McCloskey, William Bishop of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, to Archbishop John Baptist Purcell, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1869 January 23

In answering Purcell he forgot to say that he does not consider the Xavieran Brothers as competent teachers. They have spread too rapidly and besides regular teachers have boys keeping order and teaching. He calls them boys because they look like such to him, being from 14 to 18 years old. The opinion of the clergy is that they are incompetent but that they do what they can. McCloskey is convinced that they have spread too fast and have accepted too many schools without having competent teachers. He has determined not to allow any pastor to accept their services until he is sure that the ones they already have are properly taught. They are excellent men and very edifying; it is only as teachers that he is dissatisfied with them. The Brother Superior says that the boy system has worked in England, but McCleskey says it has not worked in Louisville. The cathedral school was nearly broken up twice by the removal of a brother who was very popular and it will require all the efforst of Father John II. Spalding to bring it up again. He speaks confidentially of these matters. :: II-5-d A.L.S. 4pp. 8vo.