The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-05-14
S. D. LAUTER CO.,
BROAD ST.. NEWARK, MI.
TEACHING TEMPERANCE
Rival Publishing Houses Pub
fishing 'OmeIal" Physi-
ologies.

What promises to be a lively fight between
rival publishing houses has been begun in
this State over the introduction of a series
of temperance physiologies, which are re-
quired to be placed in the schools by the
passage of House Bill 343, which was re-
Gently signed by the Governor and became a
law. This bill was introduced, ostensibly at
the instigation of the Women's Christian
Temperance Union. by WILDER Of Middlesex
county. The bill as it was originally intro
duced is far different from the one which
was finally passed.
The original bill provided that special in
struction in the effect of alcoholic drink and
narcotics upon the human system should be
taught in all the public schools and studied
thoroughly as any other branch, II that
graded text books should be used in the
hands of all pupils who were able to read,
and those who were not able to read should
be taught orally. 1t further provided that
the textbooks used in the intermediate and
primary grades should give at least one
fourth Of their space to the nature of
alcoholic drinks and narcotics, and that the
books used in the higher grades
should contain at least twenty pages
of matter. The latter clause was
so that it only provided that the books
should give a full and adequate treatment of
the subject of alcoholism. 1t also provides
that these books must be furnished free of
charge to the pupils by the various dis
tricts, and that they must be placed in
the schools at the beginning of the next
term.
RIVAL BOOK FIRMS ACTIVE.
In anticipation of the passage of this law
several rival book firms began the prepare
ton of new books upon physiology, in which
special reference was made to the subject OF
alcoholism end narcotics. Some Of these pub
fishers are cruel enough to say chat if the
original law had been passed no book pub
lished at that time would have fitted the re-
q~uirements, except those in which the w. c.
I. u. took an active interest. Almost be-
fore the bill had become a law one enterpriS-
ing firm had sent sample copies of their pub
locations to nearly every one connected with
the public school system throughout the
State. The books were stamped and marked
~tAuthorized Series, No. L., II. III. !" and
the letter which accompanied them stated
that they were the ''otficial" books, yet they
neglected to state who sauthorizedn them,
or by whom they were deemed "official,"
and as the law provided for no particular
series, it is presumed that they were auth
orizedn ind became official" after the w.
G. T. U. Endorsed them. In the mean
time other publishers have been scattering
their samples far and wide, AM condemning
the statements in regard to the Official
textbooks which have been made by this
firm. The teachers themselves throughout
the State. and school trustees, do not like
the idea of compulsory education Oh this
subject. Circulars have been printed by
rival publishing houses casting reflections
upon the W.C.T.U and its motives III hav-
ing this law passed. and when active work
begins among the agents, which will be
shortly, it is quite PROBABLE that there will
be a considerable excitement over the adop-
ton of the books.
LUMBER OF BOOKS REQUIRED.
1t has not yet been estimated how many
copies will be required to equip the schools
of this city, but the proba bilities are that the
cost will be quite heavy. As many OF the
school principals regard the teaching of this
subject to the younger children as nonsensi-
cal they accept the law with poor grace. In
other parts of the State, however, where
they have used no physiologies, and where
they must necessarily introduce one, lively
times are promised, and agents are already
beginning their preliminary work.