Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-11-20
The Tobacco Habit and Its IF
fects Upon School Work.
BY IDA STEWART.

tcntion to the effects of the Use o.
tobacco upon school work anc
briefly stated facts which are OBJ
served by teachers everywhere.
In this article | wish to state i
few actual cases hoping thereby
to arouse parents, teachers, and
white ribboners to a better I'M
Outstanding of the evil of tobacco
using.
1. "A high-school boy who
had always done excellent work,
was reported one term as not get
ting his lessons. | had a talk
with the boy and stated the facts,
assuring him that his past record
and his poor work were uneXplain-
able, as he insisted that he devot-
eel his time faithfully to his stud
les. He denied using tobacco at
all. His work failed from month
to month, and before the year
closed his parents withdrew him
from school. His father deeply
regretted the failure, admitted
that Il change had come in the
boy conduct at home, but as he
has heretofore been truthful and
faithful, he could not think that
the prcsupposed cause was the
true one. In Il few months the
habit, thus far secret, became
more pronounced and more pub
lie, and it was absolutely estab-
lished by the boys own admis-
sions, that it was begun several
months before the trouble noticed
at school, and that no one knew
it save the salesman who furnish
ed him with supply of the mar
cote.
?. "Four years ago boy en-
tered one of my primary schools
as a chart pupil. Before the boy
was four Years of age he had
learned the habit of smoking ci-
garcttes and stubs of cigars. His
father taught him the use of mar
cotics, and considered it sport to
see his son exhibit the habit and
tastes of his elders. During the
four years he did not complete
the twenty-four lessons on the
chart, although he attended regu-
larly, and applied himself as dill
gently as the average pupil OF
that grade. He seemed perfectly
unable to learn like other child
rem, though he was at the begin
ming prccocious, promising child.
His mental activity so dulled and
paralyzed as to render him but
little better than an idiot or an
imbecile. Experience has shown
that the younger the habit is ac-
quired, the more disastrous to the
mentality of the child.
3. zone boy was Il successful
primary pupil. His work and
his interest were constantly prais-
ed By bis teachers. On his enter
ing the lasi half of the third grade,
his work began to lag and his in
terest to decline. At the eXami
nations for promotion his ease
was conditioned, and it was de-
tected that he had begun some
months before the use of tobacco.
His parents were informed, and
strenuous efforts were made by
his teacher to get the habit re
strained and corrected. His re-
form was not secured, and though
he remained FIVE YEARS in the
same grade, he was never able tc
advance on merit and several trial
promotions proved failures.
t. ..In case where reform
was secured and the habit over
come, the pupil again returned to
normal progress, and had Il sue
cessful career as student. Prof.
II. II. Seeley.
.'While teaching in Ohio some
years ago had school in which
all the boys but two used tobacco.
1t is needless to say that they were
the only two who made any adj
vancement in their work. Among
the others one problem in ten
would be correctly solved, and
when they could correctly spell
one fourth of the words in les
son they were doing unusually
well.
SIN n school in Nebraska