| Show THE PUBLIC SCHOOL QUESTION THE public schol echo 1 system is becoming a vexed question in many of the eastern states and cities hi 1 n wisconsin a almost most a revolution was effected on this lesue issue in illinois at one time it threatened to provoke a bitter fight but the trouble was temporarily settled by compromise in minnesota there lias has been much agitation for a year or more moreover over this question the roman catholic church though not as strong numerically in that region as in other places yet commands delose attention by reason of the prominent part one of its Ita greatest dignitaries archbishop ireland plays in public affairs in educational cat ional matters he is regarded as an authority even by his protestant fellow citizens in the liquor question h be e stands on a platform with most of the extreme temperance advocates he operates cooperates co in a general way with protestant reformers on this line though such a course is contrary to the discipline oj of his church last august the parochial schools of Fair bault minn were turned over to the board of education the transfer was made in due legal form father conry in whose name the school property was registered made the following offer offer in consideration af pf 1 1 I agree to place under the management and control of the board of education of the city of Fair bault the school building and all its equipments at present known as the parish school of the immaculate conception church with the grounds upon which the school building to is located the same same to be used by said board for educational purposes under such conditions as that board may determine to be for the best beat interests of all concerned I 1 the board of education accepted tie proposition T the be schools howyer er e were left in charge of former Vei teachers reichers chers but under the control of the public school superintendent catholic children exclusively continued to use them this led to further agitation it was stated that the transaction was not in good faith that the whole thing was a scheme to get even the public schools under priestly domination recently the he protestants deputed one of their number a mr mott to hive digate he situation he did so and in his bis report says that no change vae made last august because it was then too late in the season to introduce reforms but since then the parochial schools have been re graded state text introduced and nd lit in many in stances the teachers chai changed chaigen ged he says bays boj Kever that among the teach ere emeled and paid by the city are a few sisters of the church but they have been relieved from giving any religious teaching during their connection with their public school work if everything is as reported the public school problem in Fair bault to fe settled for the present but if sisters misters of the church living in convents be employed as teachers eachers the influence of th that church would certainly be exerted and trouble would be sure to arise from protestant objectors the root odthe difficulty is ie the ne cess sity elty of excluding religion entirely from the public schools while the state tikes takes charge of public education it is certain to continue to bear bitter fruit A large number dumber of religious people desire their children to be trained religiously in schools this can only be done fairly and add consistently by leaving each denomination to regulate education for the children of its members but this would work a revolution in the common school system sy a and as the prevailing sentiment beDtime nt of the country is against tuch ouch a change we may look for more or less agitation on the subject in utah the wisest polley policy is to encourage and support the public schools for children until they acquire a common education then let the church provide for a higher education by its own means for advanced scholars and teach its tenets therein as other denominations may do in their academies |
