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Show Courts to Pass on Nuns' Garbs. Lima, N. Y., June 2C Father Fitz-Simmons Fitz-Simmons declares that the question which' has come up here of whether nuns may wear the garb of their order or-der while teaching in the public schools will be carried to the highest court if necessary to establish the rights of the Sisters in the matter. Up to' date two decisions have been filed, both of them against the sisters, directing that they be discharged, ordering or-dering that no state money be paid to them and holding to the broad proposition prop-osition that it is a violation of the law for nuns, garbed as such, to teach public school children. In discussing the case Father Fitz-Simons Fitz-Simons said: "The fact about the matter is that when one year ago Superintendent Skinner gave his decision against the wearing of a religious garb in the school room, the people of Lima determined de-termined to make of it a test case. To eliminate all confusing issues teachers teach-ers wearing the garb of sisters were engaged to teach in the district school. ihey taught as any other teacher might the only difference being in their dress. They held duly author- ized certificates from the State Su- 1 perintendent of Public instruction. Ihere was no religious instruction i wiiacsoever, ami no renjjiuus exercises. The building is a state building and the text books used were all of the prescribed order. "An appeal was taken to Superintendent Superin-tendent Skinner, but evidently he thought discretion was the better part of valor. The teachers taught unmolested unmo-lested until the end of their term. "Mr. Skinner, of course, knew that it was preposterous to suppose that anyone outside of a competent court could decide the question of the Constitutional Con-stitutional right of teachers to wear any garb they please, provided it is in accordance with modesty, and as long as the state does not prescribe a uniform uni-form for its teachers. Mr. Skinner was prudent enough not to withhold the public funds from the district, though at the end of the year he issued is-sued a decision which was valueless because too late to be acted upon. 'The matter must be decided,' however, how-ever, by the courts or by Mr. Skinner, jueanwmie rnose wno are urging tne she superintendent to decide are placing plac-ing him between the devil and the deep sea. If he himself is to decide according to the Constitution, he must reverse his former decision in this matter as well as those of his predecessors." prede-cessors." A feature of the situation is that Sisters Prudentia and Benedict have been hired for the school year of 1903 and 1904. This gives them the apparent ap-parent right to act as teachers for that year. Notwithstanding the order of Mr. Skinner, the sisters will continue con-tinue to teach. Catholic Standard and Times. |