegation Of the memoralists that they were
arbitrarily excluded from participation in common
fund collected by the Joint contribution Of all:


"In adopting system OF general education at the pub


lie expense the object of the state to give to its
youth such education would fit them TO discharge
the civil obligations Of this life, leaving it to their natu
raj and ecclesiastical guardians to prepare hcm through


parental and spiritual ministry 10 render their account
In another world There ought TO be- and there must be
some common platform on which all the children may
obtain their secular education who destined TO act
citizens Of the Republic. To that general training
all the citizens entitled but is the public who
to determine its part uars and conditions, and not
the parents who may claim for their offspring. That


nd has been raised by the taratiOn Of all for general
education creates no rght in eaTpGynC SectFiGa to de
mand ct any portion ofH be appropriated to tie spread
Of his particular creed The tax was imposed upon
him citizen, not as member Of church.
It's object was to provide for cirii purpose er
cluSireg not TO prepare the path to any designated
place of worship The erection Of church school an
nounccs Secdraa Object 1t has its exclusive rules Of
system and government is superinended by trustees
and teachers of particular faith religious conformity
Is indispensable to participation in its direction Ms
in t17etG part of tie church establishment; and the
sectarian denomination justly feels that his
privileges are equally violated whether be be taxed for
the support Of its religious teacher at the school desk or
for that of its religious teacher In the pulpit This state
has yet asserted tie power to tax its people for
ecclesiastical Objects and If its sovereignty compre
hends such power the rights of conscience require


that the religion Of the arpayer be recorded on The assess
nentroU and his contribution be dealt u tie encourage
nent Of his communion"
On the llth OF April, 1872 the "Act TO extend to the
City and County OF NewYork the provisions of the Gen
eral Act In relation TO Common Schools" became law,
under the provisions Of which, as subsequently amended





ward and Public School systems conducted the educa-
ton Of the city. Tho following provision, however,
which incorporated in every act conclusiyey marks
the fixed determination Of the Legislature to establish
and confirm the principle settled by the repeated de-
csions Of the Common Council the subject Of religious
sectaran teaching: "No school shall be entitled to or
recei7e any portion OF the school money in which the
religious doctrines tenes OF any particular Christian
or other religious sect shall be taught ncucated, or
practced in which any book or books containing
compositions favorable prejudical to the particular
doctrines tenets Of any particular Christian or other
religious sect which shall teach the doctrines tenct
of any other religious Sect


BY decaratory provision Incorporated In the acts OF
1884 II was further enacted: "But nothing herein
tanned shall authorize the Board Of Education 10 ercde
tie Holy SCRIPTURES, tto,a note comment, or any
selections terefrom from any of the schools provided
for by this act hut 1t shall not be competent TO the said
Board Of Education to decide uhot rron If of the
Holy Scriptures without nOto comment shall be used
in any Of the said schools: Provided that nothing herein
contained shall be construed 90 violate the rights Of
conscience secured by the Constitution of this State
and of the United States"


These provisions st contained in the statuebook
Of the State; and the principles and policy clearly
enuncated in the ordinance Of the Common Council Of
1s25 unanimously adopted, after fun discussion and
Observation-Disclosures reiterated with equal unan


nifty In 1884, and again In 1s4O by the same body and In
1872 and soemnly sanctioned by the Legislature OF
the SJdUe-ht aIter tHe dpse vi NJ 1o@i - h'in 'ho
ascendeucy. The appropriation, by the Legislature OF
1862 Of certain UNCONVENTIONAL institutions and
schools directly cOntravene this princpe-nO
portion Of the Public School Fund having been touched
1t il, however, regarded by large portion Of our
fcnow-citizens as insdious effort to accomplish
indyeciy what public opinion would never directly
tionas the entering gwcdge by means OF which the set
tied policy Of nearly half century should be reversed
and sectaran schools established and supported by public
and general tara'iOn-and while the revenues of the
Common school Fund protected by the broad shield