C^ontenh

f

• Catholic School Question Differs

in U. S. and Canada

• Just What Is a Catholic School?

• What Goes On In a Catholic

School?

• But Why Do Catholics Have Their

Own Schools?

• How Catholic Schools Benefit

the Nation



Why the Knights of Columbus

Advertise Cuthoiic Faith

The reason is simple. We Catho-

lics want our non-Catholic friends

and neighbors to know us as we

really are and not as we are some

times mistakenly represented.

We are confident that when

our religious Faith is better un-

derstood by those who do not

share it, mutual understanding

will promote the good-will which

is so necessary in a predominant-

ly Christian country whose gov-

ernment is designed to serve all

the people—no matter how much

their religious convictions may

differ.

American Catholics are con-

vinced that as the teachings of

Christ widely and firmly take

hold of the hearts and conduct

of our people, we shall remain

free in the sense that Christ

promised (John VIII, 31-38),

and in the manner planned by

the Founding Fathers of this

republic.

Despite the plainly stated will

of the Good Shepherd that there

be "one fold and one shepherd,”

the differences in the understand-

ing of Christ’s teaching are

plainly evident. It has rightfully

been called "the scandal of a

divided Christianity.”

If there is anything which will

gather together the scattered

flock of Christ, it is the nation-

wide understanding of the

Savior, what He did and how He

intended mankind to benefit by

the Redemption.

To this end, we wish our

fellow-Americans to become ac-

quainted with the teachings of

Christ as the Catholic Church

has faithfully presented them,

since the day the apostles in-

vaded the nations of the world

in willing and courageous obedi-

ence to Christ’s command: ”Go,

therefore, and make disciples of

all nations . . .” (Matt. XXVIII,

19).

SUPREME COUNCIL

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
Religious Information Bureau

4422 LINDELL BLVD. ST. LOUIS 8, MO.

© Knights of Columbus 1952



CATHOLIC SCHOOL QUESTION

DIFFERS IN U.S. AND CANADA

The United States is not, of course,

the only land in which Catholics

have their own schools.

But the chief controversy and

disagreement over the separate

system of Catholic schools is cen-

tered largely in the United States;

and for that reason, this pamphlet

is limited to an explanation of why

and how Catholic schools operate in

the United States.

It is highly improbable that any

system of public education could

provide Catholic children with the

type of religious instruction which

their parents are duty-bound to

give them. How, then, could Catho-

lic parents be satisfied with a

system of public education which

prohibits any religious training by

law?

The existence of Catholic schools

in Canada does not create the same

problem. In the predominantly

Catholic Province of Quebec, for

example, both Catholic and public

schools are supported by public

funds. In the Province of Ontario,

the law requires daily prayer, Bible

reading and other religious train-

ing in the public schools.

People everywhere are becoming

increasingly aware of the need for

the adequate religious education of

our children. This is true not only

of Catholics, but non-Catholics, too.

It is true not only in the United

States, but also in Canada.

A careful reading of this pam-
phlet will enable you better to

understand why Catholics pay for

the building and operation of their

own parochial schools, while also

paying their full share of taxes to

support public schools.

It will remove from your mind

many erroneous ideas sometimes en-

tertained by non-Catholics, such as

the belief that Catholic schools are

different and inferior to public

schools . . . that they fail to educate

children for full and responsible

citizenship . . . that their purpose is

to segregate Catholic children from

others.

It will give you a clear, under-

standable picture of why Catholics

have their own schools . . . and

what goes on in a Catholic

school, whether it is located in the

United States, Canada or any other

land.

1



JUST WHAT IS A
CATHOLIC SCHOOL?

Have you ever visited a

Catholic school? Very like-

ly there is one in your

neighborhood. It may be

called St. Dominic’s, or St.

Leo’s, or Holy Redeemer, or

by some similar name, but

we shall call it St. Stephen’s

Parish Grade School.

You have passed St.

Stephen’s numerous times;

you have read about it in your

local newspaper; and you have

friends or business acquaintances

whose children attend school there.

Perhaps your own children have

friends at St. Stephen’s, or have

played against it in baseball and

other sports, or have participated

with its students in community

programs and civic celebrations. In

appearance St. Stephen’s is much

like any school—desks, blackboards,

a library, and a playground; but

you wish to learn about the char-

acter, the purpose, the operation,

the achievement, and the contribu-

tion to the nation of St. Stephen’s

and other Catholic schools.

You may have certain questions

about Catholic schools for which

you have long been intending to

obtain the answers, but have not

had the time or the opportunity

to do so. Let’s visit St.

Stephen’s.

On the way over, we can

discuss briefly the history

of the Catholic schools in

the United States.

The first schools in our

land were Catholic. History

tells us that Catholic schools

appeared in New Mexico as
early as 1516, in Florida in

1565, and in Texas and California

throughout the seventeenth and

eighteenth centuries. Those schools,

educating children and youth of

all ages, were erected by the Span-

ish missionaries, and continued

through many years until Indian

revolts and political upheavals de-

stroyed almost all traces of them.

During the course of the seven-

teenth and eighteenth centuries

schools were also erected through-

out the Mississippi Valley and

around the Great Lakes by the

French missionaries. One of those

early schools, an academy for girls

founded in 1727 in New Orleans,

has continued down to the present

time.

Georgetown University, in the

District of Columbia, has the dis-

tinction of being the oldest Catho-

lic college in the United States.

2



It was formally established in 1789,

the year when the Constitution

went into effect and George

Washington became the first presi-

dent of our land.

The first free parochial school

for boys and girls in the United

States was started in St. Joseph’s

Parish, Emmitsburg, Maryland, in

1810. That was thirty years before

Horace Mann instituted the public

school system.

Today, there are Catholic schools

in every state, in the District of

Columbia, and in our territorial

possessions. You will find Catholic

schools in downtown business

areas, in factory districts, in con-

gested residential neighborhoods,

in the great cities, in villages and

small towns, and in rural areas.

The Catholic schools constitute a

complete educational system, ele-

mentary, secondary, graduate, and

professional, and within their walls

American youth can spend a happy

and profitable twelve, or sixteen,

or even more years.

Here we are at St. Stephen’s,

which is one of 10,372 Catholic

elementary schools in America. It

is named after St. Stephen, who

was the first Christian to give up

his life rather than to deny his

religion. Catholic schools have the

names of saints in order that the

pupils may be constantly reminded

to practice the virtues and to imi-

tate the holy life of the particular

saint. The cross above the entrance,

being the symbol of Christianity,

impresses the pupils with the ne-

cessity and obligation of consider-

ing and obeying God in all their

actions. The American flag hang-

ing there in the hallway reminds

the students that they are at St.

Stephen’s to learn to be loyal and

useful citizens as well as good

Christians.

The first person whom we will
talk to at St. Stephen’s is the pastor.

Father Colby, who has just finished

a conference with the principal

on matters of school policy. St.

Stephen’s belongs to the parish of

the same name, and for that reason

it is classified as a parochial Catho-

lic school. A small number of
Catholic grade schools, known as

private Catholic schools, are owned

and operated by religious teaching

communities.

As pastor of St. Stephen’s parish,

Father Colby is the head of the

school and generally responsible

for its policies and operations. The

direct and daily administration of

the school is, however, delegated

by Father Colby to the principal

and her staff of teachers. He is

3



busy enough with the purchasing

of supplies and equipment, the

supervision of repairs and main-

tenance, and, especially, with find-

ing the money needed to support

St. Stephens. You may ask Father

Colby your questions about the

financing of St. Stephen’s.

"Where did I get the money to

build St. Stephen’s?” Father Colby

replies. "Where do I find the

money to meet current expenses,

purchase supplies, and pay the

salaries of the sisters teaching here?

The answer is simple and magnifi-

cent. From the self-sacrificing men

and women of this parish.

"When it was decided fifteen

years ago to build our parochial

school in accordance with the wish

of the Church that every parish have

a Catholic school, I called my pa-

rishioners together and we worked

out ways and means of raising the

substantial down payment which

was required. A special collection
was taken up each Sunday to which

the people contributed as generous-

ly as possible. The men ran bazaars;

the women conducted cake sales.

The school fund grew; and, finally,

we hired an architect and a con-

tractor, built St. Stephen’s, and as-

sumed a large mortgage.

"St. Stephen’s does not charge

tuition. The school is free to every

boy and girl in our parish. The

same situation prevails in a num-

ber of parochial schools throughout

the country. Those that do charge

tuition require it only of parents

who can afford to pay; and then

the tuition will vary according to

the financial condition of the par-

ish. St. Stephen’s also furnishes

textbooks free, as do many of our

elementary schools. Some parochial

schools rent textbooks at a nom-

inal rate, and others have the par-

ents buy them if they can afford

to do so. In Louisiana, Mississippi,

New Mexico, and Oregon, the
State supplies textbooks other than

religious ones.

"The money to operate St.

Stephen’s”, continued Father Colby,

"comes from the free-will dona-

tions which my parishioners make
to the collection each Sunday. You

will find this true of all parochial

schools. They depend for their

financial support almost entirely

upon the generosity of our Catholic

people. The cost of building and

maintaining parochial schools is, as

you surely realize, a heavy, heavy

burden upon the Catholic laity. The

burden would be still heavier were

it not for the self-sacrifice of the

religious men and women who

teach in our schools. We pay the

4



sisters at St. Stephen’s, or more

accurately the religious community

of which they are members, $900.00

per year or enough to feed, clothe

and shelter them on a modest scale.

In some parts of the country, where

Catholics are few and the parishes

very poor, the sisters are paid as

little as $500.00 per year.

"No, the sisters do not complain

because they are underpaid for the

hard work of teaching. The sisters

have dedicated themselves out of

love of God to the education of

Catholic youth; and they ask no

other reward than the privilege of

assisting Catholic parents in edu-

cating their children to be good

Catholics and good Americans.

"There are approximately

5,000,000 students in Catholic grade

and high schools in the United

States. Using $350.00 as an average

per pupil for operating costs in pub-

lic schools, this means that these

Catholic school students are saving

taxpayers over 1.5 billion dollars an-

nually. This is in operating costs

only and does not include tremen-

dous capital expenses for school

construction, etc. I am sure you

will agree with
J.

Edgar Hoover,

Director of the Federal Bureau of

Investigation and a non-Catholic,

who in speaking of the Catholic

schools declared: 'No gift of the

Rockefeller or Carnegie founda-

tions, or any other Christian de-

nomination, can equal the gift

presented to the American people

by the Catholic Church.’

"But to be a real and enduring

gift the Catholic schools must do

more than save the American tax-

payer $1,500,000,000 each year. If,

as some individuals like to think,

Catholic schools exist solely for

the benefit of the Church and

accomplish little more than the

teaching of religion, they would be

a gift of value. And yet they do

much more. For the answer, talk

with the principal and teachers here

at St. Stephen’s, observe our boys

and girls, visit the classrooms, and

find out for yourself what a Cath-

olic school is and what a Catholic

school does. Then you will be able

to decide whether I am right or

wrong in asserting that the Catholic

schools render a much needed pub-

lic service, and are, therefore, a gift

of great value to the American peo-

ple. When time permits, please let

me know your decision.”

The principal of St. Stephen’s is

Sister Mary Helen. She is a mem-

ber of the religious order of women

that conducts St. Stephen’s, and has

voluntarily bound herself to serve

God by vows of poverty, chastity,

and obedience. Sister Mary Helen

and the sisters of her staff were

appointed by the officers of their

religious community, and after a

term of service at St. Stephen’s will

ordinarily be transferred to some

other Catholic school conducted by

their community.

The teachers at St. Stephen’s, as

in the Catholic schools throughout

the country, meet state require-

ments for public school teachers.

In most parts of the country the

elementary teacher must have at

least two years of college educa-

tion, and high school teachers must

have four. Catholic schools volun-

5



tarily comply with these state re-

quirements. Since, in the words of

Pope Pius XI, "perfect schools are

the result of good teachers, teach-

ers who are thoroughly prepared

and grounded in the matter they

have to teach . . . the training of

teachers for the Catholic schools is

an especially important part of

Catholic education. Many religious

communities have organized normal

schools within their motherhouse

where the sisters, or brothers, or

priests, can obtain the necessary

training. Others send their mem-

bers to Catholic colleges that spe-

cialize in teacher training, and, for

special courses, to non-Catholic and

state institutions. There are, in

addition, 31 diocesan teachers’

colleges and normal schools, all

approved by their respective state

departments of education. A dio-
cese, from which the word diocesan

is derived, is an administrative unit

of the Catholic Church which

comprises a number of parishes

like St. Stephen’s and over which

a bishop presides. Summer school,

teachers’ conferences, and profes-

sional literature keep the Catholic

school teacher informed of the lat-

est teaching methods and equip-

ment and conversant with the

progress and changes in his or her

field of work.

Here is Sister Mary Helen’s

office. As principal, she is respons-

ible for the day-to-day administra-

tion of St. Stephen’s, directs the

education program, co-ordinates the

work of the teaching staff, and

holds faculty meetings at regular

intervals to discuss disciplinary and

teaching problems as well as to

plan phases of the school program.

She and her staff are assisted in

their work by a sister who is called

the community supervisor. All the

religious teaching orders have

supervisors who visit the schools

which are taught by members of

their order, help the teachers with

their problems, and try to see that

each teacher is doing the work for

which she is best suited.

"Sister Mary Helen, may we in-

terrupt your busy day for a few

minutes? We are visiting St.
Stephen’s to learn what a Catholic

school is and what a Catholic

school does. Since it is wise to

begin a quest for information with

a definition of terms, will you

define for us the term a Catholic

school’?”

"That’s a good question,” Sister

Mary Helen replied, "because

there is so much misunderstanding

about Catholic schools. But first,

let me tell you what a Catholic

6



school is not. It is not, for instance,

a Sunday school operating five days

a week. Its curriculum does not

merely add religion to the practical

subjects taught in other schools.

Its object is not merely to acquaint

children with the prayers, rules and

ceremonies of the Catholic Church.

And the Church has not established

its own school system merely to

promote its own interests, to keep

Catholics apart from other people,

or to wield any undue influence

upon the lives of its people.

"The Catholic school is built

upon the conviction of the Catho-

lic people, that God is the all-

important consideration in our

lives — and therefore in our edu-
cation. We recognize that the
talents and abilities which educa-

tion seeks to develop are God-given

talents and abilities, and that their

development and use must be in

keeping with the purpose for which

God gave them to us.

"To achieve this, we believe that

God must be the beginning, the

core and the end of the school

curriculum. Our understanding and

appreciation of Him, our Creator,

must permeate and color all that

we learn and think and believe. In

a Catholic school, therefore, reli-

gion is not merely a separate or

additional course, but rather the

basic principle which gives direc-

tion and meaning to all that we

learn.

"The Catholic school seeks to

provide the highest type of intel-

lectual, cultural, physical and moral

education — to equip Catholics to
live usefully and worthily in a

complex human society. It plants

in the minds and hearts of its

children a deep sense of responsi-

bility to their community, their

nation and their fellow-man. It

impresses upon them their obliga-

tions to government, to the up-

holding of law and order, and to

the fulfillment of their duties as

good citizens.

"The Catholic school does not

minimize in the least, the impor-

tance of training children in all the

practical aspects of living. Its cur-

riculum is, therefore, quite like that

of the good public school except

for the motivating principle which

casts God’s understanding light on

all things taught and learned.

"In our modern society, even the

individual who does not believe

in God at all can acquire the in-

tellectual and cultural advantages

of a good education — by looking
only through the eyes of the mind.

In the Catholic school, a child is

taught to search for knowledge

through the windows of the soul.”

7



The school calendar which you

see posted outside Sister Mary

Helen’s office was drawn up by the

diocesan superintendent of schools,

Father Ellis, and is followed by all

the parochial schools of the diocese

embracing your community. The

bishop of a diocese is the head of

its diocesan school system which

includes the parochial grade schools,

the diocesan central high schools,

and other institutions of learning

conducted under the direct aus-

pices of the diocese.

Each diocese has a school board

appointed by the bishop and re-

sponsible to him for the general

supervision and progress of the

diocesan school system. The execu-

tive officer of the school board is

the diocesan superintendent of

schools, a priest who has had

thorough training and extensive

experience in education. He is ap-

pointed by the bishop and repre-

sents him in the administration of

the diocesan schools.

As diocesan superintendent,

Father Ellis is the unifying and

guiding factor in the schools of

his diocese. Under his guidance

improved methods of teaching

have been introduced, standard

tests have been adopted and plans

have been put into operation, for

supervision by diocesan super-

visors who visit the class-rooms

to see that the highest standards

are maintained. The course of

study followed at St. Stephen’s is

planned and the textbooks used are

selected by Father Ellis together

with the curriculum committee of

the diocese. Every year he publish-

es a report giving a complete

statistical account of the diocesan

schools and making recommenda-

tions for their improvement. In

addition to all of this, he is a mem-

ber of many committees and is

called upon to give many talks.

You may have seen him last Sun-

day on television when he parti-

cipated in a round-table discussion

of the question: "Are new teaching

methods needed to meet the present

world crisis?”

Our next stop will be the school

auditorium where a meeting of the

Parent-Educator Group is in prog-

ress. Catholic parents do not free

themselves of all obligation in re-

gard to their children’s education

by sending them to a Catholic

school and contributing to its sup-

port. The Church teaches that par-

ents have the primary and an in-

contestable right to educate their

children, and it insists that even

the best school is unable to handle

the job of education without par-

ental help and cooperation. Catho-

lic parents have the duty, as well

as the right, to take an active

vigilant interest in the education

which the Catholic schools under-

take to give their children.

The majority of Catholic ele-

mentary schools, and many of the

high schools and colleges, have

parents’ organizations. These groups

serve many purposes. They func-

tion as an invaluable liaison be-

tween the parents and the teachers,

so that home and school may work

together for the betterment of the

child. They also perform all sorts

of activities in the school, such as

running the lunchrooms, assisting

8



the public health nurse, and pro-

viding library service, radio equip-

ment, and other educational aids.

In a number of dioceses Catholic

lay men and women serve as mem-

bers of the diocesan school board

and thus have a direct and major

role in the supervision and man-

agement of their Catholic schools.

St. Stephen’s Parent-Educator

Group has planned for this year a

series of lectures intended to ac-

quaint parents with organizations

which promote Catholic education

on a national scale. The speaker

today is Bishop Sheen, who is

Director of the Education Depart-

ment of the National Catholic Wel-

fare Conference in Washington,

D. C. This department is a clear-

ing house of information and a

service agency for the Catholic

schools. It collects data concerning

Catholic schools, furnishes informa-

tion to school officials and the

general public, advises Catholic ed-

ucators on problems of national

concern and represents the inter-

ests of Catholic education generally.

There is no over-all national agency

which controls the Catholic schools.

Bishop Sheen is speaking on

the National Catholic Educational

Association. This is a voluntary

organization of Catholic educators,

lay and religious. At national meet-

ings the members exchange ideas,

hear discussions upon important

problems, and learn of new teach-

ing methods and equipment. At

regional meetings the members dis-

cuss problems peculiar to their own

areas. The Association issues a quar-

terly bulletin and an occasional

newsletter which brings important

items in the field of education to

the attention of the members.

So far our visit to St. Stephen’s

has shown you how a Catholic

school is financed, staffed, and ad-

ministered. But these, no matter

how excellent they may be, are, at

most, only the framework of a

school and of themselves cannot

work the deep and abiding changes

which are necessary to produce

pupils loyal alike to God and

country. The vital process of St.

Stephen’s is to be found in the

classrooms where by guidance and

instruction and through example

and environment the pupils acquire

a full measure of the truth, a deeper

love of the good and a finer ap-

preciation of the beautiful. Our

next stop then will be the class-

rooms. There you will see what a

Catholic school does, and thereby

will learn more about what a Cath-

olic school is.

9



WHAT GOES ON

IN A CATHOLIC SCHOOL?

Since the bell has rung for

recess at St. Stephen’s, we

shall postpone our visit to

the classrooms until classes

are resumed. We can spend
the time observing the chil-

dren at play.

Notice how they look and

act, and are exactly like any

group of American school

children. They represent

various classes of society, different

nationalities and races, and every

economic level. The boy at bat is

the son of the president of the steel

fabricating plant on the River

Road. The father of the boy pitch-

ing is the president of the union

which struck that plant last fall.

The catcher lives in an expensive

rambler on fashion row; the first

baseman calls home a tenement

house in shanty town. You can see

Norway in the blonde miss rushing

down the slide, and Italy or Spain

in the dark-eyed boy crowding after

her. The parents of the child going

up on the seesaw came to America

from Japan; the great-grandparents

of the boy coming down were

brought here as slaves from Africa.

You will find the same diversity of

backgrounds in most Catholic

schools. Attendance there is neces-

sarily an experience from

which American youth de-

rives such important con-

cepts as brotherhood, demo-

cracy, and equality.

In contrast to St. Ste-

phen’s, there are in certain

sections of the country

Catholic schools where vir-

tually the entire enrollment

consists of a single peo-

ple or nationality, for example,

Chinese, or Mexican, or Negro.

This situation, which is also true

of the public schools, results from

the fact that racial strains are at

times found living in one com-

munity or neighborhood. Where

state law requires, the Church

operates parochial schools exclu-

sively for Negro children. There

are also Catholic schools for the

Indians on the various reservations

throughout the country. The Church

builds and maintains schools wher-

ever her children are to be found,

so that all may have the Christian

education to which they are en-

titled.

This may surprise you. The tow-

head you see skipping rope is not

a Catholic. She is a Presbyterian.

While Catholic schools are intend-

ed primarily for Catholic children,

10



they, as a rule, admit non-Catholic

children if there is room for them

and their parents want them ad-

mitted. This is particularly true of

Catholic high schools and colleges.

The percentage of non-Catholic

students attending Catholic schools

varies from two percent in some

schools to almost fifty percent in

others. Non-Catholic students are

not required to take religion cours-

es or to attend religious services,

although they may if they so wish

and their parents do not object.

Many of the most loyal and repre-

sentative alumni of Catholic schools

are Protestant or Jewish.

The boys and girls whom we

are now watching at play will one

day be the men and women of

America, and will be found in

every walk of life. They will be

farmers and laborers, housewives

and civic leaders, soldiers and

bureaucrats, voters and statesmen,

and many will be fathers and

mothers. In order that each in his

or her own way may work to build

a better America and a better

world, and attain the ultimate goal

of mankind — union with God in
heaven — as do all Catholic schools,
St. Stephen’s is seeking to assist

its pupils to develop the ideas,

the attitudes, the abilities, and the

habits that are demanded for Chris-

tian living in our American and

democratic society. Our visit to

various classrooms at St. Stephen’s

will show you what a Catholic

school does to attain that objective.

You will learn that St. Stephen’s

does more than teach its pupils the

answers to the catechism, and has

them do more than recite prayers,

all important as those activities are

in a Catholic school. You will learn

that St. Stephen’s furnishes its

pupils a full and a fine education,

equal in content and method to

what they would receive at a public

school in your community, but dif-

ferent in that whatever they learn,

they relate to God as the source,

the center, and the final goal of

every human action. The bell end-

ing recess has sounded. The chil-

dren are returning to their class-

rooms. We will follow them.
Our first stop will be the third

grade where a class in safeguarding

physical health is under way. Physi-

cal fitness is a major goal of a

Catholic student. In the classrooms

of St. Stephen’s the boys and girls

are learning about the structure of

the human body and its beauty as

the handiwork of God, are acquir-

ing proper habits of health and

diet, and are being taught how to

cooperate with public agencies in

11



the maintenance of safety for them-

selves and others. St. Stephen’s has

its pupils undergo periodic exami-

nations by the doctors and nurses

of the Public Health Service which

your community maintains. If any

physical defects are discovered, par-

ents are made aware of them so

that steps may be taken to correct

them.

In addition, St. Stephen’s has

baseball, basketball, football and

volleyball teams, as well as formal

physical education classes, in order

that the pupils may develop co-

ordination, teamwork, and habits of

fair play. Some Catholic schools are

handicapped by the lack of a gym-

nasium and proper sports equip-

ment, but by ingenuity in the use

of hallways, school yards, and va-

cant lots, they provide their stu-

dents with adequate exercise and

recreation. Meanwhile, the priests

and the people are working to-

gether to raise the money needed

to improve conditions.

From the third grade we shall

cross the corridor, and will watch

the fifth graders as they work out

their arithmetic problems. Since

economic competency is a major

goal of every Catholic student, the

pupils at St. Stephen’s are learning

the use of numbers, fractions, and

decimals, and are acquiring skill

in applying them to the solution of

everyday problems. They are also

being taught to read, and write,

and spell, and are developing the

ability to express themselves orally

and in writing as well as the habit

of thoughtful listening. But, be-

cause St. Stephen’s is a Catholic

school, its pupils are attaining more

than proficiency in earning a live-

lihood. Notice the problems the

children at the front blackboard

are solving. They involve and em-

phasize charity and justice in com-

munity living and business prac-

tices. Later the children will dis-

cuss and learn to apply Christian

principles to problems concerned

with social justice, such as fair rates

of interest, reasonable profits, and

family wages and budgets. In read-

ing classes they will read Bible

selections and religious books, as

well as fiction, biography, and

poetry; and in writing and spelling

classes they will learn that truth

and virtue, as well as grammar

and diction, should guide their

pens and move their lips. Thus,

the pupils of St. Stephen’s in gain-

ing economic competency acquire

also the moral and spiritual values

which they must have, if they are

to earn their living with due re-

gard for the laws of God and

America and with sincere respect

for the rights of others.

Our next stop will be the sixth

grade where the pupils are study-

ing examples of early American

arts and crafts. Cultural develop-

ment is another of the major goals

of a Catholic student. The Catholic

schools have art classes to encour-

age the creative ability of their

pupils and to teach them to see

and appreciate beauty wherever

found. They have music classes to

enable their pupils to cultivate a

taste for good music, to study the

lives and the works of great musi-

cians, and to foster individual

talents. Nor do the Catholic schools

neglect science in developing the

12



cultural knowledge and background

of their pupils. They have classes

in which the students study the

world about them and the heavens

above them, learn the laws that

govern the universe, and through

field trips and laboratory experi-

ments delve into the workings of

nature.

Cultural development in a

Catholic school, however, is not

attained apart from man’s relation-

God; and that the plants, the

animals, and all the resources of

the earth are gifts of God, which

man has the responsibility to use

wisely and to conserve for future

generations.

Before leaving the sixth grade,

we shall ask the teacher in charge,

Sister Jane Marie, to answer your

questions concerning the teaching

methods employed in Catholic

schools. "Sister, what teaching

ship with God. The Catholic stu-

dent learns of music’s role in the

worship of God, as shown in the

chants of the Church and the re-

ligious compositions of great com-

posers and of art’s role in the

glorification of God, as found in

the devotional works of master

painters and famous sculptors.

Through science the Catholic pupil

comes to the realization that the

order, the harmony, and the beauty

of the universe could not exist

without a Designer, whom we call

methods do Catholic schools em-

ploy? Are they modern, democratic

and conducive to independent

thinking and personal develop-

ment? Or, as some people claim,

do Catholic schools merely tell

their pupils what to think, what

to do and demand of them blind

obedience and acceptance?”

"There is,” Sister Jane Marie

replies, "no complete uniformity

among Catholic schools as to the

teaching methods employed. Teach-

ing methods, as well as courses of

13



study, differ from one diocese to

the next, from one section of the

country to another and are varied

to meet local conditions. Here at

St. Stephen’s we favor the learning-

through-activity methods of educa-

tion; elsewhere the more traditional

methods are favored.

"Catholic educators, generally,

regard the successful school as a

place where children live and do,

not merely sit and listen. They

consider education as an active, not

a passive, process, as something that

is accomplished by means of self-

activity under the direction and

guidance of teachers and not by

blind acceptance of what one reads

or hears. A Catholic school deserv-
ing of the name operates on the

principle that the best way to train

the mind is to confront it with

real problems and to give it the

opportunity and the freedom to

solve them. I am at St. Stephen’s

to guide and direct our children,

not to spoon-feed them nor to make

of them puppets echoing my words

and parroting my opinions.

"You ask whether our teaching

methods are democratic. Let me

quote from this book on my desk,

entitled Guiding Growth in Chris-

tian Social Living. It sets forth

the curriculum prepared for Catho-

lic elementary schools by the Com-

mission on American Citizenship

of the Catholic University of

America in Washington, D. C., and

is widely used in parochial schools.

The book says, in part: 'A demo-

cratic teaching procedure is given

particular emphasis in the cur-

riculum established by the Com-

mission. Since the ability to govern

oneself is such an essential requisite

for citizenship in the American

democracy, it is necessary that it

should be acquired through ex-

perience in the school. A school is
a community in which a number

of human beings are working to-

gether in a common endeavor. Its

discipline should reflect an under-

standing of this fact. Good order

must be insisted upon, and respect

for authority. But these are best

fostered in an atmosphere of free-

dom in which it is possible to be

natural. When a child goes to
school he loses nothing of the sa-

credness of his personality. He can-

not learn the art of living in a free

society from training under a class-

room dictatorship.’ In my opinion

most Catholic schools are con-

scientiously following that advice.

"But in a Catholic school, above

all procedures and methods, no mat-

ter how modern, or democratic, or

active, is the realization that God’s

help is necessary if the pupil is

to attain the full growth, spiritual

and moral, intellectual and physi-

cal, which education to be true and

complete must give him. While

employing all human means to

promote the full growth of the

student, the Catholic school teacher

does not rely upon them alone but

depends especially on God, Whose

authority and holy law are the

foundations of Christian education.

For this reason, in a Catholic school

the day begins and ends with pray-

er; religion is made an integral

part of the daily lives of the

students; and by example and guid-

ance they are encouraged to co-

operate with God in becoming

14



loyal citizens of earth and heaven.

Yes, Catholic schools employ

modern, democratic, and active

methods of education, but they

remember always that it is 'God

who gives the growth.’
”

To find proof for Sister Jane

Marie’s answers, we shall visit the

seventh grade classroom. The chil-

dren there are enacting a dramati-

zation which illustrates the con-

trasting ideas of Jefferson and

Hamilton on government and

democracy. The posters you see on

the walls were prepared by the

students after visiting the state

capitol, and depict representative

government in action. The exhibit

in this corner, which is the work

of the boys of the class, shows the

development of American trans-

portation from ox cart to jet plane.

These and related activities in his-

tory, civics, and geography are di-

rected toward aiding the seventh-

graders to develop social virtue,

which is another of the major goals

of a Catholic student.

Social virtue may be defined

broadly as the ability to live with

one’s fellow men in peace and

unity, to be an active and useful

citizen, and to demonstrate in one’s

life the principles of God’s eternal

law and the ideals of American

democracy. The course in social

studies at St. Stephen’s is designed

to provide the student with a

broad knowledge of America, its

setting, its people and its resources,

with a sound understanding of

American government, local, state,

and federal, and with a full back-

ground in America’s history, past

and present. But, being a Catholic

school, St. Stephen’s adds another

and most important element to the

social education of its students.

Notice the list of goals which the

seventh-grade sister has written on

the blackboard for her students to

seek in their social studies. The

goals are copied from Guiding

Growth in Christian Social Living,

the book that Sister Jane Marie

mentioned. I shall read some of

them to you:

"To study how American de-

mocracy, and our own lives as

Christian citizens, are based on

Christian principles of human

dignity and liberty, and respons-

ibility to God and fellowmen.

"To realize our responsibility

for keeping these principles fixed

and unchanged in our rapidly

changing American life.

"To recognize our privilege as

Americans to benefit from the

Bill of Rights, and our obliga-

tion as citizens to keep it intact,

and see that it is never violated

by individuals, by groups, or by

the Government itself.

"To acknowledge the equality

of all men in the sight of God

and to recognize it in our deal-

ings with persons of another

race, color, or creed.

"To appreciate the spiritual

ties that unite the people of the

United States to one another and

to men throughout the world as

human beings made to the

image of God and destined for

Union with Him.

"To fulfill our obligation to

use the freedom of election to

15



vote for upright leaders and for

measures that protect human rights.”

As you can see from those goals,

St. Stephen’s adds to social educa-

tion the moral and spiritual values

without which democracy will not

long survive. William Penn aptly

expressed that need when he said:

"The people who are not governed

by God will be ruled by tyrants.”

So far we have visited four

classrooms at St. Stephen’s, and have

learned that the work of a Catholic

school includes the physical, the

intellectual, the cultural and the

social development of its pupils.

Essential as these goals are for a

Catholic student, the crowning

goal is moral and spiritual per-

fection, which is achieved in and

through all the rest. To attain that

goal the student must develop both

a knowledge of religious truths

and habits of religious observance.

He must both know and practice

his religion. The one fortifies the

other. Therefore, in a Catholic

school the study and the practice

of Catholicism are a pre-eminent

and a fundamental part of the cur-

riculum. This does not mean, how-

ever, that the religion class takes

up the major portion of the school

day nor that the pupils spend most

of their time in church or at prayer.

While Catholic school children de-

vote perhaps ten minutes a day to

reciting prayers and occasionally

spend an hour or two in attending

religious services, their practice of

religion parallels and supplements

but does not supplant the curric-

ulum.

Catholic schools aid their pupils

to develop habits of religious ob-

servance principally by providing

a Christian atmosphere in which

to learn and by encouraging the

pupils to worship God at home

and at church, to obey the law of

God at all times, and to show

themselves to be fervent Christians

in living and working with others.

The religion class likewise takes up

only a small portion of the school

day, about thirty minutes on the

average. More time than that is

ordinarily not needed, since, as you

observed in the classrooms which

we visited, a Catholic school relates

the moral and spiritual truths of

religion to every branch of human

knowledge. Furthermore, as you

will learn when we visit the

eighth grade, a religion class in

itself contributes effectively and

substantially to the development of

loyal and useful citizens for this

world as well as for the next.

16



On the way to the eighth grade

classroom, we shall look in at the

school library. St. Stephens has an

excellent library, as do many Catho-

lic schools. Some are not so fortu-

nate, but they are striving to

improve their library facilities to

the extent that straitened financial

circumstances permit. You can see

from the shelves that the library

here furnishes the pupils with ade-

quate facilities for research and

supplementary reading, and that it

brings them into contact with the

writings and viewpoints of non-

Catholic as well as Catholic authors

and scholars. If you were to ex-

amine the textbooks used at St.

Stephen’s, or any Catholic school,

you would find that they expand

the intellectual horizon of the

students to include truth and good-

ness wherever found rather than

limit it simply to Catholicism.

Since the word "Catholic” means

"universal”, a Catholic school would

belie its name if it were narrowly

sectarian in educating its pupils.

Here we are at the eighth-grade

classroom. The religion class has

begun. In previous lessons the

children have studied the life of

Christ in His Church, how He

continues to teach and govern

through her. This week they are

studying how Christ calls mankind

to holiness in different states of life.

The vocation to married life is

now being discussed. Let’s lean over

the shoulder of the second boy in

this row and read the notes that

he has jotted down. "Marriage is

a noble vocation to which God

calls men and women. The Sacra-

ment of Matrimony gives married

persons special help to enable them

to grow in mutual love and holi-

ness. Parents are responsible to

God for the physical, the intellec-

tual, and the spiritual education of

their children. The need for love,

sacrifice and obedience in the

home. My duty to pray for the
strengthening of family life.”

Whether our notetaker marries

or remains a bachelor, those notes,

if remembered, will make him a

better American. The same is true

of the other knowledge which he

obtains in his religious instruction

— the laws of God, the teachings
of Christ, the truths of religion.

I am sure you will agree that in

a democracy which acknowledged

its reliance on God in declaring

its independence of foreign tyran-

ny, the laws of God and the truths

of religion are as important to

know and to follow as the laws

of arithmetic and the truths of

history.

You have visited St. Stephen’s

and have seen a Catholic school

in action. If you were to visit other

Catholic schools, you would find

the same objectives, the same high

standards and the same zeal on the

part of the priests, the sisters and

the laity to train boys and girls to

be loyal to God and country and to

give them a complete and fine

education. The schools will differ

only in appearance and equipment

— some are new and prosperous,
others are old and impoverished.

The courses of study followed and

the methods used will also differ.

Some Catholic schools are in great

cities, others are in small towns

and still others are in the rural

17



areas, and each must meet local

needs and conditions. But of all

it can be fairly said that they

render a public service, for, like

the public schools, their aim is to

prepare their students for the re-

sponsibilities of American citizen-

ship.

By now a number of your ques-

tions concerning Catholic schools

have been answered, but still there

are many for which we should find

the answers. One of these is: "Why

do Catholics have their own

schools?” Lets visit the snack bar

across the street and over a cup of

coffee we shall work out the answer.

On the way, we can discuss briefly

Catholic high schools and colleges

and universities. You should visit

a Catholic high school and a

Catholic college, if the opportunity

ever presents itself, and learn for

yourself how they continue and

perfect the Christian and American

education which you have seen

St. Stephen’s begin.

There are 2,433 Catholic high

schools throughout the United

States with a total I960 enrollment

of 844,299 students. They have

been built in every state and vary

in number from Wyoming, which

has two, to New York which has
266 .

There are three types of Catho-

lic high school. Of the three types,

the most numerous is the parish

high school, which belongs to the

particular parish, as does St.

Stephen’s, and ordinarily does not

charge any tuition.

Private high schools are the

oldest type. They are operated by

religious orders and are supported

by tuition, although frequently the

tuition in whole or substantial part

is paid by the respective parishes

of the students.

While the parish high schools

are co-educational for the greater

part, there are usually separate

private high schools for boys and

for girls. The newest of the three

types is the diocesan central high

school, which is conducted by the

diocese and which, depending on

the locale, may or may not be co-

educational. While some diocesan

high schools charge tuition, the

majority do not and are supported

by diocesan funds or by funds

from the various parishes in the

community.

Catholic high schools vary great-

ly in curriculum, administration,

and teaching staffs. The diocesan

high school is under the direct

supervision of the diocesan super-

intendent of education, and, ac-

18



cording to its character, may be

staffed by sisters, or brothers, or

priests, or a combination faculty.

The parish high school is the direct

responsibility of the parish priest

and usually is taught by the same

order of sisters that has charge of

the parish grade school.

The private high schools are

administered and taught by the re-

ligious orders of men or women

to which they belong. In addition,

thirty percent of the Catholic

high school teachers throughout the

country are lay men and women.

While, as is true of, the public

school system, many Catholic high

schools emphasize the academic or

college preparatory courses, an in-

creasing number offer vocational

training and commercial courses.

Ninety percent of the Catholic high

schools are accredited or approved

by State authorities, for Catholic

administrators endeavor to meet all

standards respecting teacher qual-

ifications, attendance and health

requirements, and rules governing

graduation. Consequently, while re-

ceiving the benefits of an education

centered on God, most Catholic

high school pupils also obtain an

education in secular subjects that

equals and in many respects sur-

passes what they would have re-

ceived elsewhere.

In addition to the Catholic high

school system, there are in the

United States 265 Catholic univer-

sities and colleges with a total en-

rollment of 302,908.

Virtually all Catholic colleges

and universities are recognized by

a number of accrediting agencies,

and in providing their students

with a Christian education they

enable them to obtain a higher

education which is as diverse in

character and as excellent in quality

as that offered by non-Catholic or

state institutions. The majority of

Catholic colleges and universities

are owned and conducted by re-

ligious orders.

The Catholic University of

America is conducted by the

bishops of America through their

joint representatives, and belongs

to the Church in America as a

whole.

Costly as they are to erect, main-

tain and develop, Catholic colleges

and universities are supported al-

most entirely by tuition. On the
whole they have no large endow-

ments. Their inestimable contri-

bution to America in providing

it with Christian leaders is made

possible only by the self-sacrifice

of religious men and women who

receive practically nothing for

their services. It is also made possi-

ble by the great sacrifice of the

lay men and women who comprise

fifty percent of the faculties in

Catholic colleges and universities.

They teach for lower pay than they

could get elsewhere because they

realize how necessary and import-

ant it is for Catholics to have their

own schools.

Here is the snack bar. Two

coffees please — one with, and one
without.

19



BUT WHY DO CATHOLICS HAVE

THEIR OWN SCHOOLS?

Do you ever think back

over your school days ?

Remember how important

school was to you from the

day you entered the first

grade to the final day of

graduation from high school

or college? Books and les-

sons were often boring and

irksome, and the teachers

were at times annoying in

their demands; yet, thinking back,

you will recall that during child-

hood and youth, school was of the

greatest importance to you.

That was to be expected. You

spent twenty-five hours a week,

eight or nine months a year, for

twelve or sixteen or more years in

school; and during all that time

what you were learning in the

classroom was most important to

you. At first it was most important

because you were required by your

parents and your teachers to study

seriously each subject in the curric-

ulum, so that you could one day

take your place in the world as an

educated person. Later, as you grew

older, you, yourself, realized that

what you were learning in school

was most important to you because

it was preparing you for your adult

life, and upon it depended to a

dents

great extent your future

success and happiness. Con-

sequently, you came to view

the many things taught in

school as more important

for you to study and to

learn than any other matter.

And if you were to
v| J talk to the children of St.

Stephen’s, where we have

been visiting, or to the stu-

of any school, public or

Catholic, you would find that the

same is true of them. Ask any

student what is the most important

thing for him to study and to learn,

and he will answer: "My school

work.”

A child’s life of learning is based
almost exclusively on the school

which he attends. What he learns

there, he views as important to

know. What he is taught elsewhere,

he considers less important or not

important at all. Moreover, within

the school itself the child gauges

the importance of a thing by the

stress which it is given in the

classroom. The things that are

scarcely mentioned there are by the

child judged to be inconsequential.

Those that receive some but not

great consideration the child views

as being of minor importance. It

20



is only those things which are con-

tinuously stressed by the teacher

that the child comes to view as

being of major importance to him-

self and to others. You may re-

member yourself saying: "We don’t

have to study that subject very

hard. It can’t be important. The

teacher didn’t stress it.”

Because a child judges the im-

portance of a thing by whether it

is taught in school and by the stress

placed upon it there, modern edu-

cators realize that if a factor for

successful living is to influence

children in their adult lives, it must

be taught in school and it must be

given a foremost place in the cur-

riculum. Take, for example, the

factor of democracy. Conceivably,

the teaching of democracy could be

left entirely to the home and to

civic organizations or, if taught in

the school, democracy could be

relegated to a place of unimport-

ance. But experience has shown

that if this were done, democracy

would not come to mean as much

to children as it should, nor would

it exert upon them the influence

which it must if they are to prac-

tice the principles and to seek the

ideals of democracy in their adult

lives. Therefore, the American

school, Catholic and public, teaches

democracy as an integral and

principal part of the curriculum

and endeavors to have democracy

permeate all other subjects and

characterize teaching methods and

classroom environment. The pur-

pose in this is to have children

come to view democracy as import-

ant, or more important to them-

selves and to others than arithmetic,

or grammar, or other phases of

their education. A further purpose
is to enable children to learn

democracy in relation to the other

things which they are being taught

in school, so that as adults they

will practice democracy in every

aspect of life for which the class-

room is preparing them, and not

merely on election day. A person
who has learned to relate demo-

cracy to economics is more likely

to practice democracy in business

life than one who has not.

Now, Catholics are convinced

that religion is the most important

factor in life, and that upon it all

other factors, including democracy,

ultimately depend for their validity

and growth. It is through their

religion that Catholics learn to

know and to love God, to distin-

guish right from wrong, and to

follow God’s holy law in every

aspect of human life — personal,
domestic, social, economic, and

political, so that after death they

may attain eternal salvation, and

be united with God in heaven and

there enjoy the perfect truth and

perfect happiness which union with

God brings to man. Since the at-

tainment of eternal salvation is

man’s principal work in life, Catho-

lics believe that the gravest obliga-

tion imposed upon parents by God

is to secure the religious education

of their children. For Catholic

parents the education of their chil-

dren in religion and morality takes

precedence over all other matters.

However, the conviction of Cath-

olics that religion is the most im-

portant factor in life, and that

parents have no graver duty than

21



to provide their children with a

religious education, is not based

solely upon the need to attain

eternal salvation. Common sense

and the story of mankind have

convinced Catholics that religion

must also be made the core of

human life if the nation and the

world are to know peace, progress,

and happiness, and that children

must receive a religious education,

if they are to become useful and

devoted citizens.

One has only to read the daily

newspapers to appreciate the cor-

rectness of that conviction. Recent

revelations of widespread corrup-

tion in civic and political life, have

awakened the people to the real-

ization that religion cannot be

ignored and the religious educa-

tion of children neglected, without

tragic consequences to the indi-

vidual and society. Those tragic

consequences are also showing up

more and more clearly in the

broken homes that plague America,

in the lack of personal morality

that is beginning to characterize

American youth, and in the indif-

ference to moral and ethical prin-

ciples that has become prevalent in

American life.

For even more appalling con-

sequences of the neglect of re-

ligious education in the lives of

children, one can look behind the

Iron Curtain which separates the

democracies of the free world from

the tyrannies of the Communist

totalitarianism. When the Com-
munists seized control of Russia

at the close of World War I, they
outlawed religion and instituted a

system of education which was

based upon the denial of God and

which excluded from the schooling

of children all moral and spiritual

values. The graduates of that

system are today the barbarous

conquerors and inhuman rulers of

eastern Europe and much of Asia,

and are a growing menace to the

freedom and security of the rest

of the world. It is not without

purpose then that today, after con-

quering a nation, the Communists

outlaw religion and destroy the

efforts of parents to provide their

children with a religious education.

The Communists have learned that

tyranny and evil flourish most

rapidly among people who have no

religion and have not been taught

to know and to serve God.

Since Catholics are convinced

that religion is the most important

factor in life, they wish their chil-

dren to make religion the core of

their existence and to have it

permeate and govern every phase

22



of their adult lives. Catholics, there-

fore, have built their own schools

where religion can be made an

integral and principal part of the

curriculum, can permeate and give

direction to all other subjects, and

can characterize teaching methods

and classroom environment. It is

only in such schools that Catholic

children will come to view religion

as more important to themselves

and to others than any other sub-

ject which they may be studying,

and will learn to relate religion to

the vast number of things which

they are being taught in the

classroom.

Public schools, on the other

hand, are by law required to be

neutral in religion, and are for-

bidden to educate children in the

Catholic religion or in any other

religion. Consequently, though sat-

isfactory and praiseworthy in other

respects, the public schools are

unable to develop in Catholic

children the awareness of the im-

portance of religion and the

understanding of its relation to

other phases of their education,

which they must have if they are

to make religion the most import-

ant factor in their lives. Thus the

public schools offer Catholic chil-

dren at most a partial education,

an education which, since it omits

religion, fails to prepare Catholic

children to live the whole of their

lives successfully. The complete

education which Catholic children

require to be wholly successful in

life is available to them only in

Catholic schools.

Moreover, experience has shown

and common sense indicates that,

if Catholic parents are to succeed

in having children make religion

the core of their existence, the

teaching of religion cannot be

limited to the home and to the

parish church. If it were, children

would in general come to view

religion as something less important

than the vast number of things

which they are being taught in

school. It is not to be expected that

a child who attends religion class

once or twice a week at home or on

Sundays at church will ordinarily

consider religion as important to

learn as a subject which he has

five times a week at school and

which he must know in order to

pass or to graduate.

Then, too, if the teaching of

religion were left entirely to the

home and to the parish church,

children would be denied the op-

portunity of learning to relate re-

ligion to what they are being

taught in school and, hence, would

23



come to view religion as something

apart from and unrelated to the

other aspects of life, economic,

social, cultural, and political, for

which school is preparing them.

It is axiomatic in the education of

children that they learn to asso-

ciate things by studying them in

their relation to one another rather

than by studying them in isolation.

Furthermore, when one considers

the realities qf the situation, the

conclusion is inescapable that even

if the religious education of chil-

dren were simply a matter of

instruction, neither the home nor

the parish church, with some ex-

ceptions, would be equal to the

task. Very few parents have suffi-

cient preparation for the funda-

mental work of instructing their

children in religion and morality.

While the average parent is able

to explain that God exists, he is

not prepared to establish God’s

existence against the clever and

subtle attacks of non-believers, nor

is he able to justify God’s holy

law against the immoral philos-

ophies and "isms” which character-

ize much of today’s written and

spoken thought.

Moreover, the home ordinarily

cannot provide an adequate oppor-

tunity for instructing children in

religion. A day that is filled with
regular school for the children and

work for the parents allows little

time for family classes in religion,

and the week-ends, devoted as they

are to recreation and relaxation, do

not offer much more. And then

there are the distractions which

make studying at home difficult

and would make teaching almost

impossible. Consider the problem

of getting children to listen to

father or mother explaining the

truths of religion when a favorite

program is being televised, or

when the neighborhood theater is

showing the latest Hollywood re-

lease. One might as well be trying

to explain the theorems of

geometry.

While Catholic parishes conduct

a Sunday school or its equivalent

for children who do not attend

Catholic schools, either because the

particular parish is not able, as

yet, to provide such education for

them or because their parents for

serious reasons choose to send them

to other schools, Catholics have

learned through experience that

though taught by trained personnel,

Sunday school does not provide an

adequate opportunity for the in-

struction of children in their re-

ligion. After a full week of regular

school most children are reluctant

to attend another class, especially

when it must be done on playtime;

and furthermore, because of the

inconvenience involved or because

of their own indifference many

parents make little or no effort to

send their children to Sunday

school. The inevitable result, as the

reports of the various denomina-

tions show, is that children will

attend Sunday school only infre-

quently and a tragically large num-

ber will not attend it at all. This

has become increasingly true in

modern times whose swift tempo

and materialistic attitudes have

subordinated the importance of a

religious education and have weak-

ened the close ties which once

24



existed between the home and

Sunday school.

Even when Sunday school suc-

ceeds in securing the attendance of

children, lack of time usually pre-

vents it from doing an adequate

job. The doctrines and principles

of religion are not so few nor so

simple that they can be learned by

attending a class which meets only

once or even twice a week. There

is no short cut to the complete

and satisfactory religious education

which children need, if they are

to make religion the core of their

existence.

Catholics do not, however, think

that the religious education of

children is solely the work of the

school, nor that Catholic parents

fulfill their obligation in this re-

gard by sending their children to

a parochial school. The home and

the parish church can and should

make a substantial contribution to

the religious education of children,

if they are to be fully educated in

their religion and are to consider

it the core of their existence. By

a family life of morality and piety

and by constant good example in

the fulfillment of religious duties,

parents can be most effective in

teaching their children to love and

to serve God. The home should

also be the place where children

learn their prayers, are taught the

elementals of religion and morality

and are zealously encouraged to

make religion the most important

factor in their lives.

The parish church is likewise an

indispensable place for the reli-

gious education of children and

serves to supplement the work of

both the home and the school.

Catholics appreciate the immense

educational value inherent in ser-

mons, sacred ceremonies, religious

music and devotional art, and de-

pend upon them to contribute

significantly to the growth of

Catholic children in the knowl-

edge and the practice of their re-

ligion. In addition, Catholic church-

es have clubs and organizations

through whose social and educa-

tional activities Catholic children

are able to obtain a deeper under-

standing of their religion and a

finer appreciation of its moral and

spiritual values. Thus the school,

the home, and the church have

vital roles in the religious educa-

tion of Catholic children.

So far you have seen what a

Catholic school is and what a

Catholic school does and you have

learned why Catholics have their

own schools. There is a further

question which we should consider,

one in which you and I, as Ameri-

cans, are greatly interested. It is

the question of how Catholic

schools benefit the nation. We can
discuss that on our way home.

The importance of coordination

of the home, Church and school

are emphasized in Catholic educa-

tion for very sound reasons. While

children spend five hours a day,

five days a week, and 40 weeks

each year in school, a larger part

of their time is spent in and

around the home, or under the

supervision of parents. They are

exposed at such times to a wide

variety of associations, forms of

entertainment, recreational activi-

ties and sources of influence which

25



can color their thinking and af-

fect their education.

Catholic parents are therefore

counseled by the Church not only

to enroll their children in a Catho-

lic school, but to interest them-

selves in the children’s school work,

and to see that the home environ-

ment and outside activities of the

children are in accord with Catho-

lic ideals and principles.

A complete and proper educa-

tion, Catholics believe, involves not

merely the training of the mind

and body, but the heart and soul.

This, we maintain, is possible only

when the home, the Church and

the school — the three chief agen-

cies 'concerned with shaping the

lives of our children — are all

working together on the same

principles, with the same objec-

tives.

26



HOW CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

BENEFIT THE NATION

If you have purchased new

tires for your car recently,

it is likely that they are

made of synthetic rubber.

You are benefitted then by

an important discovery

which a Catholic school

helped to give the nation.

The science department of

the University of Notre

Dame, South Bend, Indiana,

pioneered in the field of synthetic

rubber, and has made significant

contributions to its development.

Another Catholic University,

Georgetown, of Washington, D. C.,

established the first school in the

United States for the training of

diplomatic representatives. Gradu-

ates from Georgetown’s School of

Foreign Service are today serving

the nation in our embassies and

consulates throughout the world.

To the list of Catholic schools

which have made and are making

notable contributions to the prog-

ress and welfare of America, many

more could be added, and not only

in the field of science and govern-

ment but equally as well in the

fields of the fine arts and .social

studies. But when Catholics are

asked how their schools

benefit the nation, they pre-

fer to point to the American

men and women who are

products of a Catholic edu-

cation rather than to the

singular achievements of

particular Catholic schools.

Since 1810, when the first

Catholic parochial school in

America opened, the Catho-

lic schools have, without a penny’s

cost to the public, educated millions

of boys and girls. Each generation

those boys and girls have taken

their places in America as men and

women, and by their lives have

demonstrated the value of a Cath-

olic education. They have shown

themselves to be loyal Americans.

During two world wars millions

of Catholic men served the nation

as courageous soldiers, and thous-

ands of them died in its defense.

The graduates of Catholic schools

have also shown themselves to be

useful Americans. They have en-

tered every vocation in life and have

rendered competent and at times

outstanding service to their country.

Moreover, the graduates of

Catholic schools have shown them-

selves to be devoted Americans.

They are in the main law-abiding,

27



civic-minded, and sincerely inter-

ested in the advancement of the

principles upon which America

was founded. Loyal, useful, and

devoted citizens are the greatest

benefit that the schools of a nation

have to confer. Such has been the

Catholic schools’ free gift to Amer-

ica for the past 150 years.

"What about the charges that

certain people level against the

Catholic schools? I read a pamphlet

the other day which stated that the

Catholic schools, since they are

private and denominational, are not

in accordance with American tra

dition and custom, but are foreign

in origin and control. Another

pamphlet claims that the Catholic

schools lead to division in the com-

munity and to bigotry between

Catholics and non-Catholics. Furth-

ermore, a recent book refers to the

Catholic schools as being undemo-

cratic in organization and practice

and as constituting a menace to

American democracy. It is some-

times said that the Catholic schools

are hostile to the public schools

and that Catholics are opposed to

and seek to destroy the public

school system.” Let’s examine these

charges to see whether they are

fact or fiction.

Are Catholic schools truly Ameri-

can? The history of America indi-

cates that they are. Private and

denominational schools have existed

in this country from the earliest

times. Indeed, the public school, as

we know it today, dates only from

1840. For generations all Ameri-

cans — including those who fought
for liberty and independence dur-

ing the Revolution, and who

drafted the Declaration of Inde-

pendence and the Constitution of

the United States — were educated
in private or denominational

schools, and mostly the latter. Per-

haps no institution is older or a

more intimate part of our national

life than denominational schools,

both Catholic and Protestant. Out

of them have developed our greatest

colleges and universities. To con-

sider only public schools as being in

accordance with American tradition

and custom is to be unaware of the

essential position which private and

denominational schools have occu-

pied in American life from the

very beginning of our history.

The Catholic schools are also

American in that they have been

built by Americans, are conducted

by Americans, and serve to educate

Americans and to benefit America

as a whole. Of the Catholic schools

J.
Edgar Hoover, Director of the

Federal Bureau of Investigation, has

said: "Not a single non-Christian or

non-American principle is taught

there.” Catholics rightly consider

their schools to be an integral part

of America’s system of education

and a principal source of America’s

freedom and strength.

Are Catholic schools divisive?

Obviously, Catholic schools divide

or separate Catholic pupils from

their non-Catholic neighbors during

the school day. They do so for

the sole reason, as previously ex-

plained, that Catholic parents con-

sider religious training to be a neces-

sary part of their children’s education

and that the public schools are by

law forbidden to supply that need.

But if the word "divisive” is

28



used in its secondary meaning to

indicate the creation of dissension

and discord, Catholic schools are

not divisive. The charge that the

education of Catholic children in

Catholic schools, separate from the

public schools in which the

children of their neighbors are

educated, causes social conflicts,

prejudice, ill-will, and mutual dis-

crimination and bigotry, is without

basis either in fact or in reason.

Look about your community. You

will find Catholic school graduates

beside you at work or in business,

with you in clubs and civic organ-

izations, and among your friends

and acquaintances. Do those Catho-
lics assume an arrogant, aloof, and

self-righteous attitude toward non-

Catholics, or discriminate against

them, or hold them in hatred or

suspicion? Rather, do they not have

a friendly, helpful, and open-mind-

ed attitude toward non-Catholics,

and do they not treat them as

fellow Americans entitled to the

same rights and privileges as

Catholics? The Catholic school sys-

tem in America is 150 years old,

and so far there is not a modicum

of reliable evidence that it has led

to the establishment of a Catholic

bloc, separate and aloof from the

rest of America, or that it has

created dissension and discord.

The problem of separation be-

tween Catholic and non-Catholic

children during their school days

is met directly and frankly by

Catholic educators. Most Catholic

schools have a carefully planned

unit of study in the Catholic school

child’s relationship to public school

children. The purpose of this unit

is to guide Catholic children to

develop a friendly, helpful, and

open-minded attitude toward their

public school neighbors. Through

reading, discussion and activity, the

Catholic school child is guided

and encouraged to join his public

school neighbors at play, in trips

to the public library, in visits to

his neighbor’s homes and in a host

of other activities that will build

mutual respect and understanding

between them. The motivation sug-

gested is one of the basic doctrines

of a Catholic child’s faith — all
men, regardless of race, or color,

or creed, are his brothers in Christ.

Moreover, the Catholic schools,

wherever possible, pool their efforts

with the public schools in civic

programs and activities so that the

children of the two school systems

may have the experience of work-

ing together for the general wel-

fare of the community.

Another reason why Catholic

schools are not a divisive factor in

the community is the attitude of

children on friendship. Young

children do not discriminate against

each other; that is a characteristic

of maturity. They give and receive

friendship without regard to creed

and without thought to what

school, public or Catholic, the

friend attends. During childhood

the neighborhood is the true melt-

ing pot of religious differences, for

a child makes friends with the boy

next door or with the girl across

the street rather than with a school-

mate who lives in another neigh-

borhood. If the children next door,

or across the street, or around the

corner are Catholic and non-Catho-

29



lie, as is commonly true in America,

they will become friends and will

learn to know and to understand

one another, although they attend

different schools. Was that not your

own childhood experience?

Are Catholic schools undemo-

cratic? If by a democratic school

system you mean a state monopoly

of education — a uniform school
system which excludes private or

parochial schqols—then the Catholic

schools in the United States are

"undemocratic” and they have a

right to be proud of it. Such is the

school system that prevails in Soviet

Russia and her totalitarian satellites,

and it is called "democratic” by

Communist propagandists. But such

a school system, the Supreme Court

of the United States has indicated,

would not be considered demo-

cratic in America. In the celebrated

case of Pierce v. Society of Sisters

,

268 U. S. 510, the Supreme Court

was called upon to determine the

constitutionality of a law of the

State of Oregon which made at-

tendance at public schools com-

pulsory for all grade school chil-

dren, and, in effect, denied to

parents the right to send them to

private or parochial schools. The

Court held the law to be uncon-

stitutional, declaring:

"The fundamental theory of

liberty upon which all govern-

ments in this Union repose ex-

cludes any general power of the

State to standardize its children

by forcing them to accept in-

struction from public teachers

only. The child is not the mere

creature of the State; those who

nurture and direct his destiny

have the right, coupled with the

high duty, to recognize and pre-

pare him for additional obliga-

tions.”

The United States Supreme

Court’s decision reflects the true

meaning of democracy in a striking

and emphatic manner. It re-states

the right of the people to maintain

a diversity of schools — large and
small, elaborate and plain, public

and private — with the right in the
parents to select the schools of

their own choice in which their

children shall be educated.

Catholic schools, therefore, are

democratic and constitute an inte-

gral part of our democratic school

system. To suggest the contrary be-

cause Catholic schools are privately

owned is to misrepresent American

democracy. Public ownership is not

a requisite for an institution to be

considered democratic in America.

Nor would any reasonable person

suggest that only those colleges and

universities which are tax-supported

are truly democratic in principle

and teaching.

Do Catholic schools teach

democracy and do they afford an

opportunity for experience in

democratic practices? The answer

is yes, as you learned in visiting

St. Stephen’s. Remember the list

of goals which the seventh-grade

teacher had written on the black-

board for her students to seek in

their study of American govern-

ment? See page 15. Those goals

encompass the fundamental princi-

ples of our democracy and provide

the moral and the spiritual values

upon which our democracy rests.

With regard to democratic prac-

30



tices, the Catholic schools do not,

as some critics of Catholic educa-

tion imagine, constantly employ

heavy-handed, authoritarian, sternly

disciplinary methods. The discip-

line of a Catholic school reflects

rather the statement which the

sixth-grade teacher at St. Stephen’s

read to us from Guiding Growth

in Christian Social Living

:

"Since the ability to govern

oneself is such an essential re-

quisite for citizenship in the

American democracy, it is neces-

sary that it should be acquired

through experience in the

school ... Its discipline should

reflect an understanding of this

fact. Good order must be

insisted upon, and respect for

authority. But these are best

fostered in an atmosphere of

freedom in which it is possible

to be natural . . . The student

cannot learn the art of living

in a free society from training

under a classroom dictatorship.”

Are Catholic schools organized

democratically? Like public schools,

Catholic schools operate under a

system of laws which protect the

individual child’s rights and par-

ental rights and which also promote

the common good of society.

Catholic schools comply with all

basic education laws that manifest

the desire of a democratic nation

to give every child educational op-

portunities that meet commonly

accepted standards of adequacy.

Catholic schools also observe

Church laws which provide a dem-

ocratic basis to school administra-

tion by requiring that the good of

the child and the good of the

Church be balanced as perfectly as

possible. Under these laws Catholic

school policies are developed in a

democratic manner in the give-and-

take sessions of diocesan school

boards, faculty meetings and con-

ferences of Parent-Educator Asso-

ciations. Even though Catholic

school boards are appointed rather

than popularly elected like many

public school boards, there is prob-

ably less authoritarianism and less

high pressure politics in Catholic

schools than in many public schools.

Are the Catholic schools hostile

to the public schools? The answer

is: No. Both the Catholic schools

and the public schools are approved

by the State. Both are supported by

the people of the community, the

one by free-will offerings, the other

by taxes. Both are equipped to train

intelligent citizens and both work

together — in different ways — for
a common purpose — the general
welfare. Consequently, the Catholic

schools and the public schools are

and should be partners in our

nation’s education. Public-parochial

school relations are in great part

friendly and cooperative, for fair-

minded people realize that whether

a school is called St. Stephen’s or

Public School No. 60, it contributes

to the common good of all.

Only the uninformed or preju-

diced can regard Catholics as

enemies of the public schools. As

citizens, Catholics recognize that it

is their duty to support the public

schools by the payment of taxes,

to work for improved public edu-

cation and to maintain a close and

helpful interest in the public

schools and their problems.

31



The following incident is typical

of the general attitude of Catholics

toward the public schools. A year
or so ago in a mid-western city,

a bond issue for the expansion of

public education was to be voted

upon. On the Sunday before the

election, the Catholic bishop of

that city addressed a letter to all

the Catholics, urging them to vote

in favor of the bond issue so that

additional public schools could be

erected and the present facilities

could be improved. As the Bishop

pointed out in his letter, the public

schools belong as much to the

Catholics as they do to other citi-

zens and are, therefore, as much

their responsibility and concern.

The bond issue passed.

It is sometimes said that the

Catholics conspire to destroy or

to subvert the public schools. Such

a claim is entirely lacking in merit.

No respectable evidence has ever

been adduced to show that the

Catholics as a group have hostile

designs on the public schools or

that they are behind any movements

detrimental to public education.

Catholics appreciate the vital and

important role which the public

schools have in American educa-

tion, a role which is truly essen-

tial in view of the composition of

our republic. For this reason, Cath-

olics are and should be firmly

opposed to anyone who would seek

to destroy or to subvert the public

schools.

In our democracy there is a need

and there is a distinct role for

Catholic schools and for public

schools. It is to the best interests

of our democracy that both systems

of education continue and increase

in strength and service. Each has

an invaluable contribution to make

to the progress and the welfare of

the American people.

Other charges are levelled at the

Catholic schools from time to time,

but, like those we have discussed,

they are based in most part upon

misinformation and lack of under-

standing of the character and pur-

pose of Catholic education. As is

true of all schools today, the Catho-

lic schools are faced with serious

problems and are in need of im-

provement with respect to facilities,

teacher training, textbooks and

curricula. Great efforts are being

made by the Catholic people to

remedy those deficiencies; and the

Catholic schools are moving steadily

forward. Today Catholic schools

serve their students and our nation

well. Tomorrow they will be of

still greater service.

And here is where we part. Our

visit to St. Stephen’s and our dis-

cussions have given you some

knowledge of Catholic schools and

some understanding of their char-

acter and purpose. The more you

learn of Catholic schools, the great-

er will be your appreciation of why

the Catholics of the United States

are justly proud of the Catholic

schools and of their role in our

democracy.

32



KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS — RELIGIOUS INFORMATION BUREAU
4422 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis 8, Missouri

List of pamphlets available at the above address. One title may be requested at a time free
of charge. Several titles, complete sets, and quantities of individual pamphlets may be ordered

at 7$ for jch pamphlet, plus postage.

3. The Bible is a Catholic Book

5. Christ’s Seven Sacraments

6. The Holy Sacrifice — the Catholic
Mass

7. Why the Catholic Church says "Inves-
tigate” — Masons, Inquisition, Nuns

8. Speaking of Tolerance — Controver-
sial periods in history

9. These Men They Call "Knights”

10. Why Catholics Believe As They Do
— Existence of God, Immortality

11. A Short Story of the Popes
12. Let’s Stick to Moses — Ten Com-

mandments explained

13. But Can It Be Found in the Bible? —
Bible not sole rule of faith

14. What Happens After Death?

15. Yes ... I Condemned The Catholic
Church

16. What Do You Mean "Only One True
Church”?

17. But How Can Educated People Be
Catholics?

18. No . . . Belief in God is not Enough!
19. The Real Secret of Successful Mar-

riage

20. The Way to Everlasting Life . . . The
Catholic Church

21. Is the Catholic Church a Menace to
Democracy?

22. But Do You Really Understand the
Bible? — Rules for understanding

23. A Letter to Our Non-Catholic Neigh-
bors — Aspects of Catholic faith

24. Yes, the Mother of God Will Help
You!

25. What Makes a Woman Choose Such
a Life? — Life of a Catholic Nun

26. I’ll Tell You Why I Am a Catholic
27. Why So Many Decide to Become

Catholics — Convert stories
28. Let Us Judge Catholics by the Bible

— Prayer to Saints, unmarried priests
29. But Would Christ Call You A Chris-

tian?

30. But Do You Understand What God
Told Us? — Apostles’ Creed

31. Should Children Learn About God-
in School?

32. The Bible Is Not Our Sole Guide
33. This Was the Faith of Our Fathers
34. These Are Our Seven Deadly Enemies

— Seven capital sins explained
35. Let’s Test Catholic Lctyalty — A Good

Catholic is a good citizen

36. Remember the Sabbath . . . Keep It
Holy — The "Sabbath Question”

37. I Am a Catholic Priest
38. But Why the Candles, Holy Water

and Beads ? — Sacramentals
39. The Reformation. Was It Reform or

Revolt?

40. Why I Had to Embrace the Catholic
Faith — Convert stories

41. Yes, Miracles Happened at Fatima

42. Does the Bible Contradict Itself? —
Peter the Rock, Faith and/or Works

43. I Was Warned About the Catholic
Church ! — Religious Liberty

44. Why a Woman Needs the Catholic
Faith!

45. The Early Years of the Catholic
Church — First three centuries

46. Yes ... A Priest Can Forgive Your
Sins — Sacrament of Penance

47. But Why Don’t You Pray to the
Saints? — Communion of Saints

48. God’s Story of Creation — Genesis
49. Is the Catholic Church Out of Place

Here? — Catholicism and Loyalty
50. This Is the Catholic Church — Creed,

Sacraments, Mass, Commandments

51. Revelation ... A Divine Message of
Hope — Revelations or Apocalypse

52. Does It Pay to be a Catholic? — How
to be a Catholic

53. Think About Death and Start to Live
— Catholic attitude toward death

54. What Do You Find Wrong With
the Catholic Church?

55. His Name Shall Be Called God With
Us — Divinity of Christ

56. The Infallible Church, Truth or Trick-
ery? — Church of the Scriptures

57. Tell Us About God . . . Who Is He?
Existence and nature of God

58. The Word Was Made Flesh-
Humanity of Christ

59. Let Us Pray—Prayer

60. Gift of the Holy Spirit—Confirmation

61. The Church Says — Precepts of The
Church



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Just send us your name and address and advise that

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Imprimatur:

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St. Louis, February 4, 1952

Published in United States of America

10th Reprinting, April, 1961