The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-09-03
TEMPERANCE IN OUR PUBLIC
SCHOOLS.
Mr.. Squier's Letter.

Mr.. Squier's Letter.
The following letter from Superin-
tendant of Public Schools, Rev. John
Squier, in reply to some structures on
tie position he took at the Teachers
Association at Blue Mountain House,
in reference to the introduction of books
in the Public Schools on the effects of
alcohol and narcotics on the human
system, was published in the Cecil Wing
of August 18th.
Mr.. EDITOR:-In your issue oftwo weeks
ago THE WHIG contained an article inquir-
ing as to my action at the State Teachers
Association, which met at the Blue Mount
ain house in July, in regard to a book that
the association was asked to commend to
state.
To give you true idea of the whole af-
fair it will be necessary to explain the act
ion taken by the Teachers Association
which met at Deer Park in 1885. At that
meeting committee of ladies from some
temperance alliance came before the asso.
citation asking it to pass a resolution asking
The legislature of the state to enact law
that physiology should be taught in the pub
lie schools of the state with special reference
to the effects of alcohol and narcotics.
This committee was informed by others as
we'll as my self that physiology had been
taught in the state by law for the last ten
years. then spoke of a book which we
had adopted in our county with complete
unanimity and with my special commenda-
ton as one of the best books on that subject
for the public schools had ever met. There
was, however, resolution brought before
the association asking the legislature to pass
such law. Mr.. Newall, principal of the
State Normal School, and others, as we'll as
myself, objected to asking the legislature to
do what was already done by law in
the sch ools of the state, and the resolution
was voted down by large majority. There
was resolution suggested and supported
by me in speech asking the teachers Of
the state to give special emphasis to their
teaching, to the subject of the effects of alco-
hol and narcotics on the welfare and hap
piness of society; that resolution passed Il
believe) without dissent, and so the subject
was for that time disposed of. This action
however, did not satisfy the parties; it
was not enough that this subject
was taught in the schools of
the state, but they must have another law
passed by the state for their own honor
and in their own way. So they went to the
legislature and succeeded in getting law
passed according to their own desires. And
truly it is law that will scarcely justify
the wisdom of its children. 1t is provided
in that law that physiology shall be taught
in the public schools in the state with spe.
cial reference to the effects of alcohol and
mar cotics on the human system, and that
the book used in these schools be printed
and published in the state of Maryland.
Now the only difference in this law from
that under which we had been conducting
lho oCho"lS 10 tHS "ofuo speCidily tduSHt
and that the book must be published in the
state.
At the meeting of the Teachers Associa-
tion at Blue Mountain a resolution was Of
fered for adoption by the association, in the
preamble of which it was stated that the
association which met at Deer Park had
asked the Legislature to pass such iaw,
and whereas the legislature had done so we
were asked to return our most hearty thanks
to the members of that body for complying
with our W shes. l objected to this pream
BILE as untrue, and IN the course of my re-
marks had the minu'es of our action at
Deer Park read when it was at once seen
that the preamble did not give the true
state of the case and the resolution was laid
upon the table by large majority.
There was, however. an object to be gain
ed and book to be recommended, and
another resolution was brought up, stating
that since the legislature had made it obH-
gatory (query, why more obligatoryP) to
teach these things in the schools and the
book from which they should be taught was
10 be published in the state, "Resolyed,