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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
9
spires the taste with a keen discernment of propriety,
and which, united to intellectual culture, gives in
comparable delicacy and penetration in the apprecia
tion of real beauty. Why do the public schools ignore
religious truths? Why are they limited to imparting
instruction in the secular branches, while they slight
the sublime, eternal truths that develop so admirably
the faculties of the soul and impart real culture and
education? When our public school system incul
cates all truth, then the Catholic parent may with a
quiet conscience allow his child to enjoy its advan
tages.
When Almighty God blesses a Catholic home, by
entrusting to its keeping a new-born babe, both father
and mother assume the responsibility of guarding it
as though it were a most precious jewel destined to
adorn this world for a time, and to shine as a lumi
nary in heaven throughout all eternity. Day and
night they watch over it, care for its every need, an
ticipate its budding faculties, ward off every shadow
of danger and impart the first elements of education
to its awakening faculties. How proud the fond par
ents are to catch their names first pronounced, to
listen to the name of God, of Jesus Christ, of Mary
His Mother; how attentively they hearken to his ear
liest effort to lisp the Lord’s Prayer or the Hail Mary,
which has cost the good mother an infinite deal of
patience and perseverance; but love conquers all ob
stacles and sweetens labors that otherwise would be
come the direst drudgery. When the good father and
mother have laid the foundation both of a religious
and a secular education, in the mind of the young
child, they cast about in quest of suitable teachers to
continue and to develop the work already accom
plished. The public schools are unable to supply
the requirement because they have eliminated all
forms of dogmatic teaching; so the parents must needs
turn to the Catholic school to obtain what they re
quire; since here alone the truths of the supernatural
order are imparted, together with the instruction that
equips the youth for success in some honorable ca
reer. Here the child is prepared for the reception
of the Holy Sacraments, is taught how to pray and
receives instruction in the sublime doctrines of Di
vine Revelation; he is in close contact with the Rever
end Clergy, and acquires good habits. While his con
science is enlightened by the precepts of the Deca
logue, to. fashion his moral conduct, he learns how to
perform his duty to his God, his Church, his parents,
his neighbors and himself. An atmosphere of morality
and industry permeates the classroom and almost im
perceptibly both by precept and example, good lessons
are imparted and good habits, acquired. Early im
pressions last the longest and are most effective; as
the poet Longfellow expresses it: “The thoughts of
youth are long, long thoughts.’’ No other lessons
affect us so forcibly as those impressed upon the
tabula rasa of our young mnid by the loving lessons
of a fond mother. Just as in the palimpsest, from
which the original inscription had been erased to
give place to a new one, the native fibre of the parch
ment is so permeated by the first impression, that years
later it may again rise to the surface and become
legible—so likewise, with early impressions stamped
upon the youthful mind—even though they appear to
have been obliterated by later ideas, yet the day ar
rives when they assert themselves anew and become a
power for good.
Environment and association are two powerful edu
cational agencies; and as young people learn to do
by seeing rather than by being told how to do, it is
imperative that both teachers and classmates be of
the very best quality. Herein is another reason that
serves to determine the Catholic parent to confide
his most precious treasure to the care of men or
women, who have consecrated themselves to God’s
service and are devoted to teaching, not for money
or worldly advancement, but merely for the good
they may effect in souls; the pupils that patronize
the Catholic schools belong to the very best Catholic
homes. In the Book of Proverbs we find this perti-
ment oracle:: “A young man, according to his way,
even when he is old he will not depart therefrom.”
This saying emphasizes the vital importance of early
training in virtue and goodness, that only correct
habits may be formed. This training cannot com
mence too early. There is a time for everything in
the life of a man, but rigid discipline must accom
pany all his actions especially during the early days
of youth. Good manners are to be encouraged; rude
ness, repressed; passions, controlled and directed;
memory and judgment exercised; the affections and
desires, regulated; the principles of the moral law
inculcated, to direct the conscience; the will, strength
ened by d iscipline all these exercises are conducted
along parallel lines in the Catholic system of educa
tion from the lowest grades till the youth completes
his school life and is equipped to take up his as
signed avocations in the world. This is why Catholic
parents give the preference to the Catholic school
system it secures all the advantages of the public
school; it imparts a knowledge of the Divine Precepts
and enforces the practice of the moral law; it equips
a man to pursue an honorable and successful career
here below and enables him to attain the end of his
creation:—the possession of God’s Kingdom through
out all eternity.
REFLEX OF K. OF C. WORK.
Plainville, Ga. Send me your booklets giving in
formation about the Catholics.
I saw your wonderful works when our boys were
sick at Camp Hancock.
Thomas F. Walsh III. has arrived to increase the
number of good Catholics at the home of the former
Association president in Savannah. Than the father
there is no more zealous Catholic in Georgia, and it
is reasonable to believe that in such a household as
his the son and heir will prove a worthy son of a
worthy sire.