The Savannah morning news., 1903-10-11
ANALYSIS OF SCHOOL
TEMPERANCE TEACHING
Scientific Temperance Instruction. Declared by Harvard
Medical Expert Unscientfic and UnpedagogcaI-Dr. H.
P BoWdch Dssects School Text Books of Physiology

Boston, Oct. 10.-In the recently is
sued Physiological Aspects of the
Liquor Problem" the latest of the
published reports of the various sub
committees of the Committee of Fifty,
organized in 1898 for a thorough exam
nation of the different aspects of this
vital question, there is one chapter in
particular that will unquestionably give
rise to considerable popular discussion.
This chapter is the report of DR.. H. p.
Bowdltch of the Harvard Medical
school in this city and Prof. c. F.
hodge OF Worcester on the present
American public school instruction on
the physiological action of alcohol. The
report frankly takes the position that
much of the so-called Scientific tenn
perance instruction" in the public
schools is both unscientific and unde-
sirable, and endeavors to support it's
contention by an analysis of the text
books prepared on this subject in ac-
cordance with the laws of various
states in the Union, and by an analysis
or the testimony of a considerable num-
Der both of teachers and psychologists.
The sources of information from
which this conclusion has been reach
ed are four: The standard text books
now used in colleges, universities and
medical schools, personal letters from
prominent psychologists both in Ameri-
ca and Europe in which they state their
individual opinions; the text books of
physiology now in use in the public
schools; and, finally, the testimony of
large number of public school teach
ers, questioned as to the value and fit
ness of the books and the results of the
system. This system, it is maintained
in the report, is not true physiologt-
cal study of alcohol, but rather the
total abstinence reform; and as it is
primarily the total abstinence move
ment, with all the inherent determi-
nation of any reform to carry its point,
its originators, were led, so it is stated,
into an unscientific as well as unedu-
cational method of instruction. In
other words, the claim is put forth that
instead of scientific truth the public
school student is being provided with
a kind of half-knowledge that later
experience is almost certain to show
him is both inaccurate and biased, thus
preparing the way for a reaction that
will eventually often defeat the very
ends aimed at by the present system OF
education.
The essential point made against the
text books now in general use through
out the United States to teach the
physiology of alcohol is illustrated bv
q Ddfdllel NCGll lilC ANeA1AAAAA7" -
these text books. about twenty-five in
number, and the standard works used
in the colleges, universities and medical
schools. In these parallels the mac
curacy of the approved text book Is
stated to be often glaringly apparent
ranging indeed from a mere misstate-
ment-if any conscious misstatement
may be so qualified in scientific teach
ing--to what is obviously an invocation
of the boyle man in the shape of
horrible example" The report points
out that the names brought forward
in the past to support these same text
books, and announced as foremost
scientist" or most skilled in his pro-
fession" or eminent scholar" have not
been recognizable as authorities on this
particular subject of alcohol. Without
detracting from the high purposes of
the scientific temperance instruction
movement the movement itself is char
acterized as purely autocratic, one per-
son having been practically RESPONSE
BILE for its origination, now nearly TWEEN
ty-f1ve years ago, for it's policy and for
every development in its history.
Concerning the opinion of American
and even European psychologists
touching this present system of edu-
cation a brief summary of the results
of a circular letter sent to large nus
Der of leading men OF science is sdld
to reveal startling chorus of disap-
prevail, not only on the grounds of UNI
justif1ably inaccurate science but also
on those of false pedagogy. With a sin
gle exception, for example, the twenty
one members of the American Phvsi-
illogical Society who replied to this cir
cular were opposed to the present sci
entific temperance instruction. OF
the eight continental scientists who an
swered the letter, seven are known to
the scientific world for their interest
in the cause of reform in the use of
alcohol; vet of this number only one
was willing to approve the use of the
approved American public school text
books These answers are not SUD
posed to represent the opinion of the
continental psychologists in general; so
far as they go, however, they are quoted
as the opinions Of men who are In