RESPONSIBILITY OF SCHOOL OFFICIALS AND TEACHERS.

It now remains for the school officials and teachers of the State to live up to the letter and spirit of the law by endeavoring to impress on their children and youth the principles of temperance and of temperate living. Unless this responsibility is fully met we shall fail to prove true to the agreement clearly implied in our support of the bill which has become a law. We should all see to it that our fidelity to that promise is not surpassed by the loyalty which we admired so much in the temperance people.

IMPORTANCE OF PHYSIOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE.

In proving true to our agreement we shall also be loyal to the highest interests of our pupils. It is important that all children shall become familiar, before leaving school, with at least the primary laws of health. Such knowledge is an all-essential part of a rational education. Herbert Spencer, in his epoch-making discussion of "Education-Intellectual, moral, and physical," says, in discussing the value of a knowledge of physiology, "We infer that, as vigorous health and its accompanying high spirits are larger elements of happiness than any other things whatsoever, the teaching how to maintain them is a teaching that yields in moment to no other whatever." "For complete living it is necessary not only that sudden annihilations of life shall be warded off, but also that there shall be escaped the incapacities and slow annihilation which unwise habits entail. As, without health and energy, the industrial, the parental, the social, and all other activities become more or less impossible, it is clear that this secondary kind of direct self-preservation is only less important than the primary kind, and that knowledge tending to secure it should rank very high.”

Such knowledge the study of physiology and hygiene gives, and we fail to do our duty as teachers if we deny to our pupils this information which affects life so vitally. We do not assert that knowledge of the laws of health insures correct habits in every case, but we do assert most confidently that such knowledge, acquired in early life, renders evil habits less likely in any case. "As the laws of health," said Herbert Spencer, “must be recognized before they can be fully conformed to, the imparting of such knowledge must precede a more rational living, come when that may." "If fatigue of body or brain were in every case followed by desistance; if the oppression produced by a close atmosphere always led to ventilation; if there were no eating without hunger, or drinking without thirst, then would the system be but seldom out of working order." But this is far from the case, as we all know, and therefore an acquaintance with the fundamental principles of physiology and the primary laws of health is of very great importance.

TEMPERANCE.

The term temperance in its broad signification relates to the proper use of all the powers of mind, soul, and body. It is opposed to excess of every kind, In this broad sense temperance should be assiduously cultivated. No day passes without some incident happening on the way to school, in the school yard, or schoolroom that furnishes an excellent opportunity for enforcing lessons of temperance. Every cruel or unkind word, every exhibition of bad temper, of greediness, selfishness, or jealousy, of rashness or timidity, is a violation of temperance. But it is evident that in this sense temperance bears no closer relation to physiology and hygiene than to other subjects, and to none is the relation likely to be so close as it is to environment out of school.

RELATION OF NARCOTICS TO PHYSIOLOGY AND HYGIENE.

In a narrower sense, however, temperance relates to abstinence from the use of alcoholic liquors and other narcotics. In this sense, it bears a very close relation to physiology and hygiene. The term physiology relates more especially to the anatomy and functions of the various organs, while the term hygiene relates to the care of those organs, the preservation of health. Narcotics often have a serious effect upon health. It is evident, therefore, that a consideration of the effects of narcotics on the human body may properly come under the subject of hygiene.

IMPORTANCE OF THE SUBJECT.

The importance of any branch of instruction is accurately measured by the assistance it can give toward complete living. Measured by this standard, instruction concerning the effects of alcohol and other narcotics on the human system is very important. By their deteriorating and destructive effects on the bodily organs, often causing disease and shortening life; by their indirect effects on mind and morals, often undermining both and causing crime and unhappiness, narcotics are a curse to the human race. Their effects are felt to some extent by the innocent as well as the guilty. But unless warned against the terrible evils that often follow their use, the innocent of to-day may become the guilty of to-morrow. Teachers should, therefore, warn and endeavor to fortify their children and youth against the temptations and dangers to which they may be exposed.

INSTRUCTION IN PRIMARY GRADES.

The law does not require the teaching of physiology and hygiene in primary grades, but courses in nature study and elementary science will generally include more or less of such instruction. Teachers of these grades should give their pupils any needed warning against evil habits, especially against the smoking of cigarettes.

GENERAL SUGGESTIONS.

1. This committee recommend that the principal topics under physiology and hygiene be taught at least twice during the course, once orally or with books as may be preferred, and once with text-books. Of course the teaching should be more exhaustive and critical in the higher grades.

While the statute does not specify that text-books shall be used by pupils, it is strongly recommended that all pupils above the fifth grade make a thorough study of at least one text-book of physiology.

2. While it is assumed that by far the greater part of the time will be devoted to other topics of physiology and hygiene, the temperance lessons should not be slighted. They should be carefully planned and impressively taught. Unless the teacher feels a deep interest in the subject, and in saving the boys and girls from lives of unhappiness and possible crime, the instruction will have little effect. Perfunctory teaching of this subject is likely to be valueless or positively harmful.

3. Narcotics should be taught chiefly in connection with dietetics and the nervous system.

4. In teaching the dangers attending the use of alcoholic liquors, emphasis should be placed upon the power alcohol has of creating an increasing appetite for itself, until, perhaps, the victim has lost all self-control and become a slave to an appetite "stronger than love for parents, wife, or children; stronger than

desire of respect or dread of poverty or ridicule; an appetite terrible in its torments and never to be satisfied in its demands." Show the children how temptations often arise, and endeavor to fortify their wills against them by creating a desire to lead lives of respectability and usefulness, more than by attempting to frighten them.

5. State the facts plainly and impressively, but guard against exaggeration. Truth is mightier than falsehood. "A serious mistake is made when the suspicion is aroused that an effort is made to establish a case rather than to ascertain the truth."

6. Select illustrations that do not grate too harshly on the sensitive natures of children.

SOME THINGS TO TEACH.

The following topics are not intended to be exhaustive, and yet they suggest the points which should be most strongly emphasized in teaching temperance. Pupils should be taught:

1. The source of alcohol.

2. The two classes of alcoholic liquors: (a) Fermented-cider, wines, beer, ale; (b) Distilled-brandy, whisky, gin, rum.

3. That alcohol is a harmful drink, because often (a) it injures the body; (b) it injures the mind; (c) it injures the morals; (d) it decreases one's chances of succeeding in life; (c) through its power of creating an increasing appetite for itself it causes intemperance, with all the frightful results that follow.

It is not to be understood or taught that alcohol in all quantities and in all cases produces all or any of the foregoing effects, but that it has a tendency to produce them and will always succeed, if sufficient quantities are taken, and if other conditions are sufficiently favorable.

4. In connection with the nervous system teach (a) that alcohol in sufficient quantities temporarily paralyzes the nerves that control the voluntary muscles and thus causes drunkenness; (b) that in sufficiently large quantities it temporarily paralyzes the brain, causing unconsciousness and sometimes death; (c) that it is a potent cause of hereditary defects.

The teacher and pupils should trace the results of these primary effects, such as the loss of employment, health, self-respect and the respect of others, unhappiness, poverty, and death.

5. Teach that the use of tobacco (a) may retard the growth of the young body and decrease its strength; (b) sometimes makes the young intellectually lazy, weak, and dull; (c) often has a harmful effect on the nervous system, sometimes producing serious disorders; (d) may interfere with digestion; (e) creates a strong appetite for itself and often makes a man a slave to itmany try to leave off its use, but only a few succeed; (f) frequently leads its user into the company of those who are addicted to the use of alcoholic liquors and thus subjects him to dangerous temptations; (g) its use involves great expense without any valuable return; (h) tobacco chewing is a filthy habit, and smoking is offensive to many; (i) many business men will not employ boys who are cigarette smokers.

6. Teach briefly the danger of using opium, morphine, chloral, and cocaine. 7. Teach the importance of practicing temperance in all things.

8. By means of biography, the testimony of local physicians, employers of labor, prominent men of the town, and those holding exalted positions, impress upon the children the fact that temperance brings that strength of body, clearness of mind, self-control, respect, and confidence of others which are necesssary to success in life.

SOME THINGS NOT TO TEACH.

1. There are questions connected with the food value of alcohol and with alcohol considered as a poison which have not yet been answered to the entire satisfaction of leading scientists, and the public school-teacher will do well to omit all discussion of them. There is enough that is known about alcohol to condemn its use as a beverage.

2. Do not teach that an appetite for alcohol or tobacco is commonly inherited. If such cases exist they are very rare. Certain physical weaknesses which have been caused by the use of narcotics may doubtless be inherited, and such weaknesses may render their possessor more susceptible to the alcohol or tobacco habit. Teach this.

3. Do not teach that tobacco creates an appetite for alcohol, but that one bad habit often leads to another, and, therefore, the user of tobacco is more likely to become a user of alcoholic liquors.

ILLUSTRATIVE EXPERIMENTS.

Guard against using illustrative experiments which convey wrong impressions. For instance, because pure alcohol will harden many animal and vegetable substances placed in it by extracting water from them, it does not follow that all alcoholic liquors, as usually taken, have so great an effect on those substances in the stomach. When such liquors are drunk, the stomach pours out an abundance of gastric juice to further dilute the alcohol, and thus greatly lessens the power of the alcohol to retard digestion. Alcoholic liquors tend to cause a waste of gastric juice and to weaken the stomach.

CHARTS AND BOOKS.

Pictorial illustrations appeal strongly to children. Facts which make little or no impression when stated in words often produce a lasting impression when represented to the eye by means of a striking picture.

1. Charts which show the comparative cost of liquors and the food or schools of the country are suggestive. Charts which show the effects of alcohol on the stomach should be used with caution, especially those charts that are repulsive to sensitive children.

2. Books. We know of no physiologies published in this country for primary or grammar grades that are satisfactory. Some books give an undue proportion of space to temperance matters, and some have not been revised and brought up to date. Under the circumstances, therefore, and until satisfactory books are published, care should be taken to correct or omit all misleading statements in the books used, but in making corrections great care should be taken not to convey the impression that an argument is being made in favor of even the moderate or occasional use of narcotics. It is hoped that books which are scientifically accurate and at the same time strong but reasonably brief in their temperance features will soon be published.

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CONCLUSION.

While this committee can not indorse the view that in teaching physiology and hygiene temperance should be the chief topic," while they believe that temperance should be presented as only one of many topics under the subject of hygiene, and that much the greater part of the time should be given to other matters, they are unanimous in the belief that all the children should be thoroughly instructed in the evil effects of narcotics on the human body and

character as well as on society and the state. They earnestly hope, therefore, that all teachers in Connecticut will give to this subject the attention which its importance demands.

REPORT OF THE NEW YORK STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE AS TO THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY OF PHYSIOLOGY AND HYGIENE, BEING A REPLY TO THE STATE SCIENCE TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.

NEW YORK STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE ON SCIENTIFIC TEMPERANCE INSTRUCTION IN