CATHOLIC SCHOOLS ARE NOT LIKE MUSHROOMS

TREMENDOUS CENTRAL ORGANISATION
It Is Unwise To Shrink From All Publicity
Front Our Educational Correspondent
Little or nothing is known by the average Catholic of the enormous effort expended in the protection and extension of Catholic elementary education, and the efficient organisation which has been built up is that end.
Where there is a Catholic elementary school it is too often taken for granted and there is no disposition to ascertain whether it receives assistance from rates or taxes or is supported solely by Catholic funds.
Where there is no such school that fact also is too often taken for granted or blame laid on the Parish Priest or the Board of Education—in either case the blameless parties.
" Of No Concern" This "taken for granted" attitude is the result of carelessness or failure to realise a clear duty. Those whose children have to attend public elementary schools are too often socially uninstructed and have no idea of how they can help. Those who are sufficiently well off to pay fees for the education of the children simply regard the problems of Catholic education as not concerning them.
This ignorance may be partly due to the fact that, except in exceptional circumstances, the Catholic education organisation does not let the public know what it is doing or planning.
Publicity might prejudice some of its negotiations, of course, but it is arguable that the shrinking from all publicity prevents people from knowing of some of the difficulties and so of offering help and support,
From Start to Finish
The organisation starts with the parish where the local needs are assessed. The next stage is the Diocesan Schools Council where the local needs are examined and co-related and appropriate action advised or undertaken.
These diocesan councils are doing a very important work and since the 1936 Education Act came into force the duties have increased owing to the many schemes and negotiations which have been undertaken.
Their importance is recognised by the Board of Education and local education authorities.
Diocesan councils have, however, no authority outside their own areas—they can negotiate and make settlements affecting their own schools, but are not competent to settle national problems of Catholic education,
National questions are therefore dealt with by the Catholic Education Council which represents the Hierarchy and the Catholic body in matters concerning Catholic education. The Council consists of eighty-three members; twelve nominated by the Bishops of England and Wales; fifty-four representatives of the eighteen dioceses of England and Wales; twelve members nominated by the Conference of Catholic Colleges, and five members coopted as representing the Day Secondary Schools.
Base of Information
The duties undertaken by the Council are of a very varied range as it is not only in close communication with the Board of Education on matters of national import but is the source of advice and information for school managers all over the country. In addition, it owns St. Mary's College, Strawberry Hill, the training college for men teachers and contributes towards the maintenance of nine training colleges for Catholic teachers.
Many small Catholic schools with no income from rates or taxes look to the Council for grants to enable them to carry on and last year these grants amounted to £3,342.
A further £1,582 was expended in grants to 137 small country parishes to enable them to send children to the nearest Catholic schools,
Fortunate Catholics who feel that Catholic education problems do not concern them should obtain the Annual Report of the Catholic Education Council and there learn of the work that is being done and how it can be extended. They could at least remove the bar of " inadequate resources " which compels the Council to restrict its activities to a fraction of what is necessary.