New-York tribune., 1896-01-20
AGAINST IT'S REPEAL.
REASONS FOR KEEPING THE AINSWORTB
PHYSIOLOGY LAW ON THE BOOKS.

LETTER SENT OUT BY THE REV. DIR. JOHN HALF
AND OTHER OFFICERS OF THE STATE CEN.
TRIAL COMMITTEE FOR SCIENTIFIC rEM-
PERANcE INSTRUCTION IN PUB
Lie SCHOOLS. -
Objections to the Ainsworth School Physiology
law. which passed by the Legislature last year.
answered considerable length in the open let
ter which has been prepared by the NewYork State
Central Committee for Scientific Temperance In
structon Public Schools The letter was prepared
because a bill for the repeal OF the law has been sent
to the present Legislature. The Rev. Dr. John Hall.
OF the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church N this
city, is the chairman of the committee; the Rev Dr.
Charles l.. Thompson OF the Madison Avenue Pres
byterian Church, is vice-charman. and the Rev.
Albert F. Newton. of the Congregational Church. in
McDonough-st Brooklyn. is the secretary and
treasurer Other members of the committee repre-
sent different denominations and religious assoca-
tions.
The letter of the committee declares that con.
tinued misapprehension the origin OF the Aims
worth School Physiology law is being used as IN
argument against it, and continues i'm part:
We therefore state again what we thought every
body ought to know by this time that no temper
ance society as such. book publisher, any one for
selfish purposes originated this law. On the con-
trary, II has its inception in the conviction Of the
best people in this State. found in It's Christian
churches and allied philanthropic organizations.
tnat something must be done TO stop the rising tide
OF fntemperance and the further conviction that the
most nOpe1ul method Is prevention through univer-
sally educating the young to form habits which lead
to intelligent SObriety.
II its provisions seem stringent and specific to the
objectOrs who are chiefly those whose duty II was
to enforce the old law. 1t isbecause experience has
shown the need of such stringent specifications to
insure that 1t will be enforced where the law Of
1884 has been evaded.
All this bill requires is, first, that all pupils must
pursue this study until examinations or tests at
three points in the school course viz. primary. in
termedate and High School. or corresponding
stages in ungraded schools. show that they have e
school progress which the pupils are In and second
that pupils must have to help them in this study,
suitable text books: and third, that the teachers
must be trained TO teach this branch just as they are
in other branches, and penalty impends II these
provisions not carried out
The charges about the great cost OF the textbooks
required by this act confessedly another appeal
to prejudice exposed in the Governors memoran-
schools are in grades below the fourth year, and
would receive oral instruction, having no text
books
on the title pages of these books are the names.
authors and editors OF such scholars and practical
psychologists H. Newell Martin. NJ D. r. r. s..
professor OF biology in Johns Hopkins University:
versity of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and other au-
thors of repute whose utterances are respected by
been adapted to the needs and translated into the
languages of eight different countries, where they
in sohoolroom use
The Ainsworth School Physiology law is good it
only needs to be honestly enforced to show that It
requires amendment The textbooks are good.
and their study is productive of good.
Represent earnestly urge school officers as law
abiding citizens. to proceed TO enforce this law
wler. such enforcement has been delayed. that our
children may receive the instruction to which they
have moral right, and TO which they are legally
entitled
The letter is signed by John Hall, chairman:
Charles l.. Thompson vice-chairman; Albert y.
Newton secretary and treasurer.