Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-06-15
THE CITIZEN.
MISCELLANEOUS.
w, CT. U. COLUMN.

An effort has been made in the
papers preceding this to show the
auslity of temperance teaching which
textbooks on the subject should con.
tain; one of the objects of the present
one is to show the quantity which is
requisite.
The movement which secured the
laws requiring this instruction was
no; physiological but temperance
movement. To enforce the teaching
of physiology was never contempla-
ted. 1t had already place in the
curriculum of advanced grades in
public schools and was taught from
books more or less technical. to pupils
of suitable age. But the nature and
effects of alcoholic drinks cannot be
taught without some physiology, and
the law requires that call pupils in
sll departments of the public schools"
shall receive this instruction. The
wisdom of this requirement is appar-
ent when we remember that fifty per
cent OF all the children who attend
the public schools never get beyond
the primary grades. 1t is doubly
necessary to have the teaching in
those grades. Beside this, the un-
fortunate hereditary tendencies and
evil surroundings of many. thousands
of children make the warning neces-
sary at the earliest age. Among in
stances which could be quoted in sup
port of this, the writer remembers
one related by the principal of a
school in country town, of a little
boy of FIVE who was an inveterate
user of tobacco.
Scientific truth loses none of its
value if put in easy words; the phys
iology therefore, which conveys tenn
perance instruction to primary and in
termediate grades, should be of the
simplest form, and adapted to their
capacity as the modern readers are.
AS the laws requirement for all pu-
pills is "that physiology and hygiene,
which shall, in each division of the
subject so pursued, include special
reference to the effects of alcoholic
drinks, stimulants and narcotics upon
the human system" shall be taught,
it is evident that a book which is
mainly physiology does not fulfill it,
but many such are used. and the lit
tie children in the primary grade are
being wearied with the study of the
technical names of the various parts
of their bodies, instead of the simple
warning teaching which they should
receive
OF the many unsuitable books thus
used the following will serve as ex
amples:
How to Keep Well. by Alfred F.
Blaisdell, M. D., book for the lower
grade of schools The space given in
this to the teaching for which the
law was secured is little more than
one-thirteenth. In Our Bodies and
How We Live, an elementary text
book by the same author, less than
one.twelfth. In the "Primer Of
Physiology and Hygiene" by DR..
Smith, about one-twelfth. In the
Human Body and its Health" by
the same author, only one-fourteentb.
In First Lessons in Physiology and
Hygiene" by DR.. Mills, about one
eleventh Of the space is given. In
order to properly present the subject
not less than one-fourth ought to
have been devoted to it; aud in books
for high schools not less than twenty
pages.
Tbese books, like many others of
their kind, speak of the excessive"
use and the "abuse" of alcohol and of
tobacco; and the results of lover in
diligence" (see Our Bodies and How
We Live), but 'he warning against
beginning the use of these things
against taking little alcohol in wine,
beer, or cider, because of its tendency
to create a craving for more, is want
ing.
Temperance, in the light of modern
science, is the moderate use of things
harmless, and the total avoidance of
those which are hurtful. The known
facts concerning the nature of alcohol
makes total abstinence teaching the
only correct teaching. In their nat
ural haste to supply the market cre-
ated by the newly enacted laws, to
suit the popular taste, and to fulfill
the idea of temperance then entertain
ed by most school boards, a number
of publishers some years ago issued
such books as the above. Since then,
owing to much discussion of the sub
ject, the popular taste has made such
an advance that the more prominent
of these publishers are now, to the
certain knowledge of the writer tax
ing steps t. have their books revised
to the standards which were from the
outset, maintained as correct by the
Scientific Department of the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union.
By the law of Pennsylvania school
text books can be changed as often as
once in three years. Those on tenn
perance physiology now in use were
adopted in June 1885; an opportunity
is therefore at hand to substitute bet
ter books-either those which already
reach the correct standard, or else
the revised works soon to appear
for the defective ones now in use in
so many schools.
Parents, teachers, and school boards
who desire that the truth on this i'm
portant subject shall be taught to the
children under their charge should
give this their immediate and earnest
attention.
MARY F. LOWELL.
Asst. Sup't Dept Scientific Temper
ance Instruction OF w. G. II. U. Of
Pennsylvania