CATHOLIC EDUCATION CLAIMS

New Zealand Tablet, 2 March 1911, Page 381

CATHOLIC EDUCATION CLAIMS

At the annual meeting of the Christian Brothers’ Old Boys’ Association in St. Joseph’s Hall, Dunedin, on Tuesday evening, the claim of Catholics to a Government grant for their schools was introduced by a resolution pioposed by-the president (Mr. J. B. Callau, Jun.). Mr. Callau said he had a resolution regarding Catholic educational claims to propose, which for various reasons the present meeting was a very appropriate one at which, to bring it forward, as the members of the association were the product of religious education. In this country when an individual had a grievance of any kind be brought it before the public so that it might be redressed; the Catholics had a serious grievance in their treatment in educational matters, and it was right and proper that their rulers should know of it. Lately they had pronouncements of their leaders —Archbishop Redwood, Bishop Grimes, and Bishop Cleary on the educational grievances of the Catholic body. If they did not voice their _ view'son the injustice which they suffered, their fellow-citizens .would not understand their grievance or the justice of their claims, and the wrong would not be removed. As ho said, the members of the association being the product of Catholic education, that meeting was a very appropriate one for the bringing forward of the following resolution — ‘ That Catholic schools whose pupils are educated to the satisfaction of State inspectors are entitled to State assistance on the same financial .basis as State schools.’ Continuing, Mr. Callan pointed out that the Catholic schools gave the same secular education as was paid for by the State in the public schools, and in the name of common sense, why should not their schools bo paid for the education which they supplied in the same manner. Many of their fellow citizens were satisfied with the secular system, and Catholics did not want to interfere with them, but Catholics desired that their children should receive a religious training in their own schools, and only ask that the secular education imparted in their schools be paid for; they only asked for fair play and common justice. The Catholic body had .shown their earnestness during the past 33 years by maintaining their own schools at great pecuniary sacrifices and under great disadvantages. They were not going to sit down under this injustice. It was said that only Catholics were dissatisfied with the present system. Mr. Ell, M.P., speaking in Christchurch recently, said that if Catholics were granted aid for their schools other denominations would also make claims, so that apparently others were not altogether satisfied, for if they were, why should they apply for assistance? The Catholics were the only people who showed in*a practical manner their dissatisfaction with the present system; they were the only - people who were able to show the result of the teaching imparted in their schools, and the work produced there. No other denomination could attempt to do what the Catholics had done in the maintenance of their schools, thanks to the self-sacrifice of the great teaching Orders by which their schools are conducted. _ In conclusion, he said that the members of the association could show that religious education .produced good citizens, and as the object of education w-as to do that, the State should be prepared to pay Catholic schools for their work. Mr. T. J. Hussey, in seconding the resolution, said that the present system of State education had three features —it w-as free, compulsory, and wholly secular. They had no objection to free education, nor to its compulsory character. They believed, however, in a religious atmosphere in the school. The Catholics did not ask the State

to pay for the teaching of religion. They were prepared to permit the State inspectors to examine and inspect the Catholic schools, and asked payment only for the secular education. . The greatest cost of education in the State schools was the salaries of the teachers, but Catholics had the services of men and women wholly devoted to the work who were laboring for a mere pittance. There was no reason to suppose that the country as a whole was satisfied with the State system. If our rulers did not do them justice the Catholic minority must assert themselves at the ballot box. Rev. Father Coffey said he was very pleased with the work of the association, and would do what he could for it. With regard to the Christian Brothers' School, both his Lordship the Bishop and he took a very deep interest in it, and they recognised the necessity for better school buildings, and he felt that when the-time came for providing these the association would help in a practical way. With regard to the resolution, he thanked God in his heart that they had Catholic laymen in their midst, who had been educated in the Christian Brothers' School, and who were not ashamed to give testimony in that respect, and to advocate the claims of the Catholic schools to a Government grant. The resolution and the action of the association were answers to. the statement of those who alleged that the agitation for assistance to the Catholic schools was got up principally by the clergy. There was no foundation for such a statement, and a complete, answer was given to it by the fact that the Catholic laymen put their hands into their pockets and paid for the education of their children. The reason they had not made more advance in getting their grievance in respect to education redressed was due partly to the want of Catholic laymen to lead them. They had justice on their side, and if their claims were fully understood by the public he believed they would be acknowledged and redressed. One of the arguments used against the granting of their claims was that if the Catholic grievance was redressed other denominations wouid also make a claim. . This was most illogical, as if a wrong existed it was the duty of the Government to rectify it, whatever the consequences. The only way to impress the Government and the public with the extent of their educational grievance was to organise the Catholic people from Auckland to the Bluff. They required a capable layman to lead them, and thev wanted organisation Fifteen years ago the Prohibitionists were only laughed at by their opponents, but through organisation and the power which it gave them at the ballot box they had to be reckoned with and respected. Then, again they had the example of what organisation had done for their co-religionists in Germany, where the Centre party, under the able leadership of Catholic laymen, had brought the great Bismarck to his knees. They would not receive justice until they had organisation and a capable leader, and, having these, they would be listened to and have their wrongs righted. The motion was carried unanimously.