Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-05-11


teachers and parents fail to see and appre.
cinte il.
Few teachers, pcrhapA, at the present
time, are prepared to discuss the subject Of
temperance, learned ys mud for tile reason
that knowledge Of II ,F0s never suggested
to their minds as a necessary qualification
to a more effective discharge Of their dd.
ties. None however, are so feeble as TO be
unable TO express a sentiment and utter a
warming The counsels OF The kind and
considernte teacher. sink deep into the minds
and hearts Of children mM youth adher-
ing through life and verifying the truth Of
the poets philosophy; .t.I Af.fl|
l1 Education forms the common mind
As the twig is bent, the trees Inclined"
The instructors IN our schools should
have n larger knowledge Of the subject
than they now possess How shall it be
communicated to them? How shall they
acquire it' The answer l., by adiscussion
Of II IN the college, iD the high school, nt
the meetings Of State Teachers Associa-
tions, at tho county institute, at ihe period
ical examination of teachers aml by the
reading and study OF temperance literature.
All these would awaken attention and inn
press upon their minds the necessity and
desire Of higher qualification to more
successful discharge Of their duties. That
higher qualification is of prior and para
mount Importance to insure success, and
with it, who can estimate the mighty innu-
ence which the great multitude Of teachers
in the nation (24l ,300) would exert upon
the rising generation And that influence
could have no other effect than to enhance
the happiness aud welfare OF the people.
SCHOOL BOOKS.
But teachers should not be left 10 do this
great work alone. They shonld be aided
by a discussion Of it in the text books Of
the school, How many are aware OF the
fact that in all our school books there nre
but two or three lessons tending to teach
Temperance, Yet choicest gems Of English
composition are scattered throughout our
temperance literature and upon no other
| subject can finer selections he found for
rhetorical exercises. Then, whence has
arisen this strange omission this entire
neglect OF most important subject upon
which youth should be thoroughly in.
formed? Did il occur through inadyert.
cnce on the ptrt OF school book cumpilers,
ordid it arise from fear Of the liquor power?
From whatever cause, the public welfare
| demands that temperance should
no longer be ignored in our school
books. The beat interests Of society
require that this vital subject should
no longer be excluded from recognition in
! the execution of our free school systen,s.
And when temperance, aS n principle,
shall be properly taught in all our schools !;
when it shall be interviewer into the very
texture of the moral aud intellectual being
OF our youth and at the most susceptible
period of their lives, when enduring char
acter is in the process OF formation, who
can comprehend the full valne of its sau-
tary influence upon both the individual
and the State? Instruction upon this ~
upon every other subject, can not be effec-
tually communicated by an occasional pre-
sentation, but rcqnires frequent, persiatemt
attention to fix the desired impression upon
the mind and heart.
Temperance Shoull not, perhaps, be
thrust forward 40 as to become the most
conspicuous feature Of our school books,
but it ought to receive quite "a much prom
inence in our series Of Readers rs any other
Of the virtues From its importance as
exemplifed in ordinary life, it ought to
receive more, From the statistics of in
temperance, derived from the manufacture
and sale OF intoxicating drinks and the
dire consequences resulting, sufficient arith-
metical problems could be formed TO i'm
press upon pupils Just and vivid concep-
tion OF the horrors and destructive effects
Of drunkenness. 1t could also le woven
into the te xt books on grammar, philosophy,
chemistry and physiology. The infurma-
tion thus communicated would, probably,
be quite ~ extensive and more effective
than that which could be impaired by the
generality of teachers. Teachers would be
instructed by the introduction of such mat
ters into the class books and thereby greatly
aided in their labor. The knowledge thus
acquired by the pupils would be largely
reflected in the home circle and by this
means the parent taught rs well as the
child.
1t may be objected to tho plan OF action
here suggested that many, especially mone
the dealers in alcoholic drinks, would OPP
pose the advocacy Of temperance in our
public schools. This might be the case ia
4 limited xtent in cities and large Villages
but il is confidently believed no opposilioH
would be awakened in the rural districts.
1t is difficult to conceive that any man
can become 40 utterly debased and degraded
as to be Indifferent to the future welfare oI
his child, or not 10 desire that his boy
should grow up into kober man.
OF the countless number of liquor deal
ers and drunken parents, it scarcely seemI
possible that even one of them should fai
to have n yearning desire that his chile
should escape the drunkard's doom. 1t i
believed the incorporate, generally, woulC
hail with delight the Use Of any and al
means which gave promise Of preserving
their children from the shame, misfortunes
degradation and misery under which the
themselves, lie crushed and bleeding. Ger
tainly, no other class in the community
can or should have higher or liveler int
crest in the establishment Of temperanc
principles.
The liquor dealers Of the present gener
} alton, would have no cause of alarm in s.
far a. their interests are involved During
: the time they will remain IN business thei
customers are assured, and none of them
: II is presu med. would desire their sons I,
engage in the traffic. The rum seller care
r nothing for him who shall succeed him il
) the calling. But assume that the inebri
; ntes and those engaged in the traffic ,strongl
, object. What then? Shall the friends {
: Temperance, OF correct education, Of mol
: ality and the public welfare, who kno'
a they are in the right, yield to the clamq
: OF those who are confessed ly in the wrong
: To do SO would be cowardly and prov
{ them recreant 10 the highest and best IN
: erests OF humanity. Tof and suffering
anu not uhiIeQheHtiy NShlH hsSii u'
8 been the seeds from which good to mankin
G has been derived. Conflict has Nlwa,
u been the price of a higher civilization.
CoNcLCsI on,
;, The evils OF intempcrance are wide
II spread, deRp seated and pcrmeate societ
as water the wetled sponge. The remcd
; must go az deap and be rs far reaching I
!, the diseRse. A hnlf century Of obServatit
d has disclosed the fact that this giant cur
D Of mankind, can not be removed by pei
!; odical, spasmodic effort. The applicable
1i Of the remedy must be censeless, tirelcs
Is essentially antIcipatory in its charncl'
:, seeking 10 prevent rather than TO care drum
~ enness. The history Of the temperance ent,
Is PRISE impresses upon the mind the unw'
n come trnth that whatever has heretofo
9. been gained Ia the cause during a peril
ID OF intense labor and sacrifice, has been il
ID or greatly impaired, whenever AN iLterm
er sion OF effort succeeded "The reason
II. plain. Philanthrophy can work only