Historical Background
The Catholic school system was going through significant changes during 1960s. This decade was the first time that Catholic schools saw waiting lists for admission. Enrollment in Catholic schools was heavily on the rise, and they became the largest sect of private schools in America.
The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council ("Vatican Two")
The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council was being held from October 1962 until December 1965. This council was the second ever to be held by the highest authorities in the Catholic Church--the Pope and his highest officials. The purpose of the council was simple: to convene and talk about how the Church was interacting with and fitting into the modern world. Many changes were made and discussed in efforts to foster better communication between the church and the world. Vatican II was the "most significant event in the modern era of the Catholic Church."
So while the leaders of the Catholic church like Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn were were all experiencing the unstable nature of the world at this time, internal changes were also happening within the church itself.
The table below outlines the differences between Vatican I and Vatican II and the resulting changes that Vatican II made within the church.
So while the leaders of the Catholic church like Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn were were all experiencing the unstable nature of the world at this time, internal changes were also happening within the church itself.
The table below outlines the differences between Vatican I and Vatican II and the resulting changes that Vatican II made within the church.
Further Reading
Doubt Study Guide, Parks Square Theatre | |
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Segregation and Integration
Leading up to 1964, before integration in schools really began to happen, the Catholic church stayed far away from getting involved with discussion about segregation and integration. Catholic schools, despite being religious and full of teachings on morality and Christian values, were strictly segregated just like any other school in America.
In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled segregation in schools "unconstitutional." Slowly, very slowly, schools started making plans to integrate. But not everyone cooperated. Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, refused to allow black students into their school, going against federal law. Protests and mobs surrounded the school for two weeks as each day the students were turned away by Arkansas troops. President Dwight Eisenhower intervened and sent the Arkansas National Guard to the school to accompany the nine black students who were being refused entry. On September 25th, 1957, all nine students were finally allowed through the doors into the high school. This group of students became known as the "Little Rock Nine," setting an example for all other schools in the nation to abide by the federal law of integration.
During this crisis, the church kept its distance. Monsignor John O'Donnell who worked at Catholic High School in Little Rock at the time said,"The whole religious body — and that means across the board, all denominations — stayed away from this thing like it was a disease. There was no response from the churches at all. And most of the preachers, frankly, were in favor of segregation.”
Seven years later, when the story of Doubt takes place, these issues are still alive. At St. Nicholas, Donald Muller is one black student in a school of all white students. In our production, Sister Aloysius is black as well, making the pair the only two African Americans in this Catholic school. Even years after federal law mandated integration, the practice is still not accepted by the Catholic community at this time.
Further Reading:
http://www.catholic.org/diocese/diocese_story.php?id=25433&page=2
http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/civilrights/ar1.htm
Catholic Schooling vs. Private Schooling
General Differences
The most important difference between Catholic schools and public schools has always been their conflicting values (Lines 378). The different values of Catholic and public schools have often raised hostility and tensions, whether in the form of educational and financial competitions or in how each type of school is restricted or challenged (Lines 378).
Within the United States, Catholic schools have been regarded in multiple ways. Some viewed Catholic schools as a threat compared to public schools and even viewed the Catholic schools as “undesirable” and “unpatriotic” because the schools were characteristically poor and overcrowded (Lines 374).
The conflict between Catholic private schools and public schools began when Catholic immigrants and the working class perceived Protestant biases from the United States’ education laws (put in place before the time of immigrant migrations to New York City and the rest of the country) and opposed the public school system (Lines 374). There were multiple responses from multiple people and groups to this conflict. Some tried to attempt to get rid of all forms of private schooling and impose restrictions on private schooling (not exclusively Catholic schools) as proposed in such states as Oregon and campaigned for by such organizations as the Ku Klux Klan while other public leaders tried to make public schools acceptable to religious minorities. This second response was the beginning of replacing Protestant values with nondenominational ones within the public school system (Lines 374).
After the 1920s public and private Catholic schools were better able to coexist. During this time most Catholic schools also resisted adopting state standards but by the 1960s most of state and government standards were accepted as Catholic schools sought to attain “excellence” in set standards (Lines 374).
Within the United States, Catholic schools have been regarded in multiple ways. Some viewed Catholic schools as a threat compared to public schools and even viewed the Catholic schools as “undesirable” and “unpatriotic” because the schools were characteristically poor and overcrowded (Lines 374).
The conflict between Catholic private schools and public schools began when Catholic immigrants and the working class perceived Protestant biases from the United States’ education laws (put in place before the time of immigrant migrations to New York City and the rest of the country) and opposed the public school system (Lines 374). There were multiple responses from multiple people and groups to this conflict. Some tried to attempt to get rid of all forms of private schooling and impose restrictions on private schooling (not exclusively Catholic schools) as proposed in such states as Oregon and campaigned for by such organizations as the Ku Klux Klan while other public leaders tried to make public schools acceptable to religious minorities. This second response was the beginning of replacing Protestant values with nondenominational ones within the public school system (Lines 374).
After the 1920s public and private Catholic schools were better able to coexist. During this time most Catholic schools also resisted adopting state standards but by the 1960s most of state and government standards were accepted as Catholic schools sought to attain “excellence” in set standards (Lines 374).
Enrollment
90% of students who attended private school between the middle of the 19th century and the mid-1960s attended a Roman Catholic school (Lines 374). 1964 was particularly important in that it was the height of the Catholic school system with “12% of the nation’s K-12 students enrolled in more than 14,000 institutions” (Louie 745). The enrollment in private schools, especially the significance of enrollment within Catholic schools, can be seen in the below graph.
Between 1965 and 1975 the enrollment in non-Catholic, nonpublic schools more than doubled, reflecting the opposing developments of Christian schools as well as secular schools, such as communal schools (Lines 377).
Demographically, the shape of Catholic schools changed in the 1960s. In urban Catholic schools white enrollment continued to decrease as they moved to the suburbs while immigrants from Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia moved in and replaced them (Louie 745). Within the Catholic school system, however, African American students who were moving to cities to escape segregation and poor financial conditions replaced white students. However, the finances required to attend Catholic students affected students, especially African American students, and Catholic schools began to admit non-Catholic students in higher numbers (Green 453).
Demographically, the shape of Catholic schools changed in the 1960s. In urban Catholic schools white enrollment continued to decrease as they moved to the suburbs while immigrants from Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia moved in and replaced them (Louie 745). Within the Catholic school system, however, African American students who were moving to cities to escape segregation and poor financial conditions replaced white students. However, the finances required to attend Catholic students affected students, especially African American students, and Catholic schools began to admit non-Catholic students in higher numbers (Green 453).
Performance
Within the Catholic school system social ties and friendships, especially relationships with teachers, priests, and nuns have been proven to help students sustain Catholic practices and their church commitments (Gray 278).
Researchers have argued that students within Catholic schools have higher performance levels than other students because of the school climate (Louie 789). Historically, the opinions of researchers have been supplemented by the views of immigrants and minorities who view Catholic schooling as an alternative to urban public schools with poor academic success (Louie 794). Researchers maintain that Catholic schools have higher teacher expectations, stronger curricula, smaller class sizes, and a stronger sense of community because everyone is united by the principles of the Catholic faith (Louie 789). Unlike public schools, students within private schools have also been shown to work on homework more often, cut class less, and take more advanced courses including more math and foreign language courses. Academically, students can also shift from one academic track to another with greater ease instead of being placed within a fixed track at an early age (Louie 790).
The academic success students have in Catholic schools and the alternative opportunities that Catholic education provides compared to ill-performing public schools has alternatively made religion less relevant to why parents enroll their children in Catholic schools (Louie 806).
Researchers have argued that students within Catholic schools have higher performance levels than other students because of the school climate (Louie 789). Historically, the opinions of researchers have been supplemented by the views of immigrants and minorities who view Catholic schooling as an alternative to urban public schools with poor academic success (Louie 794). Researchers maintain that Catholic schools have higher teacher expectations, stronger curricula, smaller class sizes, and a stronger sense of community because everyone is united by the principles of the Catholic faith (Louie 789). Unlike public schools, students within private schools have also been shown to work on homework more often, cut class less, and take more advanced courses including more math and foreign language courses. Academically, students can also shift from one academic track to another with greater ease instead of being placed within a fixed track at an early age (Louie 790).
The academic success students have in Catholic schools and the alternative opportunities that Catholic education provides compared to ill-performing public schools has alternatively made religion less relevant to why parents enroll their children in Catholic schools (Louie 806).
Further Reading
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