New Zealand Tablet. Fiat Justitia. SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 1875. FATHER O'MALLEY'S PAMPHLET.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 92, 30 January 1875, Page 5

New Zealand Tablet. Fiat Justitia. SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 1875. FATHER O'MALLEY'S PAMPHLET.

Father O'M alley, S. J., Melbourne, has published a pamphlet on " Secular Education and Christian Civilization," which we advise such as are interested in these questions to read attentively. This pamphlet is ably written, and abounds in information on the [subjects of which it treats. The reverend gentleman divides his brochure into five parts. The first treats of the '•' Claim of the Catholic Denomination," the second of the " Claim of the Secularist Denomination," the third of the M Results of Secular Education," the fourth of " Secularism," and the fifth of " Civilization." Under these general headings, the various subjects, in reference to Education, are discussed in a clear and closely argumentative style, which cannot fail to bring conviction to minds free from prejudice, and not already enslaved by bigotry. The first question treated in the pamphlet is the " cost " of Secular Education in the Colony of Victoria. " According to the recent census, the population of Victoria is 797,049." " £565,431," to which three weeks later a grant of £50,000 was added, making a total of £615,431, "have been voted for Educational purposes" in the year. "Is there any sufficient reason for this enormous outlay 1 Is there any sufficient return for it V Mr. O'Alalley continues : " The Catholics ate nearly a fourth of the population, 'we have to pay our full share of these'' — £615,431. "We have a right to expect that our own money should be laid out on our own children, but the law which has recently come into force, leaves us no choice but to sacrifice our money, or our conscientious 'convictions. We believe that this law has been passed with the deliberate object of destroying the Faith of our children, and we labor under a burning sense of wrong and persecution.' 7 The italics are our own. Mr. O'M alley is right. This new law of Victoria on Education has been passed with the deliberate object of destroying the Faith of Catholics. That such, is the object, there is not a shadow of a doubt. In fact it is notorious that it is so. So true is this, that the Melbourne Correspondent of the * Times,' Nov. 27, 1872, v:rites :— "If tlie law will weaken the priests, they" — the advocates of the law — " are indifferent to its benefiting the children." Precisely, it is not for Education the Secularists care so much as the destr rction of Catholicity. Before the passing of this law of Free, Secular, and Compulsory Education, the work of Education had been progressing satisfactorily in Victoria, and the cost to the State was comparatively moderate. The year previous to its enactment, the

Government had to pay only £180,000. But it was said by the Secularists that a new law was necessary, in order to secure the schooling of the gutter children, who could be reached only by compulsion. Well, the Secularists have succeeded in establishing Free, Secular, and Compulsory Education, with the avowed object of reaching these little ones, and of securing Education for every child in Victoria without exception. And what is the result 1 Last year, Mr. Mackay's estimate for educational purposes was £800,000. A grant was at ones made of £565,431 — and three weeks later another for £50,000 was obtained, and the ' Argus,' two days later, Nov. 27, 1874, suggested a " Loan" to make up the balance. But, notwithstanding this enormous expenditure, have the children, for whose especial benefit the new law was enacted, been reached. Not at all. Mr O' Malley says — " The grand object of the new law was to get the neglected children, or as they are called — the gutter children, to school. The effect has been to close the private schools and transfer the " young ladies and young gentlemen " who were paying there for accomplishments, to public schools, where they learn these accomplishments gratis ! And the gutter children ? — are still in the gutter. And when they are driven into the school, what will happen 1 The ' Argus ' says of them : "It is no use shutting our eyes to the fact "that their advent would cause an exodus of respectable scholars. It is very well for Mr. Johnstone to talk about any separation beinf* contrary to the spirit of the Act, but would he send his children to school to be contaminated, body and soul, by the sweepings of the streets V ('Argus' leader, Oct. 20, 1874.) So that the magnificent result we are to obtain for our £615,071, is to neglect the children that really required looking after ; and first to drive the children who were doing well in the private schools into public ones, and then to drive them back again" ! ! ! The Secularists in Victoria siiy — as did Mr Mackay in Parliament — that "It may be fairly assumed that the Education Act has been a great success as regards the attendance of the children." ('Argus,' Oct. 23, 1874.) But facts, it appears, do not warrant this assumption. " The increase Mr Mackav adverts to is not very remarkable, and it refers only to children for whom compulsion is unnecessary. The attendance for 1872 was over 50 per cent., and for 1873 only ah out 47| ; this is progress backwards " — (' Age ' leader, Oct. 30, 1874.) In Fart 111. Mr O'Malley gives some testimonies as to the results of Secular Education in the United States of America. We shall transcribe one or two of them. The ' Boston Pilot,' 6th April has the following : — " That the devil is in the public schools, raging and rampant there among the pupils as well as the teachers, no one can doubt who has sent a little child into them, as guiltless of evil and unclean thoughts as a newly-formed snow-flake, and had him come home in a short time contaminated almost beyond belief by the vileness and filth which he has seen and heard and learned there V " The frightful increase of immorality, of unnatural crimes, in these latter years, and especially in those States where the common school system is fully carried out, as in New England, proves beyond a doubt that there is something radically wrong in this system. Some years aero the public were startled by the shocking developments of depravity in one of the female schools, — so shocking indeed, as almost to stagger belief. The ' Boston Times ' published the. whole occurrence at tho i time, but after creating great excitement for a few weeks, the ' matter was quietly hushed up, for fear of injuring the character of the public schools (p. 106.) We regret it is not in our power to dwell longer on Mr O'Malley's very able pamphlet. It is not improbable, how ever, that we may some day return to the subject. We can recommend the treatise to all who sincerely desire information on Secular and Denominational Education, and especially to Catholics. As for ourselves, we shall keep it by us as a treasury to which we shall recur for precise information in time of need.