The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-04-25
THE ". C. I. U. WORK.
EFFORTS TO SECURE TEMPER
 ANCE EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS.
The Extent of the Work Accomplished Laws for Instruction in Every state--COurses of Study and Text Books Prepared-FinaI Success Rests With Towns.
(Communicated).

temperance unlOn IS as eXIeHSlNo dS the sources of human ills. It is but natural that the mothers-for the un- | ion Is largely an organization of moth- ers-should feel most keenly any wrongs that strike at their children to | weaken and destroy them, or their hus- | bands, to degrade and brutalize them. Theyare far more sensitive to the sor- row and shame In the world than the 1 fathers; and more deeply solicitous for | the perpetuation of a strong and virile race. Consequently, when they began the reformation into which they have | thrown all their energies, they became l early conscious that their work must be not only prohibitiYe but corrective and educative, If any substantial result was to be attained.
 | They saw that in vigorous cam | patgn for the education of the rising l generation along the lines of temper ance, lay the only hopeof creating an | abiding sentiment against the drink evil, and of fortifying the homes and nation against against their threatened destruction. They felt that unless the children are educated as to the evils of the drink habit, the battle must be a continual one generation after genera ton, and perhaps lost one in the end They became convinced that it would become more and more difficult to ob- tain favorable legislation, and more and more difficult to retain and enforce | LlldL dlIbdQy SGCuTGQ, II q LdNuTlnR SCH timent was not created through the l children. They saw that the blunted moral sentiment of the community in- | duced by strong drink, must be over come by a quickened moral sense | awakened in the children through edu- cation. They determined, therefore. to 1 enter upon the campaign of securing to l the young of the future generations their proper birthrights by beginning with the children of to-day. They are acting upon the great fundamental maxim that the training of a child should begin a century or more before he is born.
 This educational campaign began in l a small way-mostly from the platform and through the press This accom- plished much, but did not reach the children--all the children--the hope of the nation. Instruction should be pro- 1 vided by the schools where all children are trained for business or citizenship. Along with the principles of business and the dress of culture should be giv- | en such instruction as insures strong, sober, self-reapecting manhood.
 The task was no small one, seeing l that 1t must face all manner of preju- l dice, indiffrence and the opposition of vested interests. Laws must be enact | ed, text books prepared, teachers train 1 ed, literature in the various languages | written and printed, and many other necessary things done in order to carry on the work successfully.
 | All this the women have done in the | face of indifferent men, and hesitating | legislatures. They have secured favor | able laws in all the states of the Un- 1 ion, and in several important foreign countries have obtained the co opera | tion of the. authors of text books to ] the extent of incorporating into their ! text books lessons on the influence of i stimulants and narcotics on the human system; have themselves written very meritorious texts upon physiology and hygiene from their viewpoint; 1 have secured the training of teachers for the work. and have had an exten- sive literature upon the subject written | and printed, and translated Into many languages. All this and much more. | Perhaps no better statement of the purpose of this work could be given l than the following, quoted from the recent repore of the bureau of scien- i tific instruction!
 l These then, are the underlying ob- 1 jects of pubic school temperance edu- cation: q) To save the individual l through his own conscious choice In applying the truths he early learns about the laws Of health and nature, and effects of alcoholic drinks and oth- CT narcotics (2) To preserve the na- tion, the prosperity, and integrity, of hol by it's people; (3l To make perma- nent the fruit of all temperance ef- l forts.
 And the following from the same source will be specific as to the amount 1 of the work accomplished.
 l Laws have been enacted by congress and every state legislature requiring this instruction in the laws of health. l and the nature and effects of alcoholic drinks and other narcotics.
 l Courses of study showing the topics | to be studied in All grades have been ! prepared and widely adopted in Amer 1 lean schools and made the basis ot sug- l gestions for temperance teaching in the schools of Great Britain and Germany.
 'Morethan forty approved school text l books on this subject adapted to all grades, from the first school year to the High school have been published by all the leading publishing houses.
 A committee of the American Academy of Medicine said recently of them: Tt | is probable that no other kind of text
 book has evolved so rapidly to this de- gree of merit. It Is certain that no other country has so good. The in-
 dorsed books have thus far initiated
 the majority of practical Improvements,
 Other books emulate them rapidly" | But laws will not enforce themselves.
 It requires the living teacher to make the lesson live. Upon the school au-
 thorities the school boards and super
 intendents, rests the success or failure of all thearduous work the union has
 
 parts of others, the instruction is faith
 fully done, and the results are equal
 to the expectations of the most san
 guine. In our own state, where the law is mandatory, and the penalty is
 forfeitureof state funds the law is
 most conscientiously observed in some
 cities and towns In others it is who'll ly ignored, in obedience to the de-
 mands of vested interests and a loose
 and depraved public sentiment. Were I some oneto enter complaint against
 someof our largest cities for non-ob.
 servance of law, they would suffer as
 they ought In some districts the merest mockery of instruction is given
 in orderto comply with the reQuire-
 ments in appearances most detesta- ble hypocrisy, and law abrogation tC
 the children. Itis not possibleto make
 god citizens of children trained by
 teachers who so little appreciate the
 true spirit of citizenship, or so lightly
 regard the responsibilities of their call
 ing
 There may be conditions in some
 cities and communities that afford 2 plausible excuse for the neglect of du. ty on the part of school officers. There
 may be immense dlstilleries and brew
 cries, as in Milwaukee, whose grI cannot be broken or there may be SC
 much property engaged in the business
 with a saloon to every three or foul
 hundred people, and the people them
 selves so in the grip of the traffic as
 not to be ableto throw it off; or ther;
 may be such a low sense of moral re-
 sponsibility, and such dense ignorance
 as to cause a lack of perception of the
 enormity of the evil. These conditions may be so strong as to effect the ten
 ureof office of the officer that would
 seek to enforcethe spirit of the law Such cities and communities will have
 to remain storm eenters and sinks ol