The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-01-21
\ MIGHTY HOST.
1.-The Calls Army of Boy
Crusaders.
The Board of Education'S Special
Committee Meets and Takes Steps
to Aid the Movement.

Re-en forcements to the victorious army
of THE CALLS Anti-Cigarette Crusaders
are continually arriving. The boys them
selves have taken up the matter Of sup
| pressing an insidious foe, and when the
| boys of San Francisco want to arrive at
| any particular destination they generally
''get there with both feet"
The cigarette committee OF the Board
Of Education met yesterday and discussed
at length the evil of cigarette-Sm king
among schoolbOys, and the very popular
movement which The CALL inaugurated
against it.
Director Rosewald said it was his opin-
ion that the only effectual method of treat
ing the evil was through special lie gislation
on the subject. He deemed it advisable to
petition the Board of Supervisors to pass
an ordinance which would put a high
license on the sale of cigarettes. The
license would be prohibitory, and thus the
sale in small stores would be cut off.
superintendent SWEET doubted ii any
order could be secured from the Super
visors. 1t is a legal question TO his mind.
The existing way of Furnishing dealers for
| selling cigarettes TO minors should be
| effecLual, the only trouble with it, how
| ever being the want of somebody TO COM
]
TO minors aud make arrests then the law
| would be effectual.
Director Clinton said he differed from
| Mr.. Rosewald. He thought that moral
! suasiOn and home influences would accom-
! plish the desired end. In Ills idea if
teachers were directed to talk to boys
upOn the evil, setting forth the bad effects,
| physically and morally. from smoking
/ cigarettes, good effects would be obtained
Il believe" he continued, THAT a
pledge such as The CALL has published
and distributed Will have a good result
| believe that home influences and the
churches would do great deal to weau
boys from cigarettes, but L don't believe
that nothing can be done in the classes
! If the horrible effect were held up to him
the boy would stop smoking. Small boys
! would not smoke If the elders did not use
! cigarettes. 1t is largely a matter of imita-
ton.
81 would be in favor of issuing a pledge
! incorporating The CALLS pledge, which
could be framed and hung up at home so
that he might see 1t every day. Put him
| on his honor not to smoke. and l have
every confidence in the honor of the aver-
age American boy. Then l would give
| the boy a button to wear, indicating he
had pledged himself on his honor not to
! smoke cigarettes until he was q years of
age"
Director Culver remarked that the pa
/ W
than has been done in .any direction dur
! ing the last twenty years.
The committeeman entered into a con-
versatiOnal mood and chatted about the
number of school boys who smoke cigar
! cites. Dr.. Clinton said he had been re-
! ing schools smoked cigarettes openly. 81
| have come to the conclusion that fully 80
per cent OF the school boys smoke cigar
| etles."
Il have obtained an estimate from 200
| teachers" said Superintendent SWEET
that the proportion is not over 10 per
cent, and nearer than 10. When you are
attacking an evil there is no use of grossly
| exaggerating it,"
Certainly not" remarked DR.. Clinton.
but we want to get some reliable data on
the subject"
Director Rosewald offered resolution
that the Supervisors be petitioned to pass
| a high license on cigarettes SO as to pre-
clude the possibility Of the small dealers
selling them.
81 have talked with the large dealers,
and they told me they are in favor of it,"
The resolution was not adopted for
mally. but taken as a suggestion, the
Director taking it upon himself to confer
with large dealers and obtain necessary
Information for the basis of an ordinance
A suggestion was made by Director
Rosewald that DIR. Clinton present the
matter before the medical society with a
view to preparing pamphlet on the
dread evils of cigarette smoking. 1t was
received with good grace. so the ply
sicians will be called upon to fall into
line
A motion that Director Culver be ap-
pointed a committee of one TO examine the
cost of buttons and badges, and report az
the next meeting, was adopted.
The meeting adjourned till Wednesday
ening, ana meantime the three School
Directors on the committee will busy
them selves making preparation for action,
which may be final this week
The CALL has much pleasure in pub
fishing the following additional names re-
Gently placed on the roll Of league men,
bership: