Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-03-28

When our schools are confined to
teaching only certain departments of
Knowledge the State will cease at
once to have the right of levying
pro rata taxes for their support.
Since these things are go, it fol-
lows logically tha' it is our right, it
is, our duty, to teach the benefits Of
temperance and the sin and evil Of
intemperance. This may be done di-
rectly by recltations from special text
books, charts, blackboard exercises,
and object-lessons, or incidentally by.
means ofpapers, simple experiments,
and familiar talks. In regard to
text books, speaking from my own
experience, Ishould recommend Col
mans "Catechism on Alcohol for
primary classes, and 'Aicohol and
Hygiene" for higher grades; while
Richardson's Temperance Lesson"
will be found suitable for those still
farther advanced. Whatever method
is employed, all that the work be
thorough and the facts firmly impress
ed on the minds of the pupils. They
should be taught, in brief, that alco-
hol is a liquid poison, and enfeebles,
disarranges, and destroys every bod
lily function, and does the partaker
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 fenergy, ambition,
honor, everything dear and valuable,
and stops them from making their
way in the world to positions of
wealth, trust and distinction.
All know lasting efforts of early
impressions and how eager children
are to learn anything new and inter-
ting; and no teacher with tact can
fail to make the study of temperance
attractive. The subject need not in
terfere with other studies, and the
teacher should not rely entirely upon
repeating the horrors ofirtemperance
and hurting invectives against liquor
dealers. If Judgment is used there
will be little or no opposition. No
one can cry out, you're after mon
ey," or You're after votes 7 If
they say some temperance people are
fanatical, it will be the best of rea-
sons why they should not object to
the teaching of sober commoh-sense
and the facts Of science. The pic
ture of one child grown up into a
sot is SO revolving that any parent
will seek to avoid the mere possibili-
ty Of it.
Scientific teaching for the young
is at once means and an end of
temperance reform. But | do not
argue thlt it is the only means nor
the only end. Enthusiasm should
be aroused and the whole work
pushed on from pulpit, press, and
platform. And with our churches,
our schools, our noble women, and
the eternal ght on our side, what
can we not accomplish With slen-
der means against odds overwhelm-
ing. the Woman's Christian Tenn
perance Union, 'for God, and home,
and native land" has gained victo-
ries inestimable. 1t has achieved
results which shall reach forward
into eternity. 1t has done work
which is beyond all praise. And,
in view of this, what can We not ex-
pect from our grand army of two
hundred and seventy thousand
teachers, who have so much greater
facilities, and who can reach, as no
others can, the homes of fifty million
people?
All that is necessary is for the
teacher to be faithful to his trust.
OF the fruits of our labor we may
never partake. We can carefully
SOW the seed, and for the harvest
trust in Him "who doeth all things
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