onor! of membership! of the School
Board, give, thereby, at least a _tacit approbation_ of the godless
Public Schools. Thus the State, by conferring this privilege! throws
dust into the eyes of the people. It is, therefore, quite evident that
were this _tacit approbation_ of the Catholic clergy withdrawn, were
they to erect Catholic schools, the godless schools would soon be
emptied and suspended, and there would hardly be other but Catholic
schools. The Catholic teachers of the Public Schools would follow our
children, and would be too happy in teaching on Catholic ground, and
according to Catholic principles.

Should a sufficient number of children be left for the Public Schools,
this would be no reason whatever to fear that our Catholic schools
could not compete with the Public Schools; for, generally speaking,
Catholic children are more talented than those of Protestants or
infidels. The reason of this is easily to be seen: they have been
baptized; the veil of sin has been raised from their souls, and the
Catholic life which they lead makes their minds brighter, more quick to
perceive, and to understand what is difficult. About six months ago the
priests of St. James's Church, in New York, exhorted the parents to take
their children out of the Public Schools, and send them to Catholic
schools. What happened? Three of the Public School teachers came and
complained to the priests that the brightest gems of their school had
left, and that, on that account, they could not have the exhibition
which they intended soon to give. A short time ago, at an exhibition in
Boston, it was a Catholic young lady that took the prize medal.

And after all, the principal object for getting up Catholic schools is
not to show off their superiority to, or their equality with, infidel
schools--this is not even a secondary end--we want Catholic schools to
preserve our Catholic religion, our Catholic traditions, our Catholic
spirit and morals; we want them to raise in them children for heaven,
not for hell; children for God, not for the devil; children for a happy
eternity, not for everlasting damnation. That's all. Hence Jesus Christ,
on the Day of Judgment, will not ask parents and pastors of souls
whether their schools could compete with infidel schools, but whether
they did all in their power to secure the eternal welfare of their
children by a good Catholic education.

Father John de Starchia, Provincial of the Friars Minor, made
regu