Poison drops in the federal Senate. The school question from a parental and non-sectarian stand-point

Front matter

■pM

CHOOL QUESTION

FROM A

Chapter I. Page

The school question in the United States Senate — An anonymous and libelous pamphlet quoted — Demand for this publication — Correspondence with Senators Ingalls and Edmunds — Endorsements by ex- Governor Burnett and Mr. Richard Grant White i-8

Mr. Wines, special agent, on the fearful increase of our insane, idiotic,

blind, and deaf mutes — Corresponding with growth of crime 36-38

Chapter VI

Political poison in the public-school books — The mutilated, false, and forged Webster's Dictionary now in use in our public schools —Every leading political word in the language radically changed — Ten millions of American children forced to daily drink the deadly doctrine of centralization and despotism!!! 38~4-

Chapter VII. Mistakes of Catholics in dealing with the school question — Archbishop

Hughes' petition — The work entitled " Catholics and Education "..42-47

Chapter VIII

The Roman Pontiffs on the parental rights of non-Catholics — The equal rights of Catholics, Protestants, Jews, and Pagans upheld — Letter of Rt. Rev. Bishop O'Connell to the author — Important Pontifical instructions to American bishops concerning non-interference, in Catholic schools, with religious views of non-Catholic pupils 47~50

Chapter IX

Specification of fatal errors in the New England school system — Sir William Blackstone, Kent, and Dr. Wayland on natural duties of parents — Public-school system in direct conflict with natural law — Difficulties in the way of harmony amon-gst friends of reform — A common ground for all — The anti-parental system dissected and analyzed 50-58

Chapter X

A voice from San Qijentin — California's educated convicts; all the younger ones can both read and write — Two more penitentiaries iv Contents.

Page, necessary in Massachusetts — California public schools the highroad to the penitentiary — How the one serves as a preparatory department for the other — A forcible illustration 58-65

Chapter XI

Can the political State teach morals.? — Impossible without teaching religion — Nor can the State teach religion without destroying religious liberty ••65-73

Chapter XII

The Author interviewed — Not in favor of Archbishop Hughes' plan — The plan he favors, and how it would work— Danger to religious liberty of non-Catholics if such Catholics as endorse the pi-esent public-school system ever get control of the system 73-77

Chapter XIII. The great battle-ground on which the educational question must be

fought 77-82

Chapter XIV

A non-sectarian platform of educational principles almost unanimously endorsed by those who have studied it— Publicly discussed in the city of Oakland at a large meeting presided over by State superintendent of public instruction and endorsed by a majority vote — Petition to Legislature signed by people of all creeds and callings — Views of Rev. Dr. John LeConte, president of California State University— Views of Rev. Dr. Joseph LeConte, of same University — Views of other prominent Protestant clergymen— Substantial endorsement by Congregational Council of California — Substantial endorsement by Presbyterian Synod and by several leading American Roman Catholic bishops and archbishops — Endorsement by Cardinal Manning, of England — Seven answers to a prize question — Six in favor of parental control against one in favor of State control in educational matters..- 82-99

Chapter XV

A vital question for public-school teachers — Want of discipline not due to incapacity of teachers, as charged, but to system itself^Teachers cannot control children when they receive their authority, not from the parent but from the public— Teachers at the mercy of every pupil who has an influential parent — Example given by Gail Hamilton, showing the humiliating position of public-school teachers — Professor Carr on the subject— Every competent teacher prefers to rely on his own merits, rather than on the favor of politicians, for preferment 99-116

Chapter XVI

Extract from Sacramento speech by the author— Difference between parental and anti-parental system in the production of great men— The charge of bigotry refuted — A word about so-called " Liberal Catholics " 117-120