The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-06-18
WOman's Christian Temperance
Union Meeting.


The Womans Christian Temperance
Union Of Washington county held its an
nual institute at Marshfield, June 10 and II.
All sessions We're well attended and proved
interesting. Nine local unions were repre-
sented Reports showed a membership of
25j in the county, an increase of twenty-five
over last year The women are trying TO
do temperance work along various lines.
They are organizing the children as fast as
possible into companies, known as Loyal
Temperance Iegions. The children are
asked to sign the triple pledge against n-
toxicants, tobacco and profanity, and are
carefully taught regarding the effects Of al
COhOl and narcotics upon the system. The
two Y's in the county report a membership
of eighty-fve. This means that eighty-fve
young men and women are pledged to alb
stain from all intoxicants, and to do all in
their power to discourage the traffic in the
same.
Something has been done in the way of
law enforcement. Seizures have been made
and one seller decided to "shut up shop."
Attention was called to the liquor laws,
one clause of which says that the wife or
child of a person confined for intoxication
may recover from the seller two dollars a
day for the period of intoxication; and
Womans Christian Temperance Union
women were asked to urge wives of men 80
confined to collect such amounts, and to
make sure that second or third offences are
not called first. There was paper on
" Prohibition cs High License" read by
Mrs. j O. Sherburn of Cabot. She named
some of the people who are in favor of pro-
hibition and who of high license. Brewers
are all in favor of high license. They say
it does not decrease their sales, hut does
strengthen their position The complaint
that prohibition does not prohibit does not
argue for license high or low. 1t would
prohibit, had we honest, fearless officials
who had the support Of public sentiment
motor power. The machinery of the law is
all right if we can have the power of an
honest people behind it. The open saloon
is gone forever in Kansas-the business in
terests Of the state were never more pros
porous. Reports show five arrests against
one hundred before they had a prohibitory
law. Some of the gentlemen present also
spoke on this question.
Mrs. Denny of Montpelier made the time
given for the department of health and
heredity very interesting. She urged atten-
tion to home sanitation Cellars need
especial care. They should be aired by
opening windows or doors on many sunny
days during the winter Where apples do
not keep well members of the family will
not.
Miss Amy Fisk Of Montpelier read paper
on kindergarten. This method seems ex-
pensive to many, but actual cases prove
that children taught first in the kindergar-
ten are saved one or two years in their
education later on. Viewed in this light, il
is not an added expense, but an economy.
1t would seem that Froebel the founder)
had in view the education and cultivation
of a happy, industrious race.
Reports of the unions showed that many
White Ribbon women had been busy during
the year. The former officers were re-
elected: Miss Bertha Chamberlin, Plain
field, president; Mrs. Lena George, Barre,
secretary; Miss Lizzie Knapp, Mortified,
treasurer.
The music was very fine, both that of the
soloists and the Marshfeld choir. Miss
Wilder of Waterbury and Miss Florence
Glynn OF Barre gave recitations in a most
a fine reading.
The first evening was occupied chiefly by
Mrs. Kenyon of Townshend. She uses
blackboard and draws with great skill
while she talks. She placed on it for the
children pair of scales, in which was
weighed the saloon as against the home. And
the saloon, with all its array of figures,
showing the amount expended for the
liquor drunk and the drunkards made, was
found desperately cdpting in everything
that makes for the good of humanity
Mrs. Housh of Brattleboro, state pres-
dent, gave an address the second evening
on Sounding the Wheels" She asked to
have the wheels of our national coach of
government sounded, and an alarm given, if
not safe, that the young men of this nation
may be saved. There is a flaw in the wheel
somewhere when, out of 800 cadets, only fifty
are found who do not drink. The liquor-sell-
ers boast that Vermont may be bought for
$500 600; but our loyal president says, Yer
mont Is not for safe. SECRETARY.