The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-04-29
CRUSADE AGAINST
CIGARETTES.
School Commissioner Hubbelf
Writes of the New Move,
ment in the Public
Schools.
PLEDGED ON HONOR NOT TO SMOKE
A Well.GrOunded New York Plan Now
in Force In Most of the
Big Cities.

NJ principal iuuSSlOn OF our Am erie
can publ; schools is to equip the youth
Of our land so that they can intelli-
gently discharge the duties of citizen
ship. This equipment must include
sound bodies, sound morals and sound
minds. The State is interested in the
proper DEVELOPMENT Of these three.
Another way OF stating the PROPOSE.
ton would be that health, character and
intelligence in Its citizens are necessary
to the stability and prosperity of the
State, Weak, puny boys make depend
ent men, recruits for hospitals and in
irmaries. Weak and vicious character.
in its citizens fills the jails and prisons
and imperils the very existence of the
State.
The Crusade Begun.
Within the past ten years, and more
particularly during tho last FIVE years, u
vice insidicus and demoralizing has
fastened itself upon the youth OF the
country, and especially upon our school
boys, in way to call for the most car.
nest efforts to stamp it out. and that Is
tho vice of cigarette smoking The
crusade Is under way and tho crusaders
are on the march.
The vice is specific one Those in
terested in this movement have no
grievance against tobacco as tobacco,
but only against the particular way in
which immature boys use tobacco. The
juvenile cigarette smoker does not in
dulge IN the Same manner that one is
accustomed to see man smoke a cigar
or a pipe, and apparently can derive
no pleasure or satisfaction from that
method; he prefers 10 draw in the smoke
with quick inhalation that sends it
down into his lungs, where a deposit of
nicotine, volatile oil OF tobacco and the
oil OF paper, remains after each opera
ton.
This deposit is quickly taken up by
the circulation and distributed through
the system, causing injury 10 health
and character and appreciably diminish
ing mental power. Frequent and in
creasing indulgence is an almost unvary-
ing characteristic OF tho vice It isa
fascinating habit and soon compels q
servitude, complete and almost hope
less The gold euro people realize this
and will not treat any patient until he
consents to abandon the cigarette habit,
apparently making no objection to the
use of the pipe or cigar.
Anything for n Smoke.
The ;chenpest cigarettes are most pop
ular. and two or three for cent can be
-
of thom, and that quantity is soon in
sufficient for days Indulgence to sat
isfy the appetite that is sure to be Gre
ated. The BOY who cannot raise nickel
honestly will get it, if it need be, dis
honestly. He will deceive and rob his
parents and others to provide the means
of gratifying his unnatural appetite.
The watchful teacher will observe
that the victim becomes listless, ner-
vous and inattentive; no speedily loses
his power OF application and concentra-
ton OK mental effort. Hecan mo longer
perform his daily task becomes q
trnant, and, in many instances, ends his
school career a hopeless cigarette fend,
character, health and mind injured, per-
haps ruined.
y number Of our public school bows
died in this city last year victims of
the deplorable habit. The physicians
sre unanimous in condemning the use
OF cigarettes by boys. One of the best
known physicians Of this city, who is
the chief examiner for one OF our most
important insurance companies, has
stated recently in an interview that he
would not accept as q risk any applicant
who had been ciga rette smoker be-
tween the ages of s snd lS, so certain
is the habit in youth to leave It's perma-
nent mark and lessen the chances OF
longevity.
Plain Talk for the Boys
The anti-cigarette movement hiss for
It's object the creation OF sentiment
against the vice among tho boys them
selves. This is attained by FIRST point
ing out the evils that attend and follow
.. giving tho boys of each department q
short, earnest talk, calling their attsn-
ton TO the terrific com petition going on
in all large cities for employment
among boys as we'll as rei, and in
plain and simple language demonstrat-
ing to them the theory of tho survival
OF thu iittest; indicating to them how
offensive the habit Is to most employers
and how many will not employ cigarette
smokers, not alone because they are
prejudiced against the habit on their
own part, but because they know it is
offensive to their customers and clients,
and fos tho further reason that they
know that they cannot expect the same
degree or excellence in the service Of
boy who has surrendered to this vice,
The laggsrds and truants in almost
every public school are cigarette hends.
In San Francisco, where they have
adopted our New York methods in en-
deaVosing TO repress this evil, the
Juvenile delinquents have been found
almost invariably to be in full serVitude
to that vice. Penologists have reached
the conclusion, atter careful inyestiga-
ton, that the increase in crime among
Juveniles can be traced to the democrat
izing effects of that vice, Sentiment
can be best created and maintained
through organization, and in this city
we have organized anti-cigarette leagues
in every public school where boys nrh