Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 13.djvu/624

 SCHOOLS

562

SCHOOLS

teaching. There are no diocesan institutions for the training of the teachers for the whole diocese. During the summer of 1911 a reguhxr session of the Cathohc University of America was held for the benefit of the teaching sisterhoods. Of the three hundred who at- tended, a large percentage took up professional peda- gogical subjects. Similar institutes were held at Chicago, Milwaukee, and elsewhere. In the autumn of the same year the Sisters' College was formally opened at Brookland, D. C, under the auspices of the Catholic University of America, and of the twenty- nine students who attended the first session all took professional courses in education. The number of parochial schools in the United Stat&s in 1911 was, ac- cording to the "Cathohc Directory", 4972, and the number of pupils 1,270,131. These figures do not in- clude orphan asylums, which numbered 2S.^ and took care of 51,938 orphans. Neither do they include the non-parochial academies, convent boarding schools, and day schools, nor the colleges for boys, many of which have a number of primary pupils in attendance.

I. For history of schools (catechetical, monastic, etc.): Drane, Christum Schools and Scholars (2 vols., London, 1867) ; Brother .\z».RlAS, Essays Educational (Chicago, 1896); Willmann, Di- dai-Hk, I (Brunswick, 1894), 211 sq.; Krieg, Lehrbtich der P&da- gogik (Paderborn, 1900), 73 sq.; Denk, Gesch. des Gallo-frankis- chen Unterrichts- und BiUungsxoesen (Mainz, 1892) ; Kehrein, Ueberblick der Erziehung und des Unterrichtx (Paderborn, 1899); MAfTRE, Les ecoles episcopales et monast. deVOccident (Paris, 1866).

if. For primary ediication under ecclesiastical auspices in me- dieval times: Leach, English SchooU at the Reformation (West- minster, 1896) ; Specht, Gesch. des Unterrichtswesens in Deutschland (Stuttgart, 1885); Rave let, Blessed J. B. de La Salle (Paris, 1888), chap, ii, Primary Schools of the Middle Ages; Allain, L'in- struction primaire en France avant la revolution (Paris, 1881); Magevney, Christian Education in the Dark Ages (New York, 1892); ^IcCoRMlCK, series of articles in Catholic Educational Re- view, beginning Nov., 1911; Muteau, Les ecoles et colleges en Pro- vince (Dijon, 1882).

III. For principles of canon law regarding education: Wernz, Jus decretalium (Rome, 1901), III, 57 sq.; Vering, Kirchenrecht (Freiburg. 189.3).

IV. For present condition of Catholic schools in England and Ireland, see Catholic University Bulletin, XIV (1908), 12 sq. and 121 sq., also Irish Educ. Review, vol. I, sq., first no., Oct., 1907; 'B.M.x.is.K-ii, Management of Primary Sch. in Irel. (Dublin, 1911).

V. For history of parochial schools in the United States: Burns, Catholic School System in the United States (New York, 1908); Acta et decrela concilii Baltim. Ill (Baltimore, 1886); Desmond, The Bible in the Public School (Boston, 1890) ; Quiglet, Compulsory Education (the Ohio case) (New York, 1894).

William Turner.

In Australia. — In Australia as in the other parts of the British Empire, the struggle in defence of Catholic education has been a hard, uphill fight. Even in the present age the Catholics of Australia, who have by the most generous and devoted sacri- fices created a fine system of education, both primary and secondary, have not the right, which the Catholics of England, Ireland, and Scotland enjoy, to have any share whatever in the large sums of public money ex- pended on the schools, whilst they are compelled to contribute this money in the form of taxes and rates.

History. — From 1788, when Governor Philip first established a colonial Sf^ttlement at Port Jackson, until 1826, the only schools available for Catholic children in the colony woie the officially controlled Anglican schools, on which large grants of money and land were lavished. The devoted Catholic chaplain Father Therry started a small school in 1826, for which he managed to obtain a little Govern- ment aid. I3y 1836 there were thirteen Catholic schools. Through the influence of Governor Bourke, a liberal Irish Protestant, a system of State aid rec- ognizing the various denominations was developed, a Denominational Board for distributing the funds was set up, and a modest allowance was secured by Catholics. But in 1848 a National Secular System was introduced with a Central Board of lulucation wjmewhat similar to that existing in Ireland, yet running cfjncomitantly with the existing Denominar tional Board. Hostility between the two was in- evitable, and there were many inconveniences. By the Public School Act of 1866 a Central Council of

Education was established and sundry changes were introduced, some being to the detriment of the de- nominational schools; for the defence of Cathohc rights a Cathohc Association w^as formed. But the secular movement supported by anti-Catholic pre- judice grew in strength and, by the Public Instruction Act of 1880, a centralized secular system, withdraw- ing all State aid from the denominational schools, was completely established in New South Wales; this had been done already in some of the other States, and as time went on was done also in the remaining. The effect of the measure was the speedy extinction of the great majority of the other denominational schools, w'hilst the Catholics, thrown again entirely on their own resources, started to build and support their schools (both primary and secondary), the numbers of which they have since then largely in- creased. The secular system has thus been in force in the State schools for thirty years, but the situation is not acquiesced in by the Catholics; they continue to demand the right as free citizens to have the money which they pay in taxes for the support of education, ex-pended on the only education which they can conscientiously accept.

Present Status of Catholic Education. — The Catho- lic primary schools are under the authority of the bishop. of the diocese. There are no school boards; inspectore appointed by diocesan authority'' examine and report on the schools. Competitive yearly inter- primary school examinations for Cathohc secondary school scholarships give an extra stimulus to individ- ual work. In some states Government inspectors are invited to visit the schools, but only in three states does the law enforce Government inspection. These schools are taxed like ordinary institutions; where they come into competition with the State schools, e. g. for civil service appointments, they win more than their share of successes. The Catholic secondary schools and high schools for boys and girls are numerous, and are in charge of the religious congregations. The Jesuit Fathers have four colleges, and the Vincentian and Marist Fathers (N. Z.) one each. The remainder are divided among the Christian, Marist, Patrician, and De La Salle Brothers. Secondary education is largely guided by the university examinations, and here again the Catholic schools amply prove their efficiency. Victoria (Tasmania lately passed a similar law) by Act of Parhament (1906) exacts the registration of all private schools, both primary and secondary, a,nd of all teachers. An Educational Council, on which Catholics are represented, has charge of the register, determines the conditions of registration, and ad- judicates on individual claims. Vested interests are respected, but evidence of competency is to be re- quired of all future teachers. Catholics are en- deavouring to meet the new conditions by the es- tablishment of training colleges, especially for women. In New South Wales, where similar legislation is probable. Cardinal Moran (d. 6 Aug., 1911) in 1911 established a Catholic Council of Education to safe- guard Catholic interests.

In Australasia, including New Guinea, there are: Catholic primary schools, 1004; superior day schools, 196; boarding schools for girls, 194; colleges for boys, 27; ecclesiastical seminaries, 5; and one college for foreign missions. The estimated total Catholic population is 982, .578; scholars, 123,905. The great majority of the Catholic teachers are from among the 6000 nuns and 549 brothers who devote their lives to the service of the Church in the country. Lay teachers are chiefly employed in the country dis- tricts. The per capita cost of education in the Catho- lic primary schools averages between £3 and £4; in the State schools, between £5 and £6. The amount saved to the State by the self-sacrifice of the Catholic bf)dy totals annually about three-quarters of a rail- lion pounds. The Catholic schools are maintained