SECULAR EDUCATION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 187, 9 August 1877, Page 2

SECULAR EDUCATION.

To the _Fditor of the 'Evening Mail.' . Sir— When a writer has to strengthen his arguments with sneering, instead of throwing light he only throws dust on his subject, aud therefore he had no need to come to the rjescue. -But leaving this aside, I beg to explain to;'.' Secular Education what he seems not to understand. Had he been a little more 4cq.nalu.ted jfith the way St. Mary's, schools were established, he would have seen that the (j/athohes, being unable to have, a,denominational system-, preferred to have an imperfect oue rather-than to have none at all. -If -they submitted.-.- to! such .^"system, it was not because they approved of a secular system, • but because they could not avoid it, and they would- be-sorry to see it enforced '" upon the colony at large;" and much more « to the world. "-

j ; Secular. Education" should know that my principle^ bas always been to advocate the denominational system whenever and whereever it can be : ie»tablished; "but, as it is riot possible to-bave it fn small localities, such as Nelson, for the/present at all events,: on account of the small number of children of my denomination, I advocate the Nelson system of "Separate- schools,'," in which, at St. Mary s, after having given a purely secular teaching .fo the whole of the children, Protestant and Catholic, during the school hours, v _?.?°j. fc 5 e sch '° ol W o^cr and ;the Protestant children have retired, religious instruction is given -to the Catholic children! who remain . Add let it nofte supposed that there is a danger of many denominations taking advantage of this dear privilege; forlthe experience of the past ten years has proved that no other-denomination but the Catholics have been willing tVgo 1 . to'the trouble of finding a piece of land aud building large school rooms at their cwn. expense; If T remember right the Presbyterians o_ Nelson' some two or three years ago applied to the Central Board for availing,. themselfes of the clause which empowered them to be a " separate school " But when they were informed! of - the . condition that theyshould find a spot arid build a proper schoolroom at their owh expense they abandoned their project. -. '. i I am glad to see that the ' result of the faceting, of the Central Board held yesterday has been to approve unanimously of .the amendment Mr Curtis is going to propose to the General Assembly.-,! ;am, &c;. r/i I „. . A. M. Garin. Nelson,-, August 8, 1877_.- -..•:• .*-.,.