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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
THE CATHEDRAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY
On February 18th, last, The Catholic Missionary
Society of Georgia was organized in the Cathedral
basement at Savannah. With no capital but the Holy
Faith, and a boundless enthusiasm, measures were at
once discussed and adopted for dividing the city into
districts in such a manner that every Catholic would
have an opportunity to contribute. With an excep
tionally f\ne corps of collectors, so splendid has been
the response of the people that in less than six months
over $600 has been distributed to the four missions
of the State. A committee provides altar linens for
mission churches when needed. Another committee
mails, each week, such Catholic papers as are given
by the people to the end that our isolated brethren
may keep abreast of current Catholic thought. About
twelve dozen pieces of mail are sent out monthly.
Parish Schools Help.
Too much praise can not be given to the Sisters
and Brothers of the Cathedral Parish Schools for
their hearty co-operation. Through their zeal mite
boxes were placed in each classroom to receive the
spare pennies of the children. In this way a very
substantial sum was added to the treasury, and the
spirit of sacrifice inculcated in these young hearts.
Over and above all material help, however, is the
hope and encouragement brought to the life of the
struggling Missionary that the cities, spiritually so
rich, have now awakened to the needs of others, and
are willing to extend a helping hand to those not so
fortunate.
United Effort.
From its incipiency the movement has enjoyed the
indorsement and active co-operation of the Catholic
Women’s Club. The Ladies’ Auxiliary to the Ancient
Order of Hibernians, Our Lady’s Aid Society, and
The Parva Club. Welded together by the Missionary
Spirit, their members hope to present a united front
to the wave of prejudice now unhappily sweeping our
beloved State.
The officers are: President, Miss Joanna E. Walsh;
Vice-President, Miss Nellie M. O’Brien; Secretary and
Treasurer, Miss Ernestine Walsh; Chaplain, Very Rev.
Joseph D. Mitchell, Rector of the Cathedral. Ad
visory Board: Mrs. John W. Gleason, Mrs. Joseph
Kelly, Mrs. T. M. Dreyer, Mrs. Hannah McDonough,
Miss Mannie Judge, and Miss Kate Latham.
THE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOLS; SCOPE AND EQUIPMENT
(B. E. D. A.),
It were a truism to assert that within the memory
of men now living, wonderful strides have been made
in every species of human activity. In no line of en
deavor is this progress more manifest than in the do
main of the experimental sciences. As these sciences
are closely allied to the Department of Education, we
must not be greatly surprised to be told that corre
sponding advances are discovered along all lines of
educational development.
Scarcely has a half century run its course since
the late President Garfield paid a delicate tribute to
the president of his Alma Mater, when he made this
statement: “A log with a student at one end and
Mark Hopkins at the other would constitute an ideal
college.” Since the enunciation of that beautiful
compliment so delicately expressed we haye made such
giant strides on the high road of prbgress and ad
vancement, that now we would as readily return to
the curriculum pursued in the old-time hedge school,
which educated our ancestors, as we would to commit
the slightest interest of our dear ones to the tender
mercies of the aromatic log of gnarled pine, even
though such uncouth environment might satisfy the
lofty ambitions of such geniuses as Presidents Gar
field and Seth Hopkins. Far from us were any in
tention to belittle the curriculum of the old-time
hedge school; it was, for its time, the best that could
be provided, and it educated many a worthy man,
who, otherwise, would be compelled to go through life
illiterate, because of arbitrary enactments enforced
by tyrannical despots. We have learned to appre
ciate the paramount importance of a thorough educa
tion, and we are determined to afford to our dear
ones now being equipped to shoulder life’s respon
sibilities, every advantage within our control that
they may become men of character—leaders in all
honorable careers of life whether professional or mer
cantile instead of exposing them to become hewers
of wood and drawers of water for others more highly
gifted with worldly advantages. The very best at
our disposal is what our children demand as their
right; it is also what we owe to them and are in
duty bound to bestow according to our ability, that
they may have wherewith to realize their aspirations,
and if possible, to become leaders in social, civic and
religious affairs. That education may be real and
may accomplish the worthy object it must develop
and educate the whole man, soul and body, mind and
heart, conscience and will—hence it must embrace
physical, intellectual and moral education. If any one
of these powers be allowed to remain fallow the train
ing imparted does not ring true to standard quality;
it is merely gilded, not gold.
It may not be deemed unwise or untimely to throw
out a few observations covering the scope of the high
school and the advantages it is intended to afford, to
gether with its needful equipment.
Our educational system, as now constituted, places
much stress on the high school course, and it doe3
so with good reason. The object of the high school
is two-fold:—to review the past and to prepare for
the future. It continues and rounds out the element-