News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-12-16
Scientific TEMPERANCE.

We publish below Senate bill 70,
together with the Governors veto
message, which has been the subject
of some unfavorable comment among
those who were not familiar with the
bill and have not had an opportunity
to read the message. The Governor
reasons for the veto would seem tc
be sufficient to satisfy all reasonable
people of the correctness of his posi-.
ton -
It is hereby enacted By the General As-
sembly Of the State Of Vermont:
That the nature of alcoholic drinks
and narcotics, and special instruction
as to their effects upon the human
system, in connection with the sever
al divisions of the subjects of physi-
ology and hygiene, shall be included
in the branches of study taught in the
common or public schools of the State,
and shall be studied and taught as
thoroughly and in the same manner
as other required branches are in said
schools, by the nse of text books in
the hands of pupils where other
branches are thus studied in said
schools, and by the pupils in every
grade in all schools under public con-
troll throughout the State.
Sec. 2. The object and intent of this
law being to teach the reasons for total
abstinence from alcoholic drinks and
narcotics, therefore textbooks to be
used in obedience to section one by
pupils in primary, and intermediate
grades shall give at least one-fourth
of their space to the consideration of
the nature and effects of alcoholic
drinks and narcotics, and for high
school use the textbook shall contain
at least twenty pages of matter re-
lating to this subject.
Sec. 3. 1t shall be the duty of the
proper officers in control of any school
described in section one of this act to
enforce the provisions of this statute !;
and any teacher who shall neglect or
refuse to comply with the requirements
of this act shall be discharged and the
vacancy filled as in other cases !; and
any such officer, school committee or
superintendent who shall neglect or
fail to make proper provisions for the
instruction required and in the man.
ner specified by the first and second
sections of this act, for all pupils in
each and every grade of all schools
under his or her Jurisdiction, may be
cited before any Judge of the Supreme
Court upon complaint of any voter in
such town, and upon hearing, such
Judge shall make such order in the
premises as will secure full compli-
ance with the provisions of this act,
and may punish any disobedience of
such order as in cases of contempt.
No public money shall be paid over
to the treasurer of union or other
district unless the register of such
district shall show that the nature and
effects of alcohol drinks and narcotics
have been studied by the pupils in
each and every grade of the school OF
said district.
Any town superintendent making
false certificate in the foregoing par
ticulars shall be fined sum not ex-
ceeding one hundred dollars and not
less than twenty-five dollars, to be re-
covered upon indictment or informa-
ton.
Sec. 4. Textbooks on physiology.
in use in the schools when this law
goes into force, that do not comply
with its letter or spirit shall be
changed for such books as are de-
scribed in section two of this act.
without reference to previous legisla-
ton forbidding the change of school
b Doks for given period, except where
COZ tracts have previously been made.
Sec. 5. All acts or parts of acts
enacted referring to the
study of physiology and hygiene
which shall have special prominence
to the effects of stimulants and mar
cotics upon the human SYSTEM" or to
the selection of textbooks to be used
in the pursuance of that study are
hereby repealed, except those refer
ring TO the examination of teachers in
this branch.
Sec. 6. This act shall take effect
from its passage, but the penalties ap-
thereto shall apply only to
cases of non-enforcement occurring
after March 1st, 1887.