Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1889-12-05
ONE wOMAN's WORK.
How a Lone School Teacher Defeated tho
Rum Power in u Town Election.

ONE WOMAN'S WORK.
How Lone School Teacher Defeated tho
Rum Power in a Town Election.
"Well, 1t shall not be, II we women |
can help it," thought Janet Grayden, as
she wended her way through the sleet
and slush to the school where her duties
lay, 1--WE teachers are teaching and |
training future citizens, and we must be
consistent and place in Offices of trust
and responsibility only such citizens as
our boys and girls may respect, and
those whose example it would be safe
to follow. Very little sense in teaching
our youth to be honest, sober, righteous,
truthful, and then going and giving the
Offices of trust and honor to men known
to be the reverse of all these!"
In this line ran her thoughts; for
Janet was endowed with the right Of
voting in the coming election for school
trustees and municipal officers, and the
sense of her responsibility in the dis
charge of her duty led to these refec-
tions.
The municipality was preparing for
these elections, and the usual array of
candidates were coming out" The
town paper, issued weekly, contained
their cards" soliciting the SURFACES of
the electors, and their promises to work
for all the interests intrusted to them.
Of the candidates presenting them
selves for school trustees and council
ors, two were openly opposed to prohibi-
ton and total abstinence; one was an
habitual drinker, and two openly i'm
moral. Here was fine ticket truly.
How did all this come about? Very
easily. The truly intelligent and
Christian element had not sufficiently
awakened to the important duties of
citizenship. The best men were i'm
mersed in their own business, and
thought they had no time to give the
town, forgetting the bearing which the
rule of unprincipled men must have up
on their children. Alas! that in our
country. the spirit of true patriotism is
so lightly esteemed, and the high claims
of citizenship SO frequently ignored by
good people.
But the heart and conscience of one
woman were aroused, and as Janet
Grayden conducted her school that day,
the elder boys and girls noticed that she
was possessed of an unusual spirit,
which seemed even to express itself in
her steps around the room. They saw
and wondered. Ontario boys and girls
are quick to perceive. They felt sure
some new movement was bursting upon
them.
When the duties of the day were over
this heart-full teacher opened her
case, and startled her pupils with the
question:
"What is patriotism?"
| Up went several hands, and the defini-
ton was satisfactory.
Various questions followed in regular
course, concerning government, national,
municipal, educational, their several
functions, eliciting peculiar and varied,
but on the whole intelligent, replies
from these citizens in embryo. The abb
solute need of good men to enforce good
laws was dwelt upon, in short, a con-
densed and interesting study, which the
pupils were then pledged to report and
discuss at home.
In the course of the next few days the
following results ensued. The Methodist
minister, whose children had communi.
Gated the substance of the teachers
study at the tea-table that evening, was
visited with the laudable desire to en-.
large upon the responsibilities of Chris
tian citizenship at the prayer-meeting
that night. One of the prominent mem
bers, hearing him, suggested that the
discourse be repeated on the succeeding
Sunday. This idea suggested to the
minister to ask the other ministers o.
the town to cooperate; and, all feeling
the Importance of the matter, the citi
Gems were informed in the Friday ISSUE
of the paper of their decision.
Thus on Sunday all the churches wer,
brought to the point of considering tn,
practical Christianity which Is neces
sarv to the upbuilding of God-fearinl
nation, and to the great fact that Coz
calls too often in vain to good, indus
trious, honest men to 60 into His vine
yard of government and work for him
So prone are we to think that the churcl
is the vineyard, and the church alone!
In his discourse that day, the good oil
Presbyterian minister, who had labore
there before the present generation cam
upon the scene, received a new inspira
ton, and amazed his congregation b
stating that the hope of his heart for tn
publication of all government, and tn
infusion of righteousness into publ
affairs, was about to be realized by tn
introduction of the voice of woma
through the ballot. 1.-THE limited ba
lot now in the hands Of woman is
power we are just beginning to feel tn
good of, he declared, land / am col
tent to repudiate all past opposition an
prejudice on my part, by the strong col
viction which l have to-day that til
conscience of womanhood, crystalline
in the ballot-box, will be the protectio
of our youth from untold evil, and til
stimulation of our manhood to hitheri
unanticipated good"
A citizens meeting was called for Il
t naxt evening to consider the comm
: contest; and the final result of this W,
an addition to thenumber Of candidate
so that when nomination day arrived,
new and more cheering phase Of affai
was presented to the electors.
: Janet had infused her spirit into
good number of her friends and assoc
| stes, and all the women who had. yot
were visited and urged to come outbra
ly for the good O. the town and cast tbs
eslletA