The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-19
Study of Hygiene in
the Public Schools.
OF ALCOHOL
Meeting Of the School Board
Last Night. . 5


giene on the petition of the Worcester
Womens Christian Temperance Union
At the meeting of the school board held
February Z, q communication was RI
ceived from the w. C. T. u. asking the
committee to sign a petition to the Ine-
islature for more rigid law relating
to the study of hygiene in the public
schools, especially in'regard to the ee
feet of alcohol drinking the human
system. This communication was re-
ferred to the committee and it was to
hear its report on the matter that the
special meeting held last evening was
called,
Owing to the almost. impossible con-
dition of the streets last evening many
of the members preferred to remain in
doors and it was some time before the
necessary Quorum (13) could be oh
tanned. Immediately after the meeting
had been called to order by Chairman
Brooks, the report of the committee
was read by Edward l. Comins and was
as follows:
The committee on school houses and
hygiene have received the inclosed com
munication from the clerk of the board
notifying us of the action of the board
at the last meeting relative to the re-
guest Of the w. c. T. L. We respect
fully report that We see nothing in the
matter for us to act on. We beg leave
however to call the attention of the
board to an act now before our-legisIa
ture of vital interest to our schools. We
understand that the hearing of the re-
monstrants IS ARA nged1 for next Tues
day, hence if this board desires to OBJ
pose said act, action must be taken at
once. We recommend that the superin-
tendent of schools, the chairman of the
school committee and DR.. C. F. Hodge
be a committee TO appear at the hearing
and demonstrate against the passage
of Senate bill No. Al"
The report is signed by Edward I
COmins John e. Gallagher. George F.
Brooke and John H. Sullivan. Senate
bill No. Il is bill that was introduced
IN the Senate to accompany the petition
of Charles L. Morgan and Mary H.
Hunt for an amendment of the law re-
quiring physiology and hygiene to be
taught in the public Schools so as to
more fully define the schools in which
1t shall be taught, the methods of in
struction and the character of text
books; to provide penalties for non
compliance with the requirements Of
the law; to provide for the supervision
Of the instruction: and to provide for
the enforcement of the law The bill has
been referred to the committee on edu-
that the hearing is to be held on Tues
day.
In moving the adoption of the re-
port of the committee, Rev Dr. Carver
said that he did not see how the cause
| OF temperance could be enhanced BY
any measure proposed in the bill. He
thought 1t was too radical and oppres-
sive.
DR., Hodge moved as an amendment
(N1y-
that OF the committee proposed, as he
was convinced that the clergymen of
the state would eventually be instru-
mental in inducing legislation OF this
character. He was to attend the hear
ing on his own account. Henry F. Har-
ms said that he had always been inter-
ested in the subject of Temperance
Some time ago he had attended a lee
ture on the subject at one of the
churches of the city and had heard one
OF the speakers make the remark that
temperance was not taught in the pub
lie schools He had had a conference
with the superintendent of schools and
nad convinced himself that the sub
Ject was taught according to the pro-
visions of the law. The law requires
that it shall be taught in all the
schools. superintendent Carroll, in an
sWer to a question of Mr.. Harris, said
NAAetN AlC AAotNA CduS6u 10 De sent 10 luE
various principals in the city, circulars
containing questions in regard to the
study IN the various schools. He had
found that it was given Its proper
uonate share of time in connection
with the study of science, and that it
was being taught according to the
strict letter of the law He had called
the attention of the teachers at the
regular meetings to the subject and had
round that in every case except one
the study was a part of the regular
work pursued He thought that the
arrangement of the lecturer was most
severe on the school board and of the
superintendent in particular.
Mr.. Harris said that he was con-
+ ylnced in his own mind that the sub
Ject was not definitely arranged in the
course of study, and that its teaching
! was left too much to the discretion Of
! the teachers. This bill he said, would
eau for three lessons week for IA
weeks of the school year until the Sec
ond year in the high school, beginning
with lowest grades He thought that
the study of narcotics by children in
the lowest grades would be worse than
useless, and hoped the board would
vigorously oppose any such bin. LIN
The petition sent to the board by
me y w. c. T. U. was then read by
/ N.NhAANt's II IELuS dSi LOAtON7
10 the Legislature of the State OF
massachusetts,, in Senate and House
Assembled; For Strengthening amend
ments to the existing statute when
| requires in the public schools the study
| or the laws of hygiene, including those
concerning the use of alcoholic drinks
ana other narcotics.
we, the undersigned believe that
| prevention through early education, Is
hnNNAYftt1 ~ 80, no T~fRa
temperance, Therefore we rejoice III
whatever good has resulted from the
law enacted in 1885, requiring in tne
public schools the study of physlolosy
ana hygiene with special reference 10
lhe citects Of alcoholic drinks ana
Vjh"r narcotics upon the human sys-
TEN, Eut whereas, this law lacks en-
/ FORGING clauses and other needed speel.
cations, and is therefore in many cases
utlon the legislature now in session "
enact such STRENGTHENING Amendments
I 10 IT, including just and adequate peHT
dllleS FOR its acknowledgements as WIN
| ensure the faithful pursuit Of this SUI,
! ~ as regular branch by all puPniss
IA all schools supported by puoIiV
money and under state control
/ Mr Nomius thought that the petllluai
/ was very mild in its terms, aht
| thought further that the signers 70 II
| had not entirely understood the suVll
/ lrrl and that when they did they Wouiu
l0ke their names from the petition NJ
Hayden was in sympathy with, a petn,o,
non similar to the one presented oy tng g
W. G, T. a., and everything IaVorlu7
. temperance, but he was not in syn
pathy with any Bill like the one pro-,
posed lie thought that this mign' "a
am effort but that it was not wen o u,
lt'led, He thought that the emo 10
mrnt OF such bill would inJure w
cause of temperance. .,.-
The report OF the committee on ee.rs
Put to the hoard WAS agreed to un"s