Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-23
rEMrERANor In sCnOoLs.
CRtechismE on Beer and Alcohol intro
dmced In Some CoIored Institutions.

CHleChtEmR on Beer ana Atcohoa Ahs'S
duced In Some Colored Institutions
Or. !. n. stearns, Of New York, Score
tary OF the National Temperance Asso
citation. has been canvassing Savannah
aud other cities of the south recently in
the interest of textbooks on temperance,
to be used in schools.
One Of the publications he is introduc.
ing is ''Catechism on Beer" and an
other is "Catechism on Alcohol" bott
] by julia ColmRn.
About eighteen States aud Territories
Of the United States require the public
school children to be instructed on tenn
peranee. The catechisms on tenn
/ perance are used in the Beach
and Hayes Institutes, Of this
city, and in the Atlanta university,
the Clark university and several other
educational institutions in the South rep.
resenting large scholarship Of young
cOlored men.
Inc first question in the catechism OIL
alcohol ia:
Nv hat IS alcOholY
"a liquid poison" is the answer.
is 1t found 10 nature?"
cit does not seem TO be found in any
thing that God has made"
The work Is arranged in the same man
ner hTOugnout--questiOn and responses.
Separate chapters are devoted to the Ori-
gin Of alcohol, decayed drinks, distilled
drinks, first effects OF alcoholic drinks,
alcohol and disease, alcohol and crime,
etc.
In the list OF decayed drinks are men,
toned cider and wines or all sorts. they
are called decayed, IL Is explained, be-
cause they are made by letting the juices
of the fruits stand and decay or go to
pieces. The catechism on beer explains
how beer is brewed from grain. Under
the analysis of beer is the question,
"What is honest beery'
A. ''Fhat which is made from water,
grain, hops and yeast only"
1t - expressly stated. however, that by
"hOnest beer" it is not meaat that any
kind Of beeris good and wholesome, but
that it is unadulterated. The proportion
OF alcohol is put at from to u parts.
ais the adulteratiOn of beer commonly
practicedr' is one Of the innocent ques-
tions.
The reply is that the practice 'is 80
common that it is difficult to find any hon.
est beer on SALE" The most frequent
authorizations Of beer are defined as water
to dilute it and salt TO bring up the taste"
Salt is also put in to make the drinker
thirsty so that he will buy more beer, :"
says the writer, and she adds: This is a
serious fraud, because beer is called re-
freshing and good TO satisfy thirst. The
free lunches offered in beer saloons are
usually highly sailed to provoke thirst,
and the pretzels are sprinkled with salt
instead OF sugar"
The student IS also correctly informed
that tobacco, opium, hemp and cOculus
indicus, poison berry, are sometimes
added, and when hops are scarce quassia,
strychnine and coculus indicus are sub
stituted.
Another question under this head is:
"Why do men drink such adulterated
stuff"
The answer is: because the brewers
and dealers continue to make each of his
own customers think that mis- beer is hon.
est, and that it Is only his neighbours who
use authorizations"
In a gallon of beer there is about u
ounces of solid matter. This solid matter
is declared to be mostly gum, sugar and
hops. IL is nearly indlgestible and not
worth 80 much for food as a penny loaf.
The student is taught that beer drinkers
grow fat because beer fills the blood with
waste matter which 10 deposited between
the muscles or wherever there is room for
it, stuffing out the skin and making the
drinker look plump.
OsAAlSt Mug Vi 1AgFpls WIN
drink made of barley 1860 b. c., is
credited with the invention of beer.
Tacitus and Pliny, about the beginning
OF the Christian era, spoke OF the Ger
mans having a liquor made OF barley or
wheat and fermented to a spirit. In the
history of beer the student learns that
beer was introduced into England by the
Romans probably about the time
Of C9sar's invasion. 1t continued
the prevailing drink in England until
about 1900 when the English took to
drinking gin on large scale. Beer was
introduced into America by the Puritans
in 1920, who brought some over in the
MayfiOwer. The early oOlOnists of New
England, however, could not raise grain
enough for bread for some years, and the
short crops starved out beer. About 1850
the use Of beer began to increase rapidly
In the United States.
Rheumatism, liver complaint, Brights
disease and other diseases are caused by
beer drinking says the catechism, and a
number OF eminent authorities are quoted
upon the effects of beer upon health.
The purpose OF the text books is to
correctly and fully inform young people
OF the nature of liquors, and the effect al
cohol has upon the mind and health.