Document Information

Date: 1865-02-03
By: True Witness
Citation: “Education”, True Witness (3 February, 1865)
Other formats: TBA

Education.

—Our friends in Upper Canada are up and stirring in the cause of Freedom of Education, incited thereunto no doubt in part by the action of the Protestant minority of Lower Canada. Certainly it is not for us to take the initiative in any such movement, or to dictate to the Catholics of Upper Canada how they should act; but it seems to us that we are bound to the best of our abilities to second their exertions, and to insist that our Parliamentary representatives shall interfere as actively on behalf of the Catholic minority of Upper Canada, as the representatives of that section of the Province will no doubt interfere on behalf of the Protestant minority of this section. With these remarks we lay before our readers the report of the steps taken in Toronto by the friends of the good cause, to whom and which we heartily bid God speed:—

A meeting of Catholics was held on the evening of the 19th of January, in the Richmond Street School House, for the purpose of taking into consideration the most speedy and effectual means of bringing before Legislature the justice of their claim to the same privileges that may be granted to the Protestant minority of Lower Canada, in the event of Confederation. Mr W J Macdonell occupied the Chair; Mr J G Moylan acted as Secretary. Among those present were, the Very Rev J F Jamot, Rev F P Rooney, Messrs Shea, Guinane, Stock, Hayes, Doyle, O’Neill, Graham, Bonar, Wilson, Muldoon, Hyland, Cosgrove, Marvin, and others.

Mr M Hayes stated the object of the meeting to be that of taking into consideration the state of Catholic education in Upper Canada, with the view of procuring the same privileges as those at present enjoyed or which may be granted to the Protestant minority of Lower Canada.

The following resolution was proposed by Mr J Stock, seconded by Mr P Doyle: “Whereas, the educational privileges of the Catholic and Protestant minorities in Upper and Lower Canada are proposed to be guaranteed by the General Government, in view of Confederation, the Catholics of Upper Canada deem it just to themselves, to demand the same rights and privileges that may be accorded to the Protestants of Lower Canada; therefore, be it “Resolved—That an Executive Committee, consisting of Very Rev J F Jamot, Rev F P Rooney, Messrs. Hayes, Stock, Macdonell, Moylan, Robertson, and O’Neill, with power to add to their number, be appointed to take the necessary steps to urge upon the Government the justice of equalizing the educational rights of the minorities in both sections of the Province.”—Carried.

Mr A Muldoon, seconded by Mr Guinane, moved the following Resolution: “Whereas, the Protestants of Lower Canada enjoy many and important privileges, which the Catholics of Upper Canada are disallowed—viz., a University, Normal School, numerous endowed Academies and Grammar Schools; nearly four times the amount of money which is granted by the Legislature for the purpose of Catholic education in Upper Canada, therefore be it “Resolved — That the Executive Committee be instructed to draw up a Memorial praying for the same privileges for the Catholic minority of Upper Canada; and that they take immediate steps to have the same submitted to and endorsed by the Catholics of Upper Canada.”

Moved by Mr John Shea, and seconded by Mr Bonar, “That the Committee draw up, at once, their memorial, and submit it to His Lordship Bishop Lynch for approval, and take measures for obtaining subsequently the signatures of the Catholics of Western Canada thereto.”—Carried.

Mr John Shea, on motion, then took the Chair, when a vote of thanks was returned to the former Chairman.

Pursuant to the instructions given in a foregoing resolution, the Committee drafted the following Memorial of the Catholics of Upper Canada to the Executive and the two branches of the Legislature in Parliament assembled, respecting the Education of the Catholic minority.

Humbly sheweth:

That important political changes being contemplated in the existing form of Government, your memorialists beg leave most respectfully to approach your august body, to ask for the Catholic minority of Upper Canada, the same privileges which may be granted by the General Government to the Protestant minority of Lower Canada in the event of a Confederation of the British North American Provinces.

Your memorialists, in submitting this claim to your Honorable body, are actuated by no other motives than those dictated by a sense of justice, and parental right. They are impressed with the conviction that, the Parliament of the country, having already recognised the right of Catholics to Separate Schools – in deference to the necessity of combining religious instruction with secular education, and having also conceded the same rights to the Protestants of Lower Canada – will not deny them those advantages which would place them on an equality – as regards the education of their children – with their Protestant fellow subjects in Lower Canada.

The grounds urged by the respective minorities in each section, though conflicting, are equally valid. The Protestant minority of Lower Canada object to the mixed system there, because Catholic religious instruction is imparted in the schools; while the Catholic minority in Upper Canada take exception to the Common School system for the opposite reason—viz: because Catholic religious instruction is excluded from the exercises of these schools. With Catholics it is considered indispensable that secular education and religious instruction should go hand in hand. This has been the practice and teaching of their Church, not to-day or yesterday, but for centuries. What they look for, then, not being an innovation, but the just recognition of a principle long and religiously observed, your memorialists have reason to hope that in Canada where all are recognised as free and equal, where the law sanctions no invidious distinctions of creed or caste, the disabilities under which they labor in regard to the proper education of their children in the faith which they profess, will be removed.

Your memorialists are not unmindful of the objections advanced by the opponents of Separate Schools to any further concessions to Catholics on the plea that, the latter do not contribute proportionately with Protestants to the general revenue of the country. This, at first sight, is a grave objection. The difficulty, however, vanishes when your memorialists declare that they do not desire to trespass on the money of Protestants to support Catholic Schools. All they ask by way of subsidy from the Government is a just appointment of the taxes which they actually contribute to the common exchequer. We would beg to call attention to the fact that, the Catholics in Upper Canada being nearly 300,000 contribute a large amount a large amount to the Revenue as consumers of dutiable commodities. In this way, what may, on their part, be deficient in wealth is made up in numbers. Further, by their labor and industry, they establish a claim upon the Government to provide for the Education of the poor. And, indeed, wise policy would suggest that this be done even with more solicitude than for that of well to do people, since the former, if neglected, are more likely to become a burthen and an injury to the State than the latter. Moreover, your memorialists are of opinion that, Parliament in granting Separate Schools was in no manner influenced by the quote of taxes paid by the Protestant or Catholic minority, nor were the privileges accorded to each measured by such a standard. Separate Schools were established in Upper Canada simply as a measure of justice, and out of respect for the religious views of those who demanded them. These same reasons plead powerfully in favor of the claim set forth by your memorialists, who ask to have the stigma of implied inferiority, which now attaches to their children, removed; and who ask to have their offspring placed on the same level with that of the Protestants of Lower Canada, by having extended to them a similar School Law.

That your honorable body may understand the degrading distinction which at present exists between the educational systems now in force in the Separate Schools of Upper and Lower Canada, your memorialists take the liberty of making a brief allusion to a few facts derived from the official reports of the Chief Superintendents of Education in the two sections of the Province.

The Catholic population of Upper Canada, according to the Census of 1861 was 258,141.

The number of Catholic children of school age is about 51,628.

The appointment from the Government Fund for all purposes of Catholic Education in 1863, was $14,888 including the grants to three Colleges.

The Catholic minority of Upper Canada have no University; no National or Model School, no Academies or Grammar Schools, and only three Local Superintendents of their own communion.

The Protestant population of Lower Canada was in 1861, 167,940.

The number of Protestant children of School age in that section is about 33,588.

The amount appropriated by the Legislature for Protestant Education in Lower Canada in 1863, was nearly $36,000, more than twice the amount granted to the Catholics of Upper Canada, and considerably more than three times the amount when the excess in population is taken into account.

The Protestants of Lower Canada have an endowed University, a Normal School, several Model Schools, and Academies, Grammar Schools, wherever required, and a large staff of Protestant Local Superintendents of Education.

In view of these several considerations set forth, your memorialists earnestly hope their claim will meet the favorable consideration of Your Honorable body, equally with that of the Protestant minority of Lower Canada.

Respectfully submitted.