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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.