February 25, 2011

What was in the news on Feb. 24, 1961? President Kennedy and schools

By Brandon A. Evans

50 Year LogoThis week, we continue to examine what was going on in the Church and the world 50 years ago as seen through the pages of The Criterion, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Here are some of the items found in the Feb. 24, 1961, issue of The Criterion:

  • Church schools omitted in Kennedy’s aid plan
    • “WASHINGTON—President [John F.] Kennedy ruled out any federal aid to Church-related grade and high schools in the administration’s proposed aid to education programs. But he called upon Congress to establish a program of grants, scholarships and loans for both public and private colleges and their students. Church-related colleges were not ruled out. His education message did not discuss the question of giving aid directly to nonpublic school pupils or their parents. Nor did it mention auxiliary services. The chief executive’s message made a special point of noting the exclusion of aid for nonpublic schools, estimated to enroll about 6.8 million children.”
  • Fair housing action urged by Catholics
  • Bishops remind Catholics of international duties
  • Southern bishops cite progress in integration
  • School bus rides are ruled legal for parochial pupils: High Court reiterates 1947 stance
    • “WASHINGTON—Tax-paid bus rides for private and parochial school students are permitted under the Federal Constitution, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled. The high court dismissed ‘for a want of a federal question’ an appeal seeking reversal of a lower court’s ruling when it upheld the practice in Connecticut. … At least some private school children ride public school buses in 17 states at present. Supreme courts in six states … have ruled that the practice is permitted under their state constitutions. In five other states … courts have held that the practice is not permitted.”
  • Kennedy challenge: What can we do about the ‘farm problem’?
  • Supreme Court’s decision on censorship criticized
  • Family Clinic: Father shows respect for God, but he has none for his family
  • Test-tube insemination declared doubly immoral
  • German pastorals stress need for family sanctity
  • ‘Then or never’: Orthodox prelate sees unity ‘within 50 years’
    • “ATLANTIC CITY, N.J.—Christian unity must be achieved within the next 50 years, declared the head of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America in an interview here. ‘We can’t afford to ignore it in these times when Communism, secularism and atheism are making so many gains,’ asserted Archbishop Iakovos of New York. Although ‘we can’t have theological unity at once,’ he said, ‘if we cooperate, we can expect it within our lifetime if we have another 50 years to live.’ He warned, however, that if unity is not realized within that time ‘it will never materialize.’ ”
  • Lay Apostolate Congress to follow Vatican Council

(Read all of these stories from our Feb. 24, 1961, issue by logging on to our special archives.) †

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