Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-01-07
y. %. o. Q. Column.
!. Q. G. T. DIRECTORY OF ADD.
SON COUNTY
TEMPERANCE EDUCATION

TEMPERANCE EDUCATION.
An essay read by Mrs. q. S. Wiley of the .
class of ~, L. 0. G. 4. Course of Study, at
randolph, VT, Oct -, 1871
To me has been assigned the pleasant
task of acting as the herald of the exer-
cises at our graduation. This day
marks more definitely than any other
the time when after three years of
careful study and united friendship we
come together as a class to call your at
tention to the value of temperance edu-
cation Notwithstanding that we as a
people have many educational advant-
ages and our schools increase in number
yearly, still we find an equally growing
demand for the Jail and reform school
and the prison and by the statistics we
are Informed that their inmates increase
yearly. You ask "Why is this so; what
is the cause?" 1t is because we have too
opposite systems of education. The
first is our school and the second is the
saloon, where many of our young men
spend their leisure moments i'm learning
vice and crime. We may build up our
institutions Of learning and employ the
best of teachers, but when we have done
young men to become useful citizens so
long as the other system of education is
allowed to exist. Churches and schools
are spread all over our land and many
able speakers are engaged year after
year 10 lecture on temperance. Yet
there are many, many crimes committed
every day because of strong drink.
Temperance education of the present
day should aim TO so educate the child
rem that they may be able to 20 out into
the world fully prepared to meet the
temptations of life. Hundreds Of child
rem receive no temperance training, and
tine poor street waits are not the only
children whose education in temperance
principles are sadly neglected. There
are many homes where books aud papers
abound, where parents are refined and
cultivated and the children are taught I'm
the best of schools; but temperance
books, papers or magazines are never
seen within their walls. Education of
one kind or another there has ALWAYS
been, but temperance education is what
we need especially at the present day,
and we are glad to notice that many
churches have taken up this work. and
that it is gaining a strong foothold
throughout our land. The aim Of the
Good TeHplars Course of study is to
give a broad and liberal temperance
education to men and women. that they
may 90 forth with sturdy and unsWerv-
ing fidelity to our cause and to afford us
an opportunity to become acquainted
with the principles that undcrlie the
great temperance reform, that we may
be qualified to 90 out and labor intelli-
gently. If we are educated in temper
ance we have a greater individual in
iluence in moral reform. Yet do not
expect to hold the attention of Good
Templars or the temperance mer or
women long enough to convince them
all thar the Course of Study in scientific
temperance reading is what we need in
every home in our land; bur do expect
the careful consideration of this most
important work by our thoughtful
brothers ami sisters and hope to inter
est some outside our membership. IT.
not so much what we saw or do. but
what we are. that eXerts powerful in
iluence upon others; and how much
greater would be the influence of Good
Icmplary if all who have taken our
solemn obligation had remained true to
their VOWS and not become discouraged
in the work and dropped out bv the
wayside. There must be some influence
used to induce them to return to the
ranks and march boldly on in the
triumphal progress of temperance work.
When shall we as Good Tempars learn
that our membership means something
more than being true to the pledge to
abstain from all that can intoxicate?
This is the first and most important
step, but let us remember that each
word, thought or act has an influence
for good or i'll upon others, as well as
upon our own individual characters.
We have the w. c. T. L., which has
done grand and noble work. also the
Sons of Temperance; but the Good
Templars is the only organization which
is DEVOTED exclusively to temperance
work aud temperance education. 1t is a
powerful agency for unreasonable
good to our young men and women. and
might do even more good were its pur-
poses better known. \ good temper
ance education is accessible without
going through a tedious medium of alb
stract learning. You have no new
language to learn in order to possess
yourself of a good temperance education;
but having it, whenever you find an
unlighted mind in regard to temperance
you can drop akind and glowing thought
upon it and set it burning in the world
with light that shall shine in some
dark place to beam on the benighted.
The field is ready and you can enter at
once, and with a little economy and
self-sacrillce you will be able to find time
to take up the Course of Study with
much both of pleasure and profit to
yourselves. Let it be the resort of your
leisure moments and those odd frag-
ments of time that intervene between