“No-Bingo Collection”

Recently the New York Times (February 14, 1955) told about a Roman Catholic parish in Rockaway Beach, Queens, that passed out to its parishioners envelopes for a “No-Bingo Collection.” Brilliantly printed on the envelopes were the numbered squares of a bingo card. “We regret that this is necessary because the politicians have closed down our bingo game,” an announcement said. “Inasmuch as 80 per cent of the yearly cost of running our parish school was defrayed by receipts of the weekly bingo game, we ask everyone to be generous so that we will be able to meet the bills for running the school.” Thinking people cannot help but question the practice of financing either schools or churches by gambling. Two logical questions are: What are we to think of an institution built on the rotten foundation of gambling? What does this teach the young?