Arkansas weekly mansion., 1883-10-27
Temperance.
THE TEMPERANCE QUESTION IN
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

We are all warning, each in his own
way, against common foe; but the do
ma lis of King Alcohol are of vast ex-
tent The slaves that compose his
army are infianed with avarice and ap-
petite There can be no hope then of
ovcrthrowing him by a dashing charge
or driving him forth by some brilliant
stroke of policy. The war against in
temperance has been and will continue
To lie a long and weary one So the
sooner we make up our minds and con-
vince the people that the Temperance
r"foTmers have ''come to stay" the bet
tee il Will be for us and for them
Years of experience in the work have
shown that when once the drunkard is
cnchained by his appetite for drink the
bonds thai bind him are so strong that
nothing hut the special grace Of God
can save him. To prevent is easier and
better than to reform. And while no
effort should be spared 20 reclaim the
fallen and remove temptation from the
path of all, | hold there is another and
hy far more hopeful and productive
work. | mean that of Systematically in
structin@ tie young in the first princi-
pes of Temperance.
That grand old Greek, Socrates, was
not so far out of the way when he de-
clared that he who fully knows what is
right will do what is right. In spite of
the doctrine of total dcpravity can not
hut believe that there is something
splendid in human nature, especially
child nature. which will inStinctively
shun evil when once the folly and sin
are shown it, and love and cherish
truth and right. if truth and right are
clearly taught it. The 1eopIc parish for
H.. i0ct 81 kn0nrlcdgc: and when they
know more they will do better
Oar laws are our sentiments crystal
iZed; and laws ahead of public opinion
can not be enforced. Hence, it is all
important that public opinion be edu-
Gated in the direction of right. We can
not save the seventy thousand human
beings VINO yearly staggcr into drunk
ard ; graves. But we can train their
children so that they will shun and de
spise Intoxicating drinks. and work for
the total suppression of the traffic in
them. Ii we rightly educate the Young
they will soon create a public opinion
strong enough to make Prohibition pos
Sible. Better than this, they will exert
a moral force irresistible and more eff
tcctivc in itself than all the Prohibitory
laws ever enacted.
The work already done by Temper
ancc scho, Is. Bands of Hope and other
organizations has been both great and
encouraging; the influence of such So
ci"tics. however. is of necessity limited,
::nd complete results can never be
brought about till Il thorough and scien-
fife Temperance education is given
each OF the ten million pupils who at
t.nd "tir public schools
Th'S can be done by cnactin@ laws
mfkin@ the teachings of Temperance
=, L..
ion should be intelligent enough to de
mand prompt action toward such le@iS
la;ion. 1t isn't SOC 1t will be SO. And
it ought to begin 10 be so now.
Cur public schools we're instituted to
tr:, II up, not mere scholars, but good
c'tzcnS. pure women and true men.
Our Pilgrim Fathers. building. not in
the gray twilight of dawning expert
cucc, but with TIE beams of all the
centuries pouring upon them, laid deep
in religion and morality the founda-
tons of the American school system.
In one Of the old Massachusetts laws.
and it has the ring of sound educational
doctrine. they declared: 1T shall be
tie duty of all public instructors of
yoIit'. fo impress on the minds of pupils
commit 'd to their care the principles
of picty and Justice and 4 sacred regard
for truth. love of their country. hui
ma3itv and univ, r>al benr:olence, So
br:cty. industry and frugaliy, chastity.
moderation and Temperance, and those
oihcr virtues which are the ornament
"f society, and the basis upon which :,
rcpubl can government is founded"
To givn :. healthy development to
mini and body, Il right purpose in life
and sound morality, these are tn, OBJ
jcctS of our common schools. Ii We
train the intellect only. chemistry and
VenmanSh;p will be rs likely to become
the tools of the for%er and the dyna-
mite plott"r rs to become the support of
law-ab;ding citizens
When our institutions of learning are
confined To impar:ing certain branches
ui knowledge the S.ate viii cease at
one, to have the right of levying pro
rata taxes for their support. -
Since these things are so, it follows,
logically, that it is our right. it
is our duty to teach the benc-
its of Temperance and the evils an,l sin
of inte appearance. This may be done d.
rectlv by rccitations from special text
books, charts. blackboard exercises and
object lessons; or incidentally by means
"t papers. simple experiments and
familiar talks. All that is necessary is
that the work be thorough and the facts
llrlniE impressed on tnc minus oI 1iit
pupils. In regard to textbooks, speak
ing from my own experience, would
recommend Colman's 'Catcchism on
Alcohol > for primary classes, Alcohol
and Hygiene for higher grades. and
DIR. Richardson Temperance Lesson
Book" for those still farther advanced
We should impress the facts that alco-
hol is Il poison, and cnfeebles. disar-
ranges and destroys every bodily func-
ton, and does the partakcr no good in
return; that every dollar spent for it is
wasted; that it is the chief cause of
poverty and crime; that it robs men of
energy. ambition. honor-every thing
dear and valuable, and prevents them
from rising in the world to places of
wealth. trust and distinction.
All know the lasting effects of early
impressions and how eager children are
TO bc taught any subject which is new
and attractive, and no teacher with tact
can fail to make the study of Temper
ance interesting. 1t need not interfere
with other work, and the teacher should
not rely entirely upon. u repetition OF
the horrors of intemperance, nor pour
inc unlimited invectives upon liquor
dealers If Judgment is used there will
he little or no opposition. No one can cry
,,,t. ..You' r., after MONEY! or, ~ Ou re