OUR SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 40, 2 February 1894, Page 17

OUR SCHOOLS.

il£ SgßjE ATHOLIC schools have re-opened in many places MuSSCs' Q ' B wee^> an d> as far aB our knowledge goes, are wjjj|l|T very wel * attended. Catholic parents, realising I*S3JRy their responsibility, send their Catholic children l?<&<Qis2, P ast tne nurseries of godlessness and entrust them vm£%' t° the care °f religious teachers in Catholic S 4f^ schools. They know that the Brothers and Nuns and Catholic teachers will labour, with excellent results, to advance them in secular subjects, while the important matter of religion will receive full consideration. With reason have they confidence in the capability of Catholic teachers. From the far North to the extreme South there is a large and increasing number of schools, cared for by religious men and women. Heroic devotion is ever present and educational ability is not absent. Hence, gratifying results reward both priest and people for their generosity and self-sacrifice in the cause of education. But we must not be satisfied with good results. Patrons of schools should ever strive after the highest possible standard of excellence. We have not yet succeeded in obtaining justice in the form of State aid to our schools, though we have appreciably succeeded in producing a change in public feeling. Justice will come when the sense of the injustice to which we are subjected becomes paramount. It rests with ourselves to drive the matter well home. Ceaseless agitation, rational presentments of our claims, and, above all, the marked efficiency of our unaided C hristian schools will tell in the end and in the not-distant future. There is a strong feeling of unrest through the Colony, produced by the results of nearly twenty years of secular education. There is more than a suspicion in the minds of our opponents that Catholics have acted wisely and other Christian bodies with suicidal folly. The advantages which were to accrue to New Zealand from the much -vaunted 10-called national system of education, are not yet apparent, and there has been time for ' development. The visitor to our cities who carelessly passes through the throng, will not be struck with the notable superiority of our young people in manners and bearing, over those of an earlier and less-favoured generation. Those who look beneath the surface will not find reason to be astounded at the extraordinary character of the results of secular instruction in public schools. Fitting interest is not received for the huge sum annually expended in education. It behoves us to stand to our colours, and to continue in the noble path in which we have been nobly led. Though Catholics have been obliged to suffer galling injustice at the hands of ▼eritable plunderers, they have the reward of unselfishness and duty in flourishing churches, in flourishing schools, and in the thorough loyalty of their children to Christian principle. The fight is to be continued in the future, as in the past, by unceasing agitation of our claims to justice, and by maintaining in a high degree of efficiency our Catholic schools. We believp that, before very long, public opinion, in response to the appeal of the clergy, will insist on our schools being examined by the public inspectors. We are ready now. We have been ready for a long time. We should, however, be more than ready when the ordeal comes. It is said that our children are deficient in certain branches — that while their

reading and writing are excellent, the third " R," and a most important one, " arithmetic," is comparatively neglected* "Jhose who thus speak are ignorant of the standard of efficiency in our schools. 'Tis true teachers in State schools give special attention to arithmetic, and no doubt with good results ; but the subject is far from neglected in Catholic schools. We should like to witness a scholastic tussle between, fur instance, an average Christian T3rothers' boy and an average State school lad — between the average child of a Catholic school and the average child of the godless school. Speaking generally we should not fear the result. Ihe taunt of secularists should not, however, be lost on Catholic teachers, who in the matter of arithmetic, as in other subjects, should strive after highest excellence. There is one thing which in the curriculum of a Catholic child's education should not be forgotten. They should be carefully instructed in their duty in this very matter of education. The obligation of supporting both Church and school should be well understood by them. The merit and glory of self-sacrifice in this noble work should be kept steadily before their young | minds until the enthusiasm and sense of duty kindled by teacher and parent became permanent qualities. There is one matter which we shall just now merely touch on, but which we should like to find everywhere attended to. There should be a well defined standard of efficiency for pup'l teachers in all our schools. Inspectors of Catholic schools will do a great service to Catholic education by seeing to it that only qualified persons will be allowed to hold the responsible position of instructors of the young.

The Synod of the diocese of Danedin was held in St Joseph's Cathedral on Wednesday, January 24th. The Very Rev Father Mackay, who had been appointed by the Bishop to preside in his place, celebrated the Masß of the Holy Qhoßt at 7 a.m. Immediately after Mass a letter of instructions from the Bishop was read. By the appointment of his Lordship, Father O'Leary acted as procurator of the clergy, aDd Father Lynch as secretary of the Synod. A second session was held at 10a.m. The following appointments were made — Dioceßan consultors (for three years) : Very Rev J. Mackay, Oamarn ; Very Rev P. O'Leary. Lawrence ; Very Rev J, Sheehan, Ophir ; Very Rev P. Lyncb, Danedin. Synodal examiners dai the ensuing year) : Fathers Burke, O'Leary, Walsb, and J. O'Neill. Diocesan inspector of echools : Father Burke.

The funeral of the la*e Rev Mother Sharman took place at Timaru on WeJnesday, January 24. The body was interred in the burial ground of the convent, the following gentlemen acting as bearers of the coffin— Messrs Harney, Duval, Tracy, Collins, and Delaney. The Most Rev Dc Grimes, who, assisted by the Bey Father Foley, S.M , cfflciated, alluded in a touching address to the life of the deceased. She had, said bis Lordship, been a lady of high birth, who, owing to her association with some friends who were attracted by the character and teaching of the late Father Coleridge, S.J., had been led to embraoe the Catholic faith. She was received into the Church by Cardinal Manning, meeting with the disapproval of her family for the step thus taken by her. After some little time she decided to enter the Order of the Bacred Heart of Jesne, and, on the termination of her novitiate, ahe was sent to the South of France. Thence she returned to England — afterwards going to Louisville, U.S.— and finally coming to be the first superioress of hpr Order in New Zealand, at the Timaru convent. The affection in which the deoeaaed lady had been held and the esteem felt for the sorrowing community was well testified to by the large attendance at the funeral.

A BETBEA.T of the clergy of the diocese of Dunedin,"conducted by the Very Rev Father Hilary, C.P,, took plac« last week on the termination of the synod and conference. Owing, however, to the illness of the Bishop it was found advisable to curtail by some days the time that had been appointed, aB stated by us in our last issue.

The Rev Fattier Burke has been appointed inspector of schools for the diocese of Dunedio. We understand that special examinations of pupil teachers aro in future to take place.

By a typographical error in our last issue, the prize in the lovercargill art-uoion won by number 1502 was stated as 3 instead of 38,

On Sunday evening, at St Joseph's Cathedral, Dunedin, the Very Bsv Father Lyncb, Rector, in addressing the^congregation thanked them on the part of the Bishop for the prayers they continued to off jr for him. His Lordship, he added, felt particularly grateful also for the kind inquiries and good wishes of very many of those who did not belong to the Catholic congregation. The Bishop, ha regretted to say, remained still very weak. Father Lyncb also repeated the announcement nude in the morning and forenoon of a retreat for

women to commence next Sunday and last for a week. The retreat? he said, would be conducted by the Very Rev Father Hilary, C.P. Some account of the Passionist order was give a by the very rev speaker, who mentioned their foundation by St Paul of the Cross in the last century, their devotion to the work of miesions, in which they were notably successful, and the self denial and mortification of their livos. They were what are called discalced clerks, that is, they wore sandalß only on their feet. They observed three days of strict faat every week, and rose daily for matins at 2 a.m. Father Lynch exhorted the women of the Catholic congregation to be earnest in their attendance The retreat will commence on Sunday in St Joseph's Cathedral at 3 p.m.

The Triad for January takes rather a graver tone. Our contemporary gives us a sketch of a scientific article in the Noitli British Review, in which Sir Henry Howorth's theory of the flood iB dealt with. Our contemporary also goes in for corrections of current errors in the use of the English language — a very inconvenient undertaking for those who write with a running pen. We would cry our contemporary mercy, and beg of him to leave us uncorrected to pen our thoughts as best we may. If he does not tell our readerp, they will not be a bit the wiser. But is it quite correct, meantime, to translate a noun— even a noun whose compound Greek derivation is learnedly quoted — ia Greek type too — as if it were a verb in the infinitive mood ? " Caligraphy or orthography, to write beautifully and spell correctly." How about that now 1 Is it really quite correct ? Our contemporary, too, had paid a visit to a place of worship — where a Btudy of " cacophony " seems to have occupied him— exceptionally, we may hope — more than the recital of his prayers. He, however, gave due attention to a good sermon. This, perhaps, it was that produced effects apparent in the more serious contents of his columns. For our own part, the thoughtful mood induced by our perusal of the colnmns in question, possibly, disqualifies us for any consideration of our contemporary's lighter matter— which, nevertheless, wa perceive to be as sprightly and amuiing as before.

The Wellington papers report an attempt made to rob the house of Mr Martin Kennedy— which was defeated by the bravery of Mrs Kennedy. Everyone in the house had gone to bed, the door being left open on account of the hot weather. HeariDg a noise, Mrs Kennedy got up and lit a candle, and while passing out of the room a man brushed by her, extinguishing the candle, and disappeared in the darkness, The only article missed was a gold brooch.

The Unionists offer a significant compromise in the matter of Home Rule— holding out a bribe to the Church ;— The Speaker has published the Unionist plan for an autonomy scheme, which, it is reported, has been approved by Mr Balfour and Mr Chamberlain. It provides for the formation of five councils — two in England, and one each in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales— for abolishing Dublin Castle rule, and for founding a Roman Catholic university. Half measures, however, will not do.

THE members of the H.A.0.8.8. at Blenheim have issued their programme of sports for the celebration of St Patrick's day. The programme is a liberal one and gives promise of exciting contests. There are If items, the principal being the 3rd on the list— St Patrick's Grand Handicap (three events) — the details are these : For each separate event, First prize, 603 ; second, 40s ; third, 20a. For aggregate poiats in threeevents, first prize, L2O, and Messrs Dodson and Go's gold medal, value LlO 10s, to be won twice in succession or three times at interval?, and silver cup, value L 5 sb, presented by J. Hi Bed wood, Esq., to be won rightout : Second prize, L 8 ; Third prize, L 4. Nomination sa; acceptance, 10a. First event, 220 yards. Time, 11.30 a.m. The Blenheim branch are to be congratulated on the spirit Bhown by them.

TUB calendar of the Winter assizes in Ireland was remarkably light. In Connaaght it contained no case worth mentioning, and the judges bad idle times. In Leinster, minor offences, traceable to drink, were the rule ; and io Munster, though the number was greater, tie nature and cause were pretty much the same. In Ulster the list was comparatively heavy — nothing, however, to bring marked disgrace upon the province. The stupid old argument for the need of coercion in the country received a complete contradiction.

TUB Rev Father Gouteuoire, S M., is abo.it to leave Christchurch on a visit to Europe. Preparations, we understand, are being made to take such a leave of the rev gentleman as his long and devoted services in this colony well deserve, and which will be in keeping with the respect and affection in which ha is generally held, We wish the Rev Father a prosperous voyage, a pleasant visit, and, though last not least, a safe and Bpeedy return.

Sis DAVID Harbel has been appointed Under* Secretary for Ireland,

On Saturday, the 20 th uU, Miss Sarah Corbett eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs J. Corbett, of Reefton, received the white veil at the local convent of the Sisters of Mercy, takiog in religion the name of Sister Mary Stanislaus. The Rev Father Rolland, S.M., pastor of the district, officiated on the occasion.

The Rev David Kennedy, S.M., D.D., Royal University of Ireland, who has been attached for the last twelve months to the staff of the Meanee Seminary, Hawke's Bay, has been appointed Professor of Classics and Mathematics at St Patrick's College, Wellington.