The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-02-14
TEMPERANCE.
TEMPERANCE INSTRUCTION.

TEMPERANCE INSTRUCTION.
of Textbooks of Psychology and Hygt-
ene--A Movement Which COmmends It.
self to Intelligent People Generally.
The Woman's Christian Temperance
Union has entered on movement Of
far-reaching Importance the promotion
OF Temperance education, by the intro
duction into public schools of textbooks
OF physiology and hygiene, with special
reference to the effects of alcoholic
drinks, stimulants and narcotics upon
the human system. Laws requiring
such instruction have been enacted BY
the States of Vermont, New Hampshire,
New York, Rhode Island and Michigan.
An appeal in favor OF such Legislation in
this commonwealth, supported by Presi-
dents Hopkins, Seelye, Warren and
other men distinguished for learning
and philanthropy and experience as sue
cessful educators, has been put in circu-
aation, and deserves to be urged upon
the Legislature by the force of public
opinion. There can be no reasonable
ObJNSNiNh w Nlls lhOlO4uCbOu VI DlNSl-
ology and hygiene into our cour es of
public in truc.ion. They are of the
highest Importance to the welfare of
the community. That those sciences
have voice on the subject of alcoholic
and narcotic eXcitements is we'll
known. That the evils of intemperance
call for radical remedy can not be
denied. The young need to be forti-
fled against The drinking habit by every
legitimate restraint Surely no more fit
and t'Onal restraint can be imagined
than that OF knowledge. Opinion may
vary like the winds, but what man
knows he knows, and if he Yields to
temptation he at least must do it with
his eyes open and with the issue of the
trial not obscurely visible.
1t is one of the mysteries that per-
pick and try the friends of Temperance
that there should be such reactions in
popular feeling. Forty years ago there
was pervading and intense interest in
Temperance. That was the era of pro-
hibitory legislation, which swept like a
wave over New England and beyond.
We have since seen a re1uent wave
sweeping away prohibition and contend
ing agaist total abstinence. But the
epoch of successful Temperance legis-
lation had succeeded, and derived it's
power from I T ccding period of ear
nest discussion, persuasion, conviction,
reaching to children ard youth-a
period marked also by the reform of in
ebriates in what was known as the
Washingtopian movement That gen.
Grafton passed, the younger advanced
IN life, and new general on came for
ward needing a Ike training in Temper
ance, But their elders forgot what a
work had been gone through with to
make them the Temperance men they
were, and assumed that the new genera
ton would take from them the law of
their lives without so much effort at
incubation Besides, there came up
slavery and other questions of mingled
phiIanthfopic and political interest, and
Temperance discussion and teaching as
sumed a secondary place. But every
generation as it comes forward needs to
have right principles instilled into it, in
this as in other departments of practi-
cal morals.
This proposal of physiological teach
ing in the public schools takes hold of
the matter by the right handle. We do
not mean to represent it as antagonistic
to, or a substitute for, other means, in
GLIDING other legislation. But it is a
means which in its working will do for
the people more thoroughly than ever
before the work of needful instruction.
1t is method which will commend
itself to intelligent people generally, in
Guiding men who are not very deeply
interese ed in Temperance as a moral
question. We trust the movement W IL
prove an assured success. - Boston
H'HtchnnQn.