ABSTRACT
Archbishop John Ireland a late nineteenth century American prelate became well known for his controversial educational positions. In 1890, he proposed an organizational compromise to separate Catholic and state operated school systems. In order to understand this significant episode in Catholic educational history, referred to as the school controversy of the 1890’s, it is necessary to understand the development of Ireland’s social and educational thought. Several authors have attributed Ireland’s positions to his American upbringing. Father Ireland believed that the greatest problem of the day in the 1860’s was indifference towards God, that is the “modern” tendency to disregard religious doctrines and to emphasize secular morality and/or nondenominational Christianity based upon good works. One of the very first official duties of St. Paul’s new Bishop was to attend the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore in November, 1884. Ireland began by stating his “unbounded loyalty” to America and her principles.
