velop its waking faculties by methods that never rise above this same weakness. But what after all can be the consequence of such a method? Briefly and clearly, a weakening of the mental fibre, a loss of genuine enthusiasm, failure to establish the invaluable habits of industry and application, and a lack of that moral steadfastness and fortitude in difficult undertakings which are the sure measure of every great and successful life. There must be, too, a loss of that broad interest in the affairs of others which helps so much to take the selfishness out of life and to make man appreciative of the work of others. Whenever we hear fine theories of easy discipline and easy methods for the young, we had better recall to mind the principle laid down by the common sense of ages: "There is no royal road to learning." Stamped upon every great achievement, conserved in every great thought that has given its energy to the life of man, we shall find labor done and difficulties overcome. Men do not drift upwards and onwards-they climb. Just one word in conclusion. I have refrained in this paper from touching upon those topics which affect most intimately the inner life and training of those whom we look upon as representatives and successors of Christ in the love He showed for little children. It was no mere oversight that occasioned this, nor was it any lack of reverent respect for the virtues which make the weary round of drudgery that belongs to the life of every teacher not merely tolerable but eagerly and gratefully accepted by the Catholic religious. I might have spoken of the submissive obedience that curbs one's passions, the pride, impetuosity and stubbornness that blind a man and lead him to take his own conceits for the infallible wisdom; I might have sketched the root principles of the authority every teacher must possess to do efficient work in the classroom and which rests chiefly in the power or influence over others derived from character, example and from mental and moral superiority; I might have touched upon the impartial spirit which moves the successful teacher to deal with. strict fairness and justice to all with no suggestion of undue familiarity so harmful to teacher and pupil alike and so ruinous to correct character formation; I might have dwelt upon the details -some foolishly call them trivial-that belong to discipline in the classroom and make for order without which no genuine training is possible; I might remind you of the need of that through which more things are wrought than the world dreams of, of prayer, earnest, constant prayer, since the Catholic teacher's work reaches out into the supernatural and must be blessed and favored from on high if it is to enjoy the efficiency it seeks to attain; I might have dwelt upon all these and many other elements which enter into the fashioning of that admirable influence Catholic religious teachers possess in training and educating the youth committed to their care; but you will permit me to hold that insistence upon these topics were out of place here. They are the developments of the religious teacher's rule, of the life of enduring patience and sacrifice which that rule entails, and it is at our prie-dieu with the image of the Master who has called us to His exalted service before our eyes that such lessons must be meditated. May it be the purpose of each one of us so to live that rule that long after the mere technical lessons taught our pupils have been lost in the crowding events of mature years, memory will still recall to them the vivid conception of what they ought to be as Christian men and women learned from the example of a teacher revered and loved in their school days. LOCAL TEACHERS' MEETING PROCEEDINGS A meeting of the teachers of the diocese, of Pittsburgh and of visiting Sisters was held at Carnegie Hall on Wednesday afternoon, June 26. Rev. Thomas Devlin, pastor of Holy Cross church, Pittsburgh, presided and conducted the discussions. A paper on "The Relation of the Catholic School to Catholic Literature" was read by Dr. Thomas O'Hagan, editor of the New World, Chicago, Ill. The paper was discussed by Rev. Thomas Bryson, Rev. O. J. Kirby and Rev. John T. Driscoll. A second paper on "The Catholic School in Polish Parishes" was read by Rev. Francis Retka, C. S. Sp. This paper was discussed by Rev. C. Tomaszewski, C. S. Sp., and Rev. A. Tarkowski. A second meeting of the teachers was held on Thursday at 2:30 p. m., the Rev. Thomas Devlin of Pittsburgh presiding. A paper on "The Motu Proprio on Church Music in the Parish Schools" was read by Professor Joseph Otten. The reading of the paper evoked an interesting discussion in which the following took part: Rev. Charles Becker, Rev. Father Felix, O. M. Cap., Rt. Rev. Joseph Schrembs, D. D., Bishop of Toledo, Rt. Rev. James J. Hartley, D. D., Bishop of Columbus. A paper on "Preparation for First Holy Communion in Parish Schools," was read by Rev. Thomas Devlin of Pittsburgh, Pa. The paper was discussed by Monsignor Wienker, Rev. G. P. Jennings, Rev. Thomas V. Tobin and others. The chairman addressed a few words to the teachers and the meeting adjourned. THOMAS DEVLIN, (405) PAPERS THE RELATION OF THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL TO CATHOLIC LITERATURE DR. THOMAS O'HAGAN, EDITOR OF THE NEW WORLD, CHICAGO When the invitation was extended to me by the Catholic Educational Association to read a paper on "The Relation of the Catholic School to Catholic Literature," I must confess to you that I readily and eagerly accepted it, feeling that it is a subject fraught with the very deepest import to our Catholic life and progress. For I have long held to the opinion that we Catholics in this country must not only create and sustain our own Catholic educational institutions, but we must also create and nourish with the sunshine and dews of sympathy and practical support our own Catholic literature; and the best and fittest place—the largest soil and the surest of production for this literary sowing is unquestionably the Catholic school. Here every Catholic bent of the child mind makes for the sturdiness of Catholic faith in after years. If life is a warfare of the soul, how can we better equip our boys and girls for this warfare than by putting in their hands the weapons of Catholic truth, forged and fashioned by our great Catholic thinkers-our great Catholic authors? Up to the present we Catholics have been so busy with our material tasks in this country-constructing cities, projecting railroads, clearing forests, developing mines, that literary culture with us has been a secondary thought; but now that these worthy and gigantic tasks have been well nigh accomplished, may we not turn aside at times to follow with Sir Galahad the "Gleam" and fashion in lofty rhyme or turret bold the dreams of our soul? And if this noble work is to be done, if we are to set our ideals of life to the divine orchestration of heaven and make every art the handmaid of God-an acolyte at His altar, we must begin the work and sow the seed in the humble, but beneficent parochial school. I firmly believe that to a great extent we have neglected this phase of our Catholic education in the past-that we have forgotten that we have Catholic writers who are toiling and have toiled in the literary vineyard of God, generously giving of their gifts to advance His kingdom, and so fill our hearts and homes with the aroma and beauty of Catholic truth and teaching. Look around you to-day, I pray you, and see what the influence of pernicious and vicious literature is doing among the youth of our land. How can we Catholics, I ask, fold our arms or shut our eyes and say this question concerns us not? It does concern us; it must concern us. If there is unrest to-day it is because so-called teachers of humanity are false to the great truths of God. Distrust, and discontent, and a false doctrine of morals have driven out of the hearts of the people peace and the wisdom of God; and the secular press and the teacher from his chair in the secular college have cooperated in bringing about this lamentable condition of things. Because of these influences at work the literature of our day is full of poison-full of false principles. Never in the history of Christianity has the evil one sown so many tares among the wheat of truth. Not alone in things of faith, which directly concern the soul, but in government, economics, social life-in every phase of human activity this poison has entered and vitiated life and withered and destroyed as with a killing frost its crowning fruitage. But how, you ask, shall we Catholics meet this sad condition of things? It must be met as every moral evil is met with the sword of God's truth, and this must be wielded early in the Catholic school. The Catholic Church will be the Church of this country if we see to it that the faith of our children is safeguarded in their early school days. But to accomplish this, to make sure that their early footsteps in learning are not erring footsteps, we must see to it that our children have free access to |