The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-07-15
THE GREAT DESTROYER
SOME STARTLING FACTS ABOUT
The VICE OF INTeMPsRANcE.
The Teaching Of Tempcrnnce-Mrs. Huut's
Paper at Bremen Congress-Knowl
edge Great Power TO Defeat Alcohol
Plea For Instruction in Public schools

At the International Anti-Alcohol Con.
gress, Bremen. Mrs Mary NJ. Hunt. OF
the Woman $ Christian Temperance Union,
Boston, Mass, delivered an address on
the significance of scientific temperance in
struetion in public schools as a preventive
of alcoholism.
Mrs. Hunt said: The thra,dom of alco.
holism can be oyerthrown only by making
the masses intelligent in regard to the true
nature OF alcohol and its consequent eff
fects upon the human system. This re.
qures, first, thorough scientific investiga
ton OF the alcohol problem, and second,
the widest diffusion of truths thus learned
The people of the United States, believing
that such diffusion could best be effected
through public school instruction, secured
between the years lSS2-l002 the passage OF
State and National laws by which tho
study OF physiology and hygiene. including
special instruction as to the nature and
effects Of alcoholic drinks and other mar.
cotics, became mandatory for all pupils
in all schools of the republic. Temperance
physiology has thus been very generally
taught for ten or fifteen years. and it i.
significant that during this time the ratio
OF increase in the PEI. capita consumption
OF alcoholic liquors has diminished ma,
terlaly; also that there has been gain
OF four and one-tenth years in the average
length of life. Thorough investigation in
the most popuous State. New York, shows
that the study is restraining children from
forming alcoholic and other narcotic habits
and influencing their parents against alco.
hol and tobacco. The teachings that have
secured these gratifying results are:
First-The nature or alcohol and its ef.
tects upon the human economy; and,
Second-The physiological reasons for
nbeying all laws of health, since unhygienic
habits often cause a craving for narcotics
Careful grading shows that the subject
can be adequately covered by minimum
OF three oral lessons per week for ten
weeks in each primary year, and four text.
book lessons per week for ten weeks, in
each of the five grammar years and the
first year of the high school. Thus, with
$3.50 lessons. a progressive development il
attained without crowding other branches,
during years in which the formation OF
habits is especially active. The textbooks
used by pupils OF all grades above the
primary are supervised by committee of
physicians and educators At the head.
quarters or the Department of Scientific
Temperance Instruction. in Boston, are
kept on file records of all scientific investi.
CATION OF the question free of access to
authors and others interested. Objection
is sometimes made to scientific temperance
instruction on the ground that by injuring
the brewing traffic it will decrease the
national revenue Figures show, however
that every dollar of tax on fermented and
distilled liquor paid into the national
treasury costs thirty dollars in the cost Of
consequent crime and poverty. The same
is doubtless true in other countries This
congress is to pass no resolutions. but
there is nothing to prevent any individual
from personally resolving to Use his ut.
most influence to secure for all tine children
OF his own country the blessings of a
scientific education.