ABSTRACT
The "School Question" was one of the most controversial issues of the nineteenth century. Bishop John Hughes of New York attempted to redress Catholic grievances. But, failing to obtain public funds for Catholic schools, Hughes declared that the security of Catholic children lay in Catholic schools. The preservation of Catholicism was equated with national and individual well-being and there was no better way to assure this euphoria than the promulgation of Catholic schools for Catholic children. In 1871 Bernard McQuaid declared his idea of the Christian Free School for the first time, thus initiating an almost lifelong campaign in their regard. As an American citizen who loved "the country as dearly as anyone else can," McQuaid proposed a system of truly American schools, Christian Free Schools. Protestant reaction to McQuaid's lecture varied. A majority was not convinced in spite of McQuaid's forceful delivery.
