The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-07-29
THE GREAT DESTROYER
SOME STARTLING FACTS ABOUT
THE VICE OF INTEMPERANcE.

The Teaching Of Temperance-SIrs. Hunt's
Paper at Bremen Congress-KnowI-
edge Great Power TO Defeat Alcohol
Plea For instruction In Public Schools
At. the International Anti-Alcohol Con-
gress, Bremen! Mrs Mary M. Hunt, OF
the Woman's Christian Temperance Union.
Boston, Mass, delivered an address on
-the significance Of scientific temperance IN
.struction in public schools as preventive
OF. alcoholism. = :. -.
Mrs. Hunt said: The thraldom Of alco-
holism can be overthrown only by making
the masses intelligent in regard to the true
nature of alcohol and its consequent eE-
fects upon the human system. This re-
quires, first, thorough scientific investiga-
tion 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
State and National laws by which the
study of physiology and hygiene, including
special instruction as to the nature and
effeptstef aleqholic. drinks and other mar
"cotics, became mandatory for all pupils
in all schools of.ehe republic. Temperance
physiology, has thus been very generally
taught for ten Or fifteen yeals, and it b.
significant that during this time the rate
of increase in the per capita consumption
of alcoholic liquors has diminished ma
terially; aho that there has been gain
length of life. Thorough investigation IN
the most populous 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-Thc nature OF alcohol and its eff
fects upon the human economy; and,
.Second--The physiological reasons for
obeying all laws Of health, since unhygienic
habits often cause Z! craving for. narcotics.
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
800 lessons. a"progressive development is
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 tho
primary are supervised by a committee OF
physicians and educators. At the head
quarters of 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 tho ground that by iniuring
the brewing traffic it will decrease the
national revenue. Figures show, however,
that every dollar Of tax on ferrnented and
distilled liquor paid into the national
treasury costs, thirty dollars in the cost Of
CONSEQUENT crime and ipoverty. The same
is doubtless true in other countries. This
congress is to pass no resolutions, but
there is nothing to5prevent any individual
from personally resolving to use his ut
most influence to secure for all the children
of his own country the blessings of Q
scientific education.