Chapter XII.
Why Teachers in Our Public Schools Should Not Be
Selected from the Ranks of Catholicism.
The Catholic world does not hesitate in declaring that our public schools in this country are "Sinks of Iniquity," "Schools of Vice," and "Nurseries of Hell;" then why should the followers of Catholicism be permitted to teach in our public schools?
This is a question that ought to vitally interest every Protestant father and mother in this land, and the time is not far distant until they will become interested, for just as sure as God reigns, the time is not far in the future when Catholicism will endeavor to close up the public schools of this land and establish her nurseries of darkness and superstition in their stead.
If the public schools of this country are not good enough for the children of Catholic parents, it seems to me that the Protestant parents of this country should see to it that their children are too good to be taught by Catholic teachers.
Why is it that the Pope does not promulgate one of his "holy bulls" and excommunicate those of his believers who take the money so freely for their services from the public schools of this country?
Oh, no; the Pope and the priestcraft are perfectly willing, so long as Protestants have the power to maintain those schools, that their "jesuitical dupes" shall receive the money that is set aside for these schools. My blood fairly boils with unbounded indignation when I think of the hard, harsh, and ungodly slurs that Catholicism is ever ready to throw at our public school system, and then see blind Protestants help to place a Catholic teacher in one of our schools.
We propose to give facts and figures in this chapter that we hope will open the eyes of drowsy, unconcerned Protestants, and help them and their children to apply the brakes to their downward course, and spike the guns of the Vatican with American manhood.
We hope by the time you are through with this chapter you will be ready to make inquiries as to who is to teach your children in the public schools. Let me ask you, Mr. Protestant, if you ever heard of a Protestant teaching in a Catholic school? Oh, no! But then you will fold your hands and be content to allow your children to be taught by a man or woman who secretly despises the public school system. Shame! Ten thousand times we exclaim you should be ashamed for not asserting your American and God-given privileges of Protestantism gained for you through the blood of your forefathers!
A general system of education, such as affords all alike an opportunity to cultivate and expand the intellect, the poor as well as the rich, is, beyond all question, one of the greatest blessings that any nation can enjoy. Such a system had its birth in America while it was yet comparatively free from the blighting influence of a religio-political corporation whose whole history is one uninterrupted and relentless war upon every system of education which broadens the intellect and causes people to think. In America was born the public free school system, and from the date of its birth, in 1695, to the present, it has been the means of giving to this nation its most renowned statesmen, jurists, patriots, agriculturists, teachers and divines. It is one of the principal agents by which the United States of America has been enabled to advance to the first rank in all things that make a nation great.