Compromise in Santa Fe

Catholic priests and nuns have been teaching in New Mexico ever since the 19th Century days of jolly Father Martinez,/- who taught reading, writing and the catechism to New Mexican schoolchildren, until he was excommunicated for having too many children of his own. State law prohibits religious instruction in public schools, but the law has long been winked at. Last week, in the remote town of Dixon, N. Mex., the winking stopped.

Though Dixon's handful of Protestants had never liked the idea of nuns teaching their children, they kept their peace so long as the church owned the building where classes were held. But two years ago, Dixon's 800 citizens raised $13,000 to build the community a grade school of its own. Protestant parents were dismayed to discover that the county school board had hired a nun as principal and four nuns as teachers. There were crucifixes on the wall, Catholic prayers before & after class. A delegation of Protestants complained to the state board of education.

Last week the Santa Fe board urged a compromise: since high-school classes are still being held in the church-owned building, let nuns continue teaching there, but hire new lay teachers for the grade school. The Catholic Archbishop of New Mexico, the Most Rev. Edwin V. Byrne, took a further conciliatory step. At the state school board's request, he instructed all 128 nuns teaching in public schools throughout New Mexico to cease religious instruction during school hours, and to take down crucifixes. But Dixon's Protestants said they would not be satisfied until there were no nuns in the public schools.**

/- Willa Gather fictionized his life in Death Comes for the Archbishop.

** For other Protestant comment on anti-Catholic feeling, see RELIGION.

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