Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-03-26
FOR LITTLE FOLKS.
BOYS ANTlclaARETTe LEAGUE.
its Members Pledge Themselves Against
Tobacco Until Twcnty.ono Yeara ntd

's members Pledge Themselves Against
Tobacco Until Twcnty.ono Years Ola.
Cigarette smoking seems to be a grow.
ing evil among tho boys Of the United
States This has been reorganization
some years, but it is only recently that
any organized efforts have been made TO
put stop to it, 1t is true that the Con.
necticut state legislature enacted a law
III regard to it; but like many other
laws, 1t seems to be dead letter.
On Thursday afternoon Mr.. John s.
Camp addressed a special meeting Of
the High Street school branch of the
Anticigarette league on "Tho Evils of
tho Cigarette Habit, " The High Street
school is the only one in the city where
branch of the league, which is really
national organization, has been estab.
lished. The matter was first brought
to Professor Wilbur Z. Gordy's atten.
tion by Mr.. Henry T. Sperry The
league had its origin in Troy, N. Y,
but a number Of branches have been es.
tablished in Albany, New York and
Boston
Professor Gordy said, Il was inter-
estod in it at once, because it seemed to
be such practical thing for the boys. +"
The high school branch was formed last
spring and has been doing its work
quietly and has been gradually growing
in numbers until it now has about $50
members. 1t holds its meetings on the
first Friday Of each month during the
school year, and the session, which is
usually brief, is held ut the noon hour
Each boy signs the following pledge and
by doing so becomes q member and is
entitled to wear the button:
" We the undersigned, pupils of the
Second North school, do hereby pledge
ourselves upon honor, first, to abstain
from this date from smoking cigarettes
or the use Of tobacco III any form until
we shall reach the age of II years; sec
ond, to use all the Influence that we
possess to induce all public school boys
and others Of our acquaintance to give
up and abstain from smoking cigarettes
until such boys shall be ri years old;
third, by giving this pledge we become
members of the Anticigarette league
"The constitution sets forth the name
in the first section; the objects, already
embodied in the pledge, in the second
section; the usual officers in the third
section. The constitution provides for
council OF ten members from the differ
ent grades Of the school, and also lays
down the rule that no meetings shall be
held in school hours, and that the prin'
cipal of the school shall be present at
each meeting
Professor Gordy states that in his
opinion the league is doing good deal
OF good. There is no urging ON his part
or on the part Of his teachers. The boys
who become members do so Of their own
free will. The lowest grades are not
taken in because the boys in these rooms
arc not considered old enough, as arule,
10 understand fully the nature and obli'
cations Of the pledge Ia Professor
Gordy's opinion, the fact that the pledge
OF the league only requires "A promise
Of abstinence from smoking until the
shall be 81 years old is u great
point in It's favor Many, II they go
without smoking until that time, will
never smoke, wbilo those who do ao'
quire tho habit after that time will do
so NJ little or no danger 20 themselves.
Hartford Times