The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-04-20
TEMPERANCE READING.
TEMPERANCE EDUCATION.

TEMPERANCE EDUCATION.
How the Nature and Effects of Alcohol
May He Taught to Children in the Pub
lie Schoois-Why the Educational Law
is Dead Letter In Some Portions OF
New York.
First of all we must educate. And
my experience drives me to the con-
clusion that the mightier agency for
Temperance as well as other educa-
ton is the public school. 1t is to me
matter OF surprise that it is not better
known that in our own and more than
twenty other States. besides Canada,
there is law requiring all schools
supported by public money, or under
State control, to teach physiology,
with special reference to alcoholic
drinks. stimulants and narcotics. But
in some city, many village and most
country schools am acquainted with,
the law is practically dead letter. l
was in village school lately having
about two hundred and forty pupils,
of all ages from five to seventeen.
Some were just beginning to read,
while others had nearly finished alge-
bra. After the close of the morning ex-
ercises. for which all had assembled, l
asked the teachers if they were teach
ing the nature and effects of alcohol.
They said no. When asked why not,
one said she did not know the law re-
CURED it, and all agreed they didn't
have time. l answered that their plea
''no time" was, like the cry of "hard
times, something l had heard ever
since l had heard any thing, and al
ways expected to hear, and reminded
them of Greeley's saying: 1.-THE way
to resume is to resume" adding that
the way to teach this subject is to take
time and go straight at it. To show
how senseless the plea of mo time"
was, l gave the pupils an exercise.
explained briefly and then formulated
a statement, all the pupils repeating it
alter me three times in concert. Then
we did the same with another state
ment, afterward repeating the two to-
gether, and SO on until we had finished
the exercise, which was as follows:
THE NATURE AND EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL.
!. Alcohol is a liquid poison.
2. 1t lookg like water, smells bad and tastes
very bad.
8. 1t will burn without smoke, and will burn
even when mixed with water; when much water
is with 1t, it will not burn.
A will
from decaying.
5. 1t will "cook " the white of an egg
6. 1t is found in all Intoxicating drinks.
z. Alcoholic drinks are made by letting the
juice OF fruit or grain stand and decay; they
are made by fermenting, mailing and distill-
ing.
8 Cider and wine are fermented liquors.
9. Beer, ale and porter are malt liquors.
10. Whisky, gin and brandy are distilled
liquors.
II. Alcoholic drinks are never needed by
healthy people
IL. They disease, disarrange and destroy
every part ef the human body.
10. They are seldom useful and always dan
gerous as medicines.
After finishing I called on two pu-
pills to recite and one to write out the
lesson. Each gave unaided from nine
ty to one hundred per cent. of it. Yet
the whole time spent in learning it was
trife less than fifteen minutes. Of
course do not think this is the best
way to teach the subject, but it beats
nothing all to pieces. So if there is a
teacher who has not taught the subject
at all, hope she will give such an ex-
ercise the first thing the very next
time she enters the classroom. Then
she will be sure of something In my
opinion lesson on the subject should
be given every pupil at least twice a
week.
My pupils enjoy seeing me make ex-
periments with alcohol, showing how
it will burn, "cook" the white of an
egg Git effects the brain and nerves in
much the same way), and after these
and other experiments they write out
what way they have learned.
Those who do well-which includes all,
for they always try hard-I give an
illuminated card with Temperance
sentiment on. They are always ready
to listen to short stories told or read
to illustrate the lesson, and often they
repeat the stories or write them out.
Besides / generally have handsome
Temperance calendar in the room, and
often have them write short Temper
ance sentiments in their copy-books,
and learn and sing some Temperance
songs. In these and host of other
ways the subject may be kept in their
minds constantly.
have been asked how this law can
be enforced Nothing can be simpler.
Let me read you from letter / have
from the State Superintendent of Pub
lie instruction:
:" If the trustees Of common district school
refuses or neglets to make provision for carry
ing out the compulsory Temperance Education
law he will be removed by the superintendent.
If teacher refuses or negects to teach the
subject the county commissioner should revoke
her license"
Every public school should be visited
several times each term to see that
such instruction is given, for if en-
forced the good effects of this law are
incalculable.
repeat my belief that the only solu-
tion of the Temperance problem is ed
ucation. The people perish for the
LACK of knowledge. Prof Burt Jay
aice, in National Temperance Advocate.
SUCCESS ASSURED.
xr1.o& NJ. AI..oS. x,zo.