The Past is Prologue: American Catholic Education and the New Century

Abstract

The author of a recent history of American Catholic education points to three ongoing traditions”tenacity, adaptability, and identity”as evidence that parochial education will continue well into the next century. In this personal essay, Walch challenges pessimistic assessment of Catholic education that appeared in Phi Delta Kappan. He also highlights other, more positive assessments of Catholic schooling. Walch concludes that even though American Catholic parochial education will never again attain the position of influence it had in the mid-20th century, parish schools will remain important education laboratories for the coming century.