The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-21
Teaching Temperance In the Public
schools.

Dy slu dCt DdSSCu III 1870 IL 10 ItQtlu III
the State of New York that the nature of
alcoholic drinks and other narcotics shall
! be taught in connection with the various
divisions of physiology and hygiene, as
thoroughly as are other branches, in all
schools under State control or supported
wholly or in part by public money Of the
State, and also in all schools connected
with reformatory institutions. This sub
ject must be taught to all pupils below
the second year of the high school and
above the third year from the beginning
Of the lowest primary, with suitable text
books, in not less than two lessons a
week. Such text books must give at
least one-ffth of their space to the ma
| ture and effects of alcoholic drinks and
other narcotics" except in the high
school grade. where the space shall be
not less than twenty pages.
This is commonly known as the Sci
entific Temperance instruction law" and
il was enacted under the pressure of
representatives Of temperance, philan-
thropic and religious societies, organized
as special committee for the purpose.
simultaneously or previously the general
policy of giving such nstruction in pub
lie schools was adopted by many other
States. The practical operation of the
! policy, however. has been much ques-
toned during the last two years, on the
grounds that the teaching takes up too
much time, overloads an already COM
plicated course of study, and that the
school textbooks on the subject are so
inaccurate that theyare harmful rather
! than beneficial to pupils. Accordingly,
! in Connecticut the Scientific Temperance
instruction law has been amended by
removing the requirement Of the amount
Of space to be given in text books on the
subject, and by excepting from the in
struction the highschool grades and the
! grades in the other schools not above the
! fifth; and in New York the State Science
! Teachers Association recommended, a
year ago, that the present law be modi-
fed similarly. The committee Of the
temperance. philanthropic and religious
organizations which brought about that
enactment has set to work to oppose any
such modification. and we have received
from it a report defending the existing
law, generally and specifically, against
the criticisms Of the other body.
The State Science Teachers Associa-
ton attacks the textbooks used in the
instruction on the ground that their
teaching is in conflict with the facts Of
physiology rs authoritatively taught in
the universities and medical schools;
that, for example, the public school text
books teach that alcohol is a poison in
contradiction Of medical demonstration.
Its argument is, in substance. that
the so-called scientific instruction is not
really scienti fic, but misleading and there
fore Of the nature Of fraud on the
pupils. The temperance committee de-
nies that there is any such contradict ion,
and quotes medical authorities to sus-
tain the textbook teaching. The criti-
Cising body refers to the we'll known ex-
periments Of the chemist Prof. At
WATER, as proving that alcohol in small
quantity can be used like sugar. starch
and fat for generating heat and muscular
energy The temperance people quote
scientific and medical authorities in OPP
position to this conclusion.
The Science Association does not
undertake to fix the limit Of safety :
in the use Of alcohol, but it assumes that
there is such n limit for the average
adult by saying that youths under
81 sh ,uld abstain altogether The
temperance people answer that alco-
hol, like opium, morphine and other
narcotics, when taken with any con-
tinuity. even in moderate amounts, has
the power to create the uncomfortable
and destructive appetite for more" as,
unquestionably, it has with certain tenn
peraments.
The criticising association finds fault
with the methods of instruction now re-
quired by law and would give teachers
of physiology more freedom to decide
"a to the character and content of their
teaching In other words, it calls for
temperate temperance teaching which
shall not outrage science while assum-
ing to teach it. Moreover, the practical
effect of the instruction on the pupils,
in influencing their conduct, is described
| dS lIlslHillllNdilt Nv tfle St1encc IcucneTS,
but by the temperance committee it is
defended as demonstrably valuable; and
here is its summary of the responses
to inquiries as to the influence on the
children of the teaching regarding the
use of alcohol and tobacco, and also in
hygiene generally received from 36l diff
ferent parts Of the State, including lead
ing towns and cities, and representing
every county in the State, except Hamil-
ton county:
The replies show that the nstructionis strength
en'ng the children to resist temptation to use these
| substsnces lalcohol and tobacco and Is helping
them and their parents to abandon such use when
already begun. It appeals to their self respect In
causing adherence OF the idea OF ever becoming
victims OF alcoholic OF narcosic habits and also 0
their desire - get on In the world as they learn
that alcohol and tobacco By irnpalrng mental and
physical ability limit he chances OF success. In Ilie-
| Parents testify that as = result OF this study
general hyglenei the children do pracrs. and
| bring home tho truths thus learned They lnsls,
| upon pTopcr ventilation OF slseplns and Twin