ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 52, 28 December 1899, Page 4

ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE.

WHAT THE CATHOLICS ARE DOING FJR PRIMARY EDUCATION.

Ik presenting his report on the primary schools of the Archdiocese of Melbourne the Inspector says : — One hundred and thirteen primary schools (with en attendance of 19,209 pupils) are in operation. There are also 23 Colleges and High Schools, which had during the year an attendance of 2209 pupils. Of the 21,418 children who attend the schools directiy under the control of the Catholic Church 1075 are non-Catholics. During the year I have examined and awarded percentages to 107 primary schools. Since the issue of the last report, four new school buildings were erected. In the primary schools there are 422 teachers (179 religious and 243 seculars) whose salaries for the year amounted to £17,5/39.

The total expenditure on new buildings, repairs, appliances, and maintenance for the year ending September 30, 1899, was £23,582. Tne average annual expenditure for the last eight years was £21,787. Large as is the sum spent on new buildings and repairs, there is still demand for further expenditure. Some schools require greater accommodation, others require more maps, furniture, painting, or general overhauling. In the vast majority of oases a generous people, led by their pastors, have built and admirably equipped their parochial schools. Sufficient thanks cannot be given by all lovers of Christian education to the pastorß and people who have generously subscribed towards the erection, equipment, and maintenance of the very many school buildings which are found in nearly every centre of Catholic population.

Any honour which men may give to the founders and benefactors of Catholic schools can afford but trifling gratification in comparison with the immense satisfaction they must experience from the reflection that, at least in this one most important matter, they are largely contributing towards the best interests of this young and progressive country. It is simply inexplicable that our Legislature, which is founded on the British model, and which looks to England for light and leading, should continue to refuse to the Catholic schools a fair

proportion of the Educational Grant. In Great Britain 14,000 denominational schools are liberally supported by the State. In Ireland the National system of education is, in three out of the four provinces, practically undenominational. But here, where there is much boasting of the progress and enlightened liberality of the colonies, no Berne of shame deters non-Catholics from utilising the money of Catholics for the education of their children, and no sense of wrong done to others inspires them as a body to denounce the injustice, and to advocate the just claims of Catholics.

The secondary Bohools have this year fully maintained the successes of former years. Sixty pupils passed (many of them with honours) the matriculation of the Melbourne University ; four matriculated in music ; one obtained a gold medal ; three hundred and forty-eight were successful in winning other distinctions, such as passes of the Royal Academy, London, in practical and theoretical music ; passes in the Public S rvice, etc., etc. Besides the twelve exhibitions of £5 each, presented by his Grace, seven resident scholarships for girls have been given by the Convent of the Faithful Companions, Richmond ; the Convent of Mercy, Nicholson street, Fitzroy ; the Presentation Convent, Windsor ; the Presentation Convent, Elsternwick ; the Convent of Mercy, Geelong ; the Convent of Mercy, Kyueton ; and the Convent of Mercy, Mansfield. Three non-resident scholarships for boys have been given by the Jesuit Fathers ; two of them (tenable for three years) are the gift of St. Francis Xavier's College, Kew ; and one (tenable for one year) the gift of St. Patrick's College, East Melbourne.