“It is possible, I admit. But I say again, it is not so in our school. Indeed, most of the children are too small to know anything about such matters. You will say time will correct that. I add that our primary object is the education of the young people. We teach in German altogether, because the children learn English in the public schools. They all attend the latter, because it is a primary principle with us that it is education alone that can make men free. In addition to the studies named, we teach music and singing, and we hold a session at 58 Clybourn Avenue in the afternoon of each Sunday, when teachers from the Workingmen’s Educational Society—an art organization—teach them drawing.”
FRANK CHLEBOUN.
From a Photograph.
The Doctor is a short, thick-set, mild-mannered man, possessed of a gentle voice, and is, apparently, about thirty-five years old. He spoke carefully, and without excitement.
“Let me tell you further,” he said, after a brief pause, “we do not teach anything of what is termed religion, because we do not believe in that. We do teach morals, the duties we owe to our neighbors, the great principles of right and wrong. We desire the children to grow up into Socialists, that they may be worthy successors of their parents; but we do not think the Sunday school we have organized is the proper place to inculcate such doctrines.”
“Because your pupils are too young?” asked the reporter.
“Yes, and because, as I have said, the parents of some of the children do not hold to our views, and it is our desire to bring into our fold as many as possible, thus saving as many as we can from the evil influences of the church.”
“You say you teach music and songs. Do these include sacred music?”
“Our music and songs are strictly secular; we have nothing to do with anything connected with the churches.”
