The Portland daily press., 1885-08-05
TEMPERANCE TEXT BOOKS.
Reply of the Woman's Temperance
Union to the State Board Of Health.

We present below the reply of the woman's
Christian Temperance Union to the criticism OF
the State Board of Health upon the work en-
titled "Hygiene for the Young" prepared under
the direction Of the Union, and also an opinion
from the Hon. Josiah H. Drummond bearing upon
the duties of the board with regard to temperance
text books. As the matter is an important one in
which much interest is felt by the general public
that they may have full understanding OF the
matter we reproduce the report Of the State board
The criticism which the Womans Christian Tenn
perance Union replies to occurs in the last para
graph:
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
The law creating the State Board of Health pre-
scribes that it "shalI from time to time examine
and report upon the subject of hygiene for the use
of the State" AS the season is at hand when
school committees decide upon the text books to
be used during the coming year, the board con-
siders it timely to make recommendations in this
connection.
1t is very important that teachers should have
greater knowledge of the subjects than is con-
tanned in the text books which are used by their
pupils; and, consequently, it is advised that they
study carefully Martins The Humans Body Oh
Holt q Co., New York; the unabridged edition,
t9e adyeEtsed price Of which Is only s27 Or
Appleton & Co., New York;, a smaller work but
remarkable for its cleaness. Those who have
little children to teach will get good suggestions
as to the best system of presenting physiological
truths 10 the very young from Misses Buckelew
and Lewis Practical Work in the School-room,
Part "a. Lowell & Co., New York; but they are
warned that much OF the science in the little book
is such only in name.
For use in high schools. Martins The Human
Body, briefer course Oh. Holt & Co., New York;,
or Walkers Anatomy, Physiology and Hygiene
a a Lowell & Co., New York;, IS recommended.
mans would be given the preference for this
grade, but for the fact that, having been written
some years ago. it does not present the subjects
with special reference to the action of stimulants
and narcotics upon the human system, and recent
legislation insists upon the emphasizing Of this
point. A well informed teacher however, could
supply this deficiency by oral instruction.
For ungraded high schools in small towns, we
recommend BlaisdelPs Our Bodies and How we
live. CLee & Shepard, Boston.) This is a more
elaborate work than athe one Just mentioned
and we give 1t the preference, also, for the higher
grade OF Grammar schools. Its description OF
Illustrative experiments are particularly useful
and in the hands of capable teacher, it is suita-
bic for use in the common schools.
For most schools of the Grammar grade and for
the ordinary district schools, hearty endorse
ment is given to Smiths, The Human Body and
IT'S Health QYison, Brakeman, Taylor & Co., New
York;
AS some Objectionable books have been issued
and diligently pushed by their publishers, the
board thinks it best to put committees on their
guard against them. The worst of those examin-
ed is Brands Lessons ON the Human Body, which
was evidently written by one who has learned
what little he knows about anatomy and physi0l0-
gy from antiquated sources, and not learned 1t
well, and who considers wholesale condemnation
OF alcohol the best methed Of dealing with the
question. Johonnot and BoutOns How We Live is
hardly less Objectionable than Brands book, and
is another good illustration of zeal without knowl-
edge. Hygiene for Young People, prepared under
the direction of the W. G. T. o., has too little In
structtOn concerning the care of the body gener-
ally, and gives rabdy one-sided view Of the
alcoholic question. Even children win detect the
fallaey of many of its statements, and will thus
lose faith in all associated teachings. Intemper-
anee of speech is not conducive to temperance in