The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-10-14
BELIEF THAT
DIR. SHAW DID
NOT FAIL

Since the announcements made by Or
Shaw of indianapolis 10 the effect that 90
per cent OF the school children OF the
city were addicted TO the use of cigar
cites. there have been any number OF dis
cusslons concerning the accuracy OF his
figures. and some have gone so far AS
10 refute them, while others have up
held them as being correct.
Among those who were the first 10 re-
fute and 10 disprove the statements was
Mr.. Wnslow OF the Thayer street gram
mar school Then action was taken I'm
Woonsocket. then Field Secretary Wilson
OF the Sunday school association. at
whose bidding the doctor came 20 this
city. With the announcements made
yesterday by tho field secretary. the dis
cussions. pro and con. have been warmer
and more frequent until II would seem
that the whole city Is stirred by the state
ments
Secretary Wilson. when seen and re-
quested TO explain more explicitly his
criticisms OF DR. Shaws methods, was
reluctant at first 90 do so, owing 10 his
position in the Sunday School association.
The opinion I have given expression
to-" he said. lis my own personal view
and does not represent I'm any sense that
of the executive committee OF the asSo-
citation. / wish you would make that
perfectly plain. The executive committee
meets next Monday, and at that time
something may be said and done on this
matter. but at present have no authority
to speak for the association or the com
mittee
IL know there are some who VIII dis
agree with me i'm the stand | have taken,
but i have said what | personally felt.
and my opinion Is base~ upon an expert
ence OF 10 years In Sunday school work,
and | know II Is shared by a number of
parents and teachers OF the boys In the
schools that Dr. Shaw visited
Thomas w Waterman superintendent
Of the Calvary Baptist Sunday school and
an earnest worker in the state assocla %
tion. accompanied DR.. Shaw on his visits
to the schools and was thus In a position
to observe the results Of his talk TO the
boys.
Il cannot feel that DR. shaw's work
has been n failure" he said. although
the meeting at the Union Congregational
church did not accomplish the great OBJ
Ject sought. n thing for which Dr. Shaw
was as sorry as any one else. though II
was not his fault | know some OF the
teachers did not exactly like Dr. Shaw 5
methods, but measured by the purpose
and the results l look at the method
as a secondary consideration IL Is 10
he expected that parents and teachers
are often surprised 10 find that their
boys have sometimes smoked cigarettes.
but who knows more about what they
have done than their own companions?
Charles H. Philbrick superintendent of
the Central Congregational Sunday school
and member Of the executive commit
| tee OF the Sunday School association, stat
| ed that he did not hear DR.. Shaw speak
J while I'm the city.
Other members OF the executive COM
| mittee OF the sunday School association
who were asked regarding their impres-
| sions OF Dr. Shaw stated that they did
| not hear his address at the church. nor
| any OF his talks In the schools, and con-
! seuuently did not feel competent to dis
| cuss the matter.
With the exception Of the Hope street
| high school and one grammar school Mr..
| Wilson believes DR. Shaw visited every
| public school I'm the city. and one or two
| DriVate schools