Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 21.djvu/73



Whatever may be the verdict of history on the final cultural effect of the evangelical religious denominations, it is quite evident all men will agree that they have made a very substantial contribution to the educational progress of every region in which they have established themselves. The fundamental idea, of course, always has been to save the souls of the heathen and raise up the sons and daughters of the faithful under the influence of educational advantages. In order to do this, the minimum requirement is ability to read the Bible. Hence, schools are necessary. So every church, we find, has now, or, at sometime in its history had, an educational program. Indeed, there is a very apparent ratio between the success of the denomination as such, and the extensiveness of its educational activities.

Practically all of the American religious bodies have given up their work in elementary and secondary education (Catholics excepted) and devote their energies to supporting some more or less struggling institutions of higher learning. Their objective is usually duofold; first, to foster their denominational program by training church and social workers; secondly, to provide a place where Christian young men and women of whatever denomination may obtain an education in which the moral and religious values of life are emphasized; and to furnish a favorable environment for the inculcation and development of these ideals.

Just how long these financially weak and all too often moribund schools will be able to stand out against the growing demand for a complete monopoly of education by the state, is a mooted question and one that time alone can settle. There