The Congress and Education

New Zealand Tablet, 21 October 1909, Page 7

The Congress and Education

A fortnight ago we drew" attention to what appeared to us to be perhaps the most outstanding feature of the work of the recent Congress, viz., the" prominence given

and the firm attitude adopted in respect to the practical aspect of the education question; and as the full reports come to hand they go more and more to confirm the view we. then expressed. • We print .elsewhere the final resolutions adopted by the Congress, and the passage which we now quote from a. paper on ' The Christian School and its Teachers' by the Rev. Father Brophy, D.D., .LL.B., is only one of many similar references made in the' course of the proceedings' to the necessity of pressing' the Catholi6 claims. After outlining the- splendid work "which is being done by the Catholic schools, "Father Brophy' concluded : ' And I feel it ' is not unduly presuming on my part to remind this representative" body assembled in Congress that this admirable work is being done not only single-handed, but while we are actually" burthenedby the States to pay taxes for - education, without conceding us the elementary right to. point put the class of school to which our, contributions- .-should go. Might I -conclude with the hope that these States will, at no distant date, see the wisdom as well as the justice of ' making provision for the inspection and examination of our schools, and of adequately remunerating us for 'the' good results we are prepared to guarantee. May" I" also be" '^permitted to hope- that "this great ; and representative Congress, before concluding" its deliberations, will make its united voice heard on this qxiestibn of pressing national importance.'

"And the Catholic Press in its editorial review of the work of the v Congress, sounds the same note : 'On the education question there can be no retreat. The settlement in Prussia, the systems in Ontario, where Catholics predominate," and in the United States, where they are in the minority", are held up as models. ' And the Cardinal has done service in introducing for our examination the new arrangements made by the "agreement of Calvinists~ and Catholics in the Netherlands. Both in Belgium and in Holland Christian education was^the cause of much strife a generation ago. The Catholics in Belgium, as in Austria, offered liberal settlements which were accepted by all ; and the Dutch, who are perhaps "the most practical people in Europe, came to ai^pagreement some years ago. The long lease of power which the Calvinist leader, Kuypers, secured by .his coalition with Monsignor Schaedler, proved to be highly beneficial to -Holland, and the result is 'shown in $he liberal and .practical improvement which was adopted by the Dutch Government a- few .months ago.' Cool ' and judicious persistence in advancing'our claims against a prejudice which is remarkable in a' young country, must ultimately win relief for Australian Catholics, and -secure for their children that justice in obtaining Christian education and free admission to all competitions, framed to show the competence of their teaching.'.