Catholic Church -- Education -- United States; Education -- United States
I know the above objection is more frequently made in the New England
States than anywhere else. Now it is a well-known fact that the Yankee
race is fast dying out. They have either no children at all, or only one
or two. Hence it is that the larger portion of the Public School
children are the children of Catholic parents. These States foresee that
were the Catholic children to leave their schools, their Public School
buildings would soon be empty, and stand there as eloquent monuments to
tell on the folly of the States for having erected them. Now in order to
keep the Catholic children at their schools, and thus keep up their fine
lucrative establishments, they have, in several places, taken in the
Catholic priests as members of the School Boards. Truly, "the children
of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light."
These priests, by accepting the honor! of membership! of the School
Board, give, thereby, at least a _tacit approbation_ of the godless
Public Schools. Thus the State, by conferring this privilege! throws
dust into the eyes of the people. It is, therefore, quite evident that
were this _tacit approbation_ of the Catholic clergy withdrawn, were
they to erect Catholic schools, the godless schools would soon be
emptied and suspended, and there would hardly be other but Catholic
schools. The Catholic teachers of the Public Schools would follow our
children, and would be too happy in teaching on Catholic ground, and
according to Catholic principles.
Should a sufficient number of children be left for the Public Schools,
this would be no reason whatever to fear that our Catholic schools
could not compete with the Public Schools; for, generally speaking,
Catholic children are more talented than those of Protestants or
infidels. The reason of this is easily to be seen: they have been
baptized; the veil of sin has been raised from their souls, and the
Catholic life which they lead makes their minds brighter, more quick to
perceive, and to understand what is difficult. About six months ago the
priests of St. James's Church, in New York, exhorted the parents to take
their children out of the Public Schools, and send them to Catholic
schools. What happened? Three of the Public School teachers came and
complained to the priests that the brightest gems of their school had
left, and that, on that account, they could not have the exhibition
which they intended soon to give. A short time ago, at an exhibition in
Boston, it was a Catholic young lady that took the prize medal.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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