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m.-- .
estate of Thomas E. Cahill remains intact to-day as it was the
hour he died, with the increased value of this particular prop-
erty. The other particular point is, that they have erected
this building, which is, without question, the best and hand-
somest of its size and kind in the United States, for the most
reasonable sum of about $170,000, without controversy or
public attention, thanks for which is due to the devotion and
genius of Col. F. J. Crilly and James J Gillin, two of the
Trustees, who had particular charge of the subject.
A stranger may ask why should such a school be estab-
lished and why should an individual found it?
Thomas E. Cahill was a man of practical mind and had
accumulated a fortune in a practical business. The bent of
the American mind is averse to transmitting property to future
generations for unknown purposes. The law forbids primo-
geniture,‘ or a perpetuity of an estate except in favor of charity.
A man is bound to protect his family and children in comfort,
but that obligation does not extend to posterity or kinship.
It has therefore, we might say, become a custom for men 0t
wealth in this country to seek benevolent and charitable
objects for their bounty and thus diSpose of their estates.
Great honor should be done such who-instead of hoarding it,
thus devote their property with wisdomr
Not many years ago the Bishops of the Roman Catholic
Church, in their wisdom, commenced the erection of parochial
schools for the education of Catholic children. These schools
now number forty-three in this city, and have a daily attend-
ance of about 21,000 pupils. Theyiare supported solely by
the voluntary offerings of the Catholic population, and col-
lected in a very. simple manner. The rich and [3001‘ COIItfibUte,
and the schools are free for all children to enter. The system
has long wanted a school to complete the education of the
boys in the higher branches.
Some criticism and objection has been made in other
sections to the Catholic schools thus maintained. as being
inimical to the system of public education. Such a feeling is,
however, a mere jealousy, as there is, and can be, no law which
compels attendance at a public school, and the Catholic Church
has as much right to teach her own children as an individual
or any other denomination lia5, if she does it at her own
expense. The Catholic Church has done and will do so. She
has assumed it as a part of her religious duty, and Catholics,
in common with all other denominations, are willing to be
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