The Washington times., 1895-03-14
SchO0IhOys and Girls. Band
Themselves Together.
LEAGUES FORMED BY THEM
These Are Known as Auxiliaries of the Wo-
men s Christian Temperance Union-Mrs.
Shelton Has the Testimony of Teachers to
the Effect That the Little Smokers Have a
Demoralizing Effect Upon the Pupils

tits the purpose of the Women's Christian
Temperance Union, OF the District OF Co
lumbia, to leave no stone unturned in their
endeavor to prohibit the sale of cigarettes
to boys under sixteen years of age. With
this end in view the ladies' of the organiZa-
ton are indorsing the forming of anti
cigarette smoking leagues in the various
public schools, believing that the interest
which boys and girls can be made TO take
in the subject will eventually have great in
fluence in putting down the evil.
Each of these school leagues is known as
an auxiliary tothe w. c. I. T., and themem-
bers pledge themselves to endeavor by all
legitimate means to prohibit the use OF and
traffic in cigarettes, and Incidentally also
to discourage the use Of tobacco in every
form. Every league has its own Officers
and a badge similar to that used by the Ma
tional Anti-Cigarette League. The boys
pledge themselves upon their honor not to
use cigarettes or tobacco, and to use their
influence with other boys to join the league.
The girls agree to abstain from all narcotics
and work in the interest of the movement
CONSTITUTION OF THE LEAGUE.
I follows:
This society shall be called the Anti
/ Cigarette League, OF ---- School.
The object of this League as an auxiliary
of the w. c. T. U. is to endeavor by all
! legitimate means to prohibit the use OF and
/ traffic in cigarettes; also to discourage
the use of tobacco in any and every form.
/ The officers OF this League shall be a
/ president and secretary, as many more as
| desired may be added, and each League
also has the privilege OF adopting bylaws
suited to its need.
All giving assent to the following pledge,
and singing the same constitute them
/ selves members OF the A. c. l..
The badge of this society shall be that
used by the n. a. G. L.
Pledge.-we, the undersigned. do hereby
| pledge ourselves upon honor TO abstain
1 from smoking cigarettes of any kind To
abstain from the use of tobacco in all
( its forms. To use our influence to induce
/ all boys of our acquaintance to take this
/ pledge.
With consent of the boys, by two
! thirds vote, girls of the same school may
/ become honorary me mbers of the league
/ by taking the following pledge: Abstain
ing myself from all narcotics, / promise
my influence to induce all girls and boys
! to do the same; also to encourage those
already members of the league.
PHYSICAL AND MORAL RUIN.
| Mrs Emma F. Shelton, of the W. c. T.
| u, was seen at her residence, No. 1918
| Fifteenth street, yesterday afternoo n,
| after a meeting of the Union at which no
| formal steps in regard to the matter were
| taken.
| Il wish the Times would aid US in Gre
| ating sentiment against the Illegal
/ sale of cigarettes to Minors" SAID Mrs.
/ Shelton Their use is not only pro-
| duCtive of physical but moral ruin. The
teachers in the public schools invariably
| tell ME that a boy who smokes Cigarettes
loses his moral tone ard becomes an in
veterate liar
| when I think how the bill passed
] preventing the sale OF Cigarettes to Mi
nors under sixteen years of age, 1 al
most feel that l wasted my time and
! strength, for by refusing to include the
clause which 1 especially advocated,
which would allow the arrest of boy
| who was found smoking a cigarette, the
! measure w as rendered practically use
/ less Had the law been passed as / in
| tended it we would have had no difficulty
| in obtaining convictions of those who
! supply the cigarettes. l believe that
| the forming of anti-cigarette leagues
in schools viii be of vast benefit
| OF $50 teachers seen by Mrs. Shelton,
| all were unanimous in their statements
| DIS 10 tile UtEttcIIOuS cIleCe vi tllC Si5dA-
| cite habit on a small boy.
| NO INTEREST IN STUDIES.
| The victim loses all interest in his studies,
and his books lie before him neglected. He
becomes languid and utterly lacking in
| ambition, and the capacity to concentrate
his mind on any subject departs from him.
His sense of honor is dulled. and he con-
stantly deviates from the truth, even when
| the latter would answer as well as pre-
| varication.
One of these school anti-cigarette leagues
is at present in operation in Georgetown,
where Mr.. Fairbrother is supervising
principal. Already its good effect has
been shown, and if the movement spreads
it is hoped that in a short time the small
boy and the cigarette viii meet each other
| as strangers.
In the Georgetown division, where Su-
! pervising Principal Janney rules, the league
| is doing excellent work. Two-thirds of
the 1 500 boys under his care have declared
war on the cigarette and taken the pledge
of the society.
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