Study declares Catholic school. goals clear
WASHINGTON (NC) - Cath olic schools have clear goals which ~mphasize the develop ment of character and commun ity-building in addition to acad emic achievement, according to a study being undertaken by the Chief Administrators of Cath olic Schools. The first part of the CACE "Study of Effective Catholic Schools," is completed. The
study considered three issues which have been under scrutiny - ability grouping, merit pay master teachers and finances since several national reports on public schools reported a crisis in education. President Reagan, who recently named education one of his priorities, has called for changes such as merit pay for teachers. Anthony Bryk, a senior re
search associate of the Huron Institute of Cambridge, Mass., and one of the principal investi gators, said parents, students and teachers in Catholic schools share a consensus about the pur pose of education and are strong ly committed to achieving this purpose. He also found that although diverse in ethnicity and social class, student bodies appear uni
fied and cohesive. Many Catholic school teachers consider their work a ministry and are concerned not only with academic excellence but also with building moral character and community among their students, according to Bryk. The relatively smaller population of the schools results in a personal atmosphere where teachers and students know each .other on an
FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISILANDS
t eanc 0 FAll RIVER, MASS., FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1983
VOL. 27, NO. 34
individual basis. Are the public school issues of merit pay and master teachers pertinent to Catholic schools, Bryk was asked. "Catholic schools have something signifi cant to contribute to this debate," he said. "Because salaries are considerably lower in Cathoilc schools, the turnover rate is high. Some 35 percent of Cath . Turn .to Page SiX
$8 Per Year
Bishops' Labor Day statement
Just and stable economy called for
WASHINGTON (NC) - The task for Catholics and for all Americans is to build a more just and stable economy, an economy that serves people, Bishop Mark J. Hurley of Santa Rosa, Calif., said in the bishops' Labor Day Statement. The economic signs of the times call for a new vision based upon fundamental human values and faith in God, said Bishop Hurley, chairman of the U.S. Catholic Conference's Com mittee on Social Development and World Peace. "This means constructing an economy that is governed not only by the goals of efficiency, productivity and financial profit,
but also by the moral principles involve not only .technical com of economic justice and human petence in various disciplines dignity," he said. but also basic justice and ulti American society is entering mately, the fruit of justice, a new economic era, Bishop which is peace?" he asked. Hurley said, citing the high un "It is here that Catholic social employment rate, the decline in teaching on economic justice has productivity growth of U.S. in a valuable contribution to make," dustry and the country's weak ened ability to compete in the he continued. "This tradition em bodies a coherent set of moral international market. values that can be used as guide The end of the postwar econ lines in making the basic econ omic boom has had an especially omic choices that face America. dramatic impact on the progress . "Reflecting on these values in of minorities and the poor, .he added. an explicit way will contribute "Who will bear the greatest to building a more humane and just economic future for this burden in any economic transi tion toward recovery? Who will nation," Bishop Hurley said. He listed principles from' the make the basic decisions which 0
1975 l)ishops' statement, "The Economy: Human Dimensions," that could provide the frame work for building a just, stable economy. The bishops' statement calls for full employment, an e"quitable taxation system and a government which plays-- a role in the economic activity of its citizens. Economic development should not be left to the judge ment of a few people or groups; the largest possible number of people should have an active share in directing that develop ment, according to the state ment. "These principles flow from the most basic principle of Catholic social teaching - the
dignity of the human person," the bishop said. "It is precisely for the purpose of promoting human dignity and safe guarding basic human rights that the church attempts to delineate these kinds of moral guidelines in the economic sphere. While not providing alll actual blue· print for a just economy, such principles can be used to evalu ate economic policies and goals." ·Bishop Hurley said there can be no economic recovery without a solution to the problem of un employment. "An economic sys tem which does not have full employment as a major goal is basically flawed." Turn to Page Twelve
." __.__ . .A:::\~. LABOR DAY and the start of school are the twin subjects dominating this weekend. The latter event isn't to the liking of one small scholar for
whom scratchy new clothes and no Mom in sight add up to a tearful en trance to the world of education. (NC Photos)