Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-12-03
Temperance and Education.

The introduction of temperance teach
ing into schools and school books, which
was once regarded as the dream of an en-
thusiast, is rapidly becoming realized
fact. Several influential publishers are
following in the wake of those who have
already included temperance instruction
in their lesson books; and no less eminent
an educationist than Dr. Calderwood, pro-
fessor of moral philosophy in the Univer-
sity of edinburgh, who is also chairman
of the Edinburgh school board, has gone
SO far as to urge schoolmasters to give
special prominence in their oral instruc-
tons to intemnerance and other prevail
ing national vices, as well as to the best
means for terrifying the young against
them. In his valuable little work on
teaching there is an admirable chapter on
the formation of character, in which Pro.
fessor Calderwood says:
EARLY school life should do much to
guard against the rudeness and coarseness
which turn domestic life to bitterness and
prepare the way for outbreaks of violence
A constant stream of refining influence
should flow through the minds of the pu-
pills. Everything favorable in the read
ing book, in history or in the incidents of
the schoolroom, should be utilized for this
end. By all means at our command let
us seek to refine and elevate. Our aim
must be to give il softening tinge to the
character, like the mellow bloom on the
dark, rich clusters of the vine. Thus IA
higher life is IN some measure reached by
i. child, and he yields genter influence,
checking the asperities of life.
IF there be any one vice against which
the teachers of our country should seek
to warn the young, it is drunkenness. Our
national reproach because of this one
vice is bitter one; our national loss and
suffering appalling to Il degree not realiz
ed by those who do not ponder the statis-
tics of the subject Our national veal de-
ponds largely on our casting off this loath-
some evil. Intelligence and debauchery
cannot go long together, either in person
al or in national history. Drunkenness
is a vice at which sch Dol training should
present fearful odds against the teachers
hand here, more particularly in the midst
of the poverty stricken districts in our
large cities, blighted by the baneful infu-
ence OF strong drink. But if the teacher
be Observant as to opportunities, persist
ent in his plan, hearty in his utterances,
and juuicious in the avoidance of rldicule,
he can do much in fixing convictions, and
may be aided, unconsciously to himself
and the poor children, by the sad expert
ence of the misery and brutality which a
u, :f< 1xy
influence quietly returning, as opportuni-
ty offers, to impress upon the mind the
evils Of drunkenness, and the value of
temperance as a root virtue, Will help
largely towards the training of race
strong in the self-control of temperate
life The waste of substance which drum
kcnness causes-the weakness and wear-
ness OF body-the debasement Of mind
the desOlatiOns Of homes, are such as to
afford the teacher many links of assOcia-
ti0n, making reference easy and natural,
There is enough in the thought Of these
things to deliver childhood from the risk
of making mirth of the drunkard. There
is enough to favor one who desires to
awaken lOathing in a young mind. But
in all illusions 10 this subject there is
need for great delicacy of feeling and tact
The teacher needs to remember into how
many homes in our land the horrid YAM
pire has entered, and how many young
hearts are smarting under the wounds it
has inflicted. The revelations which our
school boards in the great cities have had
to contemplate during the brief period of
their labors already passed, are painful
beyond all utterance. They have discov
cred to US the enormity of the evil. and
the urgent need that the children rescued
by the compulsory clause DC fortified
~ inst the fearful temptations to be met
Well may the teachers speak often against
drunkenness, but in all that is said we
must deal tenderly with the sacred feel
ings Of childhood, and make Our teaching
strengthen tillal interest and devotion,
where there Is so much TO strike at the
roots of both. to the terrible aggravation
OF the evil. "-Ls1yue Jourmul