The Portland daily press., 1900-03-19
TEACHING TEMPERANCE.
Principal corthsn shows Absurdity
Of 50 called Scientific Instruction.

EIaotpaA Oortnell OF Tue 0ornhm Nor-
NAL school has powerful ideas on the
subisot Of tempsranos legislation and
particularly ON such legislation rs APP
piled 10 courses In the public schools,
with which he Ia familiar. Recently
Mr.. Corthel expressed his views In Q
vigorous letter on the subject. Saturday
the PRESS asked members Of the Port
land School Board what they thought Of
Principal Cortheil's argument and CON-
clusion and their replies, with Mr.. Cor
thell's letter, are printed below:
Mr.. CORTHELL'S LETTER.
We have some ideas which much sx-
perisnce and more observation have COM
PEELED ne TO believe. The law for "Tem-
psrance Instruction" was passed many
years since by our legislature. The
teachers hailed its passage with joy. for
almost every teacher In the stats then
was "total abstainser," and g cram
rod, :" and 10 30 now. Efforts were made
10 obey the law. The subject was made
matter Of special study IN tsaohers'
meetings, in normal schools, In high
schools and academies where teachers
were being educated. All that has
passed. No attention IL paid 90 the SUBJ
ject In normal schools, in high sob ools
and academies and slmon none in any
schools in the state. Whyf
Entering on this special teaching with
such hopefulness and enthusiasm. the
teachers sftsr months and years Of faith
ful trial were complied TO see that there
were def,cts In the law.
Fret, the law is absurd.
(a) 1t attempts to teach science to young
children.
(b) 1t requires . physical science to be
taught theoretically, BY book. instead OF
effectively, by experiment and analysis.
(o) 1t attempts to teach children about
effects Of stimulants and narcotics on
the stomach, nerves. muscles, bones and
lunss, when the children do not know
and should not know for years that
tsey have ssomaohs. lungs or nerves.
(d) It assumes the false notion tina
knowledge Of the result OF certain courses
will hinder humans from entering those
courses.
(s) It asks pupils to believe words
read In book or told by tbs teacher In
opposition to facts ssen and known by
the pupil. saying that tobacco Is poison
GUS. while the pupil sees seven-t enths Of
the men he knows using tobacco, and his
answer to ths teachers instruction Ii
"Mr. II. smokes, and he IL the richest and
smartest man In town, and am going
20 smoke when get big enough" The
saying that alcohol 10 poisonous, while
the pupil says, "An our great men, con.
gressmen, governors, judges, lawyers. mer-
chants and lumbermen, drink liquor
and I mean to drink when am big
enough"
Second, the law demands the impossi-
BILE.
(s) The soheol board will not give the
time the law demands.
Obi The Law demands time which NO
sensible s-,periptsndsnt or school board
(c) To put the text books prescribed.
or any te xt.book on the subject, into
the hands Of third grade pupils, and re-
quire four lessons week on the subject
in every year to the high SCHOOL, makes
Of 10 task con pared with which the
best teacher on earth would gladly under
take the "labor Of Hercules"
1t is said, "f the teacher fails It's the
fault Of the teacher" that lie all bosh.
We have seen the best of teachers In
every grade Of school, with follifaith{in
the possibility and desirability Of the
teaching. utterly fail, and We have never
known one to suocsed.
What can be done9 Repeal the absurd
and impossible Law. Let the High schools
In teaching physiology note the effects
of alcohol and tobacco on the nerves.
es they treat Of the effect Of other sub
stances.
Then let the advocate Of the present
laws and the best superintendents and
teachers come together in friendly con-
ference and see what. II anything. should
be taught on the subject in the law.
W. j. Corthell.
Gorham.
THE PORTLAND SCHOOL BOARD.
One of the mem bers of the school COM
mittee who did not wish to have his
name mentioned IN connection with tie
subject, said that the Portland schools
had made Efforts to teach scientific tsm-
perance by books prescribed. The pu-
pills beyond the age Of babyhood. regard
this teaching with feelings Of contempt
MIR. John +. A. Merrill, recently elect
ed to the school board, said: 81 haven't
sufficient knowledge as to the way In
which the subject is taught In the pub
Ito schools of this city to make much
comment on this article. But 1t seems
to me that it is q subject which would
be very difficult to teach children. Ny
Idea 10 that If 1t is necessary to teach this
subjsct 1t should be taught In funda'
mental and simple way. There is much
In the article that contains great deal
OF common ssnse."
Mr.. Charles L, Hutchinson said; 81
don't think that would dissent from
any thing in the article. 1t seems to me
that the subject should be taught fro IN
practical rather than from theoretical