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1921
23 May 1921
Kandos News.
CATHOLIC SCHOOL CHURCH.
The Kandos Roman Catholic Church committee has instructed Mr. Stanley Jeffreys to draw up plans for a school-church. During the week, in company with Mr. Jeffreys, members of the committee inspected the site to mark out the exact position where the school should be erected.
SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH.
Sisters of St. Joseph's, from the Perthville Convent intend visiting Kandos for the purpose of collecting funds to help liquidate the debt on the mother house, pay for the installation of the electric light, and assist the community to meet the increased cost of living1
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1922
14 September 1922
Kandos Catholic Church School
Foundation Stone Laid
by the Right Rev. Dr. O'Farrell.
On Sunday afternoon the laying of the foundation stone of the new Roman Catholic Church school at Kandos was laid by the Right Rev. Dr. O'Farrell, the Bishop of Bathurst. The Rev. Father Corbett assisted in the ceremony, and the Rev. Father Flanagan of Mudgee, was present. There was a large assemblage comprising representatives of all denominations. The inscription read: -
"This stone was laid by the Bishop of Bathurst, Right Rev. Dr. O'Farrell, 10th September 1922. After the ceremony, the gathering moved to the building where the Bishop entered a forceful address. The Rev. Father Corbett submitted a financial statement, which showed that the contractor's price for the building was £1945. The committee had paid £1200 off the overdraft, and it was desired to reduce the amount as much as possible that afternoon. So far £750 had been subscribed. It was decided on the motion of Messrs. J. P. Mellralli and P. J. McMahon, to open a subscription list immediately.
The Bishop said he would like to take the opportunity of congratulating the people on their very fine church school, which was equal to any building in the diocese. It was a great tribute to the spirit and enthusiasm of the people of Kandos, a town which a few years back was an unknown quantity, and was often described as being outside Rylstone. The best test of the value people placed on themseIves, a church, the Bishop proceeded, is disclosed in the extent to which they placed their hands in their pocket. It would take something like £2000 to pay for the building and furniture, and he felt sure they would not approach the undertaking in any uncertain way. One thing which Catholics were sensitive about was the education of their children. They studied their upbringing in order to make them responsible to God and country. There seemed to be an idea existing in New South Wales that anything was good enough for a school. There was a great deal of heavy taxation, yet it was notorious that many of the elementary schools in country districts were in a deplorable condition. They were unfit for teachers and children and citizens should feel ashamed of them. It was gratifying to learn that the Minister for Education proposed charging a fee for pupils attending secondary schools, and that the money raised by this means would be used to repair the elementary schools. The latter should receive the first consideration of a new elected government. Some said the removal of Mr. Bruntnell was undemocratic. It was not. It could have been put into effect earlier by those who had been in power for three years. The Bishop thought that some might say that he was undemocratic. He thought however, the bursary system was sufficient until elementary schools were placed in a health condition. He would like to suggest that another opportunity to benefit elementary schools existed in connection with the University system. There were about 3000 students con. sisting of three classes, viz., those who pay fees right through the University course, those who hold exhibitions and receive free tuition, and those in a bursary class, who also receive free tuition together with some help. "My contention is," declared the Bishop with some emphasis, "the bursary would amply provide for the talented children. The bursaries are given to students whose parents are unable to meet financial responsibilities, and if that system does not suffice let the bursaries be extended to meet such necessity. In the University today, two out of every three who matriculate receive free education." Allowing each student an expenditure of £20 a head for fees 200 would absorb £5000 a year paid by the people. What did that end in? There were students rushing in for law, medicine, government billets, and overcrowding the professions. "How many," asked the Bishop, "will turn to the land and develop the primary industries of the State, which, after all, are the essential things for this country?" The Minister should wipe out the exhibitions, and spend the £5000 in improving the wretched conditions of the elementary schools of the country. "It may be said," proceeded the Bishop, "I am undemocratic too in this suggestion, but I ask is it democratic to leave the elementary school in the condition in which they are, and have the children of well-to-do couple gaining secondary education in well equipped schools with highly paid teachers, and leave the majority of the students at the University obtaining free tuition supplied by the State whilst the elementary schools are in the shameful condition which the education authorities admit they are in." The Education Act was never intended to supply free education to secondary schools and the University. The bursary system, as applied to-day, both to the secondary schools and the University, would supply the needs of the talented children of the poor. No one could say he undervalued a secondary or University education. The church had always encouraged both, and successive Popes had given their charters to many of the oldest and best Universities in the world. That the church did not make the mistake of neglecting the foundation for the sake of superstructure, their ideals concerning the education of the young were different from those of the State. He had not a word to say against the State teachers. But he claimed that the system under which they worked could not produce satisfactory results. The church's idea of a good school was one that took account of not merely the past but the future - one which put a proper standard before the children when their minds were pliable, one which did not relegate religion to a back place in the mind of the child. No human code of ethics could supply the function of religion in influencing the future life of a child. There was no education worthy of the name that did not provide for the teaching of the children their faith, the knowledge and love of God, the means of combating human passions and how to fortify themselves against moral dangers in their future life.
Continuing, the Bishop said: "It may seem strange to you when I tell you that there are only a few countries in the world, where the voluntary or denominational schools are not recognised and helped by the State. Australia is one of these countries. In England, Scotland, and Wales (where all the great statesmen and prime ministers come from) Catholic teachers were paid the same rates and on the same conditions as other teachers. School furniture and school cleaning also share in this grant. The people in this country who are so anxious to have the children honor the Union Jack because, they tell us it is the symbol of English liberty, should remember that in England the Union Jack stands for liberty of conscience in the education of children. It does not stand for this in Australia. A few short years ago at the Trades Union Congress in England an attempt was made to have a plank put in their platform in favor of free compulsory and secular education which would eliminate the grant given to the Catholic schools. Thanks to the vote of the Miners' Federation this policy was rejected. The Miners' Federation and other trades unions in England would not allow their Catholic fellow workmen to be penalised for their schools. Not so here in Australia. Here they are quite content to see their Catholic fellow workmen pay their share of rates for the public school system and in addition pay for the building equipment and teaching staff of the town schools. And this is supposed to be democracy in Australia."
In conclusion the Bishop said "Your new school is a fine testament of your faith and love of religion. It is a testimony of the love which you have for your little children. When your children grow up after their school training, and when you have passed away, they will never reproach you with neglect of them in childhood, but live to bless you for what you have done for them.
The financial response up to Sunday afternoon in connection with the building was over £1000, leaving roughly £1000 of debt. The school which will also be used as a church for a while, will accommodate children and it is expected it will be completed in about six weeks time. It is built of the best Lithgow bricks and is situated on a commanding site at the eastern end of Dangar-street. The interior dimensions are 72ft. x 39ft., and the building is well lighted. Mr. S. Jeffreys prepared the plans, and the contract is in the hands of Mr. W. B. Murphy2
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24 November 1922
KANDOS CHURCH-SCHOOL OPENED
BY BISHOP O'FARRELL, CM.
On Sunday last the new Catholic Church-School at Kandos was opened and blessed by the Bishop of Bathurst, the Rt. Rev. Dr. O'Farrell, CM., before the 9 o'clock Mass. Devotions were also held at 4 o'clock, at which the Bishop was again the preacher.
BAZAAR A SUCCESS
On Monday a bazaar was held in aid of the new building, at Angus Hall. The Bishop presided and delivered an interesting address. He said that about 18 months ago he visited Kandos for the first time and the church committee wanted his advice regarding a site for a church-school. The present site was fixed upon. The committee also expressed its desire to have a priest at Kandos, where so many Catholics lived. In addition, the committee asked for a convent school and sisters to teach the little children. They did not fear to promise to rent a house for the priest and one for the sisters till permanent residences were built later on. The Bishop said that he could not help admiring the fine Catholic spirit of the working people. It was refreshing and consoling to see those people - the pioneers of Kandos, which did not exist five years ago - so anxious to have the ministry of the Church, and it was still more edifying to see their willingness to make big sacrifices to have their little children trained in the religious atmosphere of a Catholic school. It was also gratifying to see that, within eighteen months after the launching of the project, the church-school was completed and had been blessed and opened.
The building, said the Bishop, was the last word in what a church-school should be and was well worth the £2000 it had cost. It would accommodate 150 children. It was well-built and thoroughly ventilated and provision had been made for heating the rooms in the cold weather. The platform end was reserved, for the present, for the sanctuary. In addition to all these things, and through the goodness and foresight of the parish priest, a good presbytery had been provided as well as an admirable convent for the sisters, near their school. The sisters would begin their work after Christmas and the Bishop felt sure that the sisters would receive the cordial welcome that they deserved. He said that he felt deeply grateful to the priest, the committee, and the people for their activities and generosity and he felt pleased with the planning and construction of the work. He particularly desired to thank the Kandos Cement Company for the help it had given in the new building. The company would never regret the help it had given to the well-being of its workers.
The Bishop explained that this was his fourth visit to Kandos and every time he came he liked Kandos and its people better. If he had given them a bigger donation than usual on such an occasion it was because of the fine cooperation they themselves had shown.
After referring to the lack of effort by the Local Government authorities, the Bishop mingled with the patrons of the bazaar, remaining with them some time before leaving for Bathurst3
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