You could say they published the book on Catholic schools.
Two University of Dayton professors and a former doctoral student have edited the newly published two-volume Catholic Schools in the United States: An Encyclopedia (Greenwood Publishing, $175). Another 10 UD professors and doctoral students wrote some of the more than 340 entries.
The Encyclopedia is being hailed as a one-stop reference source on Catholic schools, and its entries range from curriculum standards to school uniforms. Entries also cover contemporary subjects, such as the impact of the No Child Left Behind Act on religious schools and child protection policies put in place after the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic church. The Encyclopedia's cover features a partial image of two school girls in plaid jumpers — a strong visual symbol of parochial education.
“No volume currently exists that addresses various topics related to Catholic education on such a comprehensive scale,” said Daniel F. Curtin, executive director of the Chief Administrators of Catholic Education for the National Catholic Educational Association.
Thomas C. Hunt, the coordinating editor and a professor of teacher education, wrote the historical overview and 20 other entries. “If we missed something, we missed it, but I don't think we missed much,” he said. “The Encyclopedia covers historical figures like Cardinal John Henry Newman and Elizabeth Ann Seton. It covers documents of the Church like The Catholic School on the Threshold of the Third Millennium. It talks about teacher hiring, Catholic identity, demographics of Catholic schools, school choice, and vouchers.
“In terms of a comprehensive source on Catholic schools, it's the definitive resource. I'm ecstatic about this. We've been able to give something back to Catholic education,” he said.
Ellis A. Joseph, dean emeritus of UD's School of Education and Allied Professions, and the Rev. Ronald J. Nuzzi, now director of the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) Leadership program at the University of Notre Dame, shared editing duties with Hunt. Other University of Dayton contributors include Brother Ed Brink, S.M., Barbara DeLuca, the late James E. Gay, Yolanda Hart, the Rev. James L. Heft, S.M., Fran Landers, the Rev. Joseph Massucci, Jack O'Gorman, Charles Russo, and Roberta Weaver.
Written for educators, librarians, students, and parents, the Encyclopedia traces the development of Catholic schools back to the 17th century in Florida and Louisiana. Today, Catholic schools number more than 8,200 and enroll more than 2.6 million, with a waiting list for admission at 41 percent of the schools. Catholic schools in central cities, which educate nearly 70 percent minority students, continue to face the biggest financial challenges in the 21st century, according to the Encyclopedia.
Hunt, a prolific scholar, by the end of this academic year will have written or edited nine books, six on Catholic education, since he joined UD's faculty in 1996. He plans to co-author a book, The Dissenting Tradition in American Education, which will feature several Catholic dissenters (from the government control of schooling) in the near future. He and Nuzzi co-edit Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice — the only refereed journal on Catholic schools in the country. He also teaches a course every semester and advises doctoral students in UD's educational leadership program. Early in his career, he worked as a teacher and later as a principal in Catholic secondary schools.
“I've got projects lined up for at least the next 12 years,” said the 74-year-old Hunt. “I appreciate the support of Tom Lasley, dean of the School of Education and Allied Professions and a scholar himself. Anyone who writes scholarly material has to be able to stay the course even when the light at the end of the tunnel flickers and is faint. I see no reason to stop when you're making a contribution and still feel you have something to give.”
Besides, he said, “I still have the fire in my belly. I don't even look at this as work.”
(This update courtesy of the University of Dayton.)
