New-York tribune., 1896-03-30
THEY WANT THE MALBI BILL
TIE SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS D1ssAT1s-
FLED WITH THE AINswORTH LAW.
TOO MICH rNsrRrCTroS. 1T Is SAID. rs GIVEN to
HoIys. Ks-sUPERINTENDENT JASPER
COMPARES THE PRESENT SYSTEM TO
TIE HISTORIC Blue LAWS
THE HISTORIC BLUE LAWS.


t,,..r since tho passage OF the Ainsworth bill by
the Legislature IT Al5sry last year competing 'he
,,uc schools throughout the State 10 give instruc-
,ton IN bo;h the grammar and primary grades Oh
tho nature and effects OF alcohoiic dr7hs an" o'"'
narcotics a great deal OF dissatisfaction Win 'ne
aw has been expressed on all sides, ana 'ne b'aru
q, Education in thi, city has been enicavor'ng TO
have the law modified The law was put INTO erect
in the schools throughout the c''y about D-ce"'oe'
, las, and I'm accordance with It's provisi0ns the
,eachers are devoting instruction IN the SUBJECT
four lessons a week OF twenty-five minutes each III
the grammar. and twenty minutes each IN TIE
primary grades Three textbooks nave oee"
selected Ly the Board for use in the grammar
schools and the Same number in the primary
schools and from these the principals oil the Var-
ous scho,,s are allowed TO make their own seec-
,,ons AGAINST this law II Is urged that X taxes
,oo much valuable time from the pursuit OF other
important branches of study. and that httie sooa
results from compelling children. especially those
In the primary grades. 10 study the SUBJECT iro''
textbooks II Is thought tHat In connection with
the instruction regularly given In physiology and
hyr,ene an occasional lecture by the teachers
on the effect. OF alcoholic drinks would meet with
far better results
In January last measure. known as the Maioy
bill was introduced into the Legislature for the
purpose OF doing away with the rigid requirements
NJ the A,n-worth law In accordance with the ideas
Of
substitute for the latter 1t says In relation to
,hts subject simply that provision shall be made
In every course OF study In all the public schools or
public school systems of the State for instruction
in the effects OF narcotics and stimuants upon
the human system and leaves IL with the Board
OF Education and the trustees to prescribe what
the course Of study shall be.
GREAT OBJECTION TO THE AMENDMENT.
just at present, however. the Board OF Education
/, much agtated the introduction Of an amend
men, TO the proposed Maby law. which goes even
further IN It's rigid requirements than does the
original Ainsworth law now in operation Besides
prescribing the time that shall be devoted to tho
subject this amendment requires the school super
intendent to make AFFIDAVIT that the law has been
complied with in all the schools The pupils are to
be required pass examinations In the subject be-
fore they can be promoted. and all pupils able to
read are required to use textbooks. which means
that at least four different textbooks must be used
in order to comply WITH the law II is against this
last amendment as we'll tho present law that
the Board OF Education Is making a united protest
| At q recent meeting OF the Board, after the Com
missionsrs had listened to a report upon tho sub
ject submitted by Superintendent Jasper. they
unanimously adopted resolutions approving "the
continuation OF the present law relating to the
study of tbs nature and effects Of alcoholic drinks
| and other narcotics In the schools" and favortng
"the passage OF Senate bill No l94 Odalby billy as
| originally introduced"
Superintendent Jasper. who has made a careful
| study OF the subject, was seen by Tribune re-
| porter a day two ago, and asked to give his
| views on the question. Mr. Jasper said that he
| could add nothing to the report he had made 10
| the Board Of Education and handed copy Of It to
the reporter II reads In part as follows: Il find
| that Bnl No 1874 has been amended by the nser-
| ton Of offensive provisions. the or similar
| to those in the present law There has been a
lessening OF the instruction from textbooks and
substitution OF oral instruction therefor but the
instruction from textbooks is made compulsory for
| several years
| RANKED WITH THE BLUE LAWS
Furthermore the requirements with reference to
| the textbooks, or more properly speaking to the
| proportion OF pages relating 10 alcohol and other
narcotics and their effects upon the system to the
pages covering all the other departments Of phya.
oogy and hygiene remain unmodifed; and, ao-
| cording to the language Of the amended bill no
less than four grades OF textbooks will be required
| The penal provisions are so numerous and 10
| drastic that they deserve to be ranked with the
| historic blue laws
| "The original Senate bill No. lN unamsnded and
Its duplicate Assembly bill No. $780, represent the
full extent to which legislation upon this subject
should 60. Senate bill No. ~ places The reQurs1