Workable Temperance Plans by M. E. Kern

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 11, 1916

Workable Temperance Plans

By M. E. Kern

The following article, which appeared in the Norway (Maine) Advertiser, gives some concrete results of the efforts of one of our conference Missionary Volunteer secretaries with the Anti-Tobacco number of the Instructor. First, the wife of one of the ministers of the town was interested in the work, and with her help the W. C. T. U. became very enthusiastic over the plan mentioned. The superintendent of

schools not only agreed to place the paper in the hands of all pupils above the fifth grade, but to give a talk in each room on the evils of tobacco, and cigarettes in particular, and explain the benefits of a careful reading of the paper.

Save the Boys of Norway!

“The Anti-Cigarette League of America, with general headquarters at Chicago, Ill., and branches in many States in the Union, has issued a general appeal that April 20, 1916, be observed as Anti-Cigarette Day. On this day there will be services in all the churches under the direction of this league.

“There is no such league in Norway, but the W. C. T. U., always loyal and active in its efforts to help the youth, voted $5 to buy enough of the special issue of the Youth’s Instructor, published in Washington, D. C., to give each of the boys in all the grades above the fifth, both in the village schools and in the rural districts of the town. This paper is a special edition devoted wholly to the subject, and fitly called ‘Anti-Tobacco’ number, with sixteen pages from such writers as Dr. Harvey W. Wiley, thirty years chief of the Division of Chemistry for the United States; Bruce Fink, Ph. D., head of the College Department of the Anti-Cigarette League of America; and Dr. D. H. Kress, vice president of the league.

“Mr. Morrell, our superintendent of schools, is deeply interested in this effort of the W. C. T. U., and personally placed the nearly two hundred copies of the paper in the hands of the teachers and boys of the schools.

“Did your boy bring home a paper? Will you cooperate with us in trying to save him from this great menace to all his future? Read the paper with him, look at the pictures, encourage him to sign the pledge. ‘He who saves the children, saves the State.’”

The W. C. T. U. also send a copy of the paper to each Sunday school superintendent in the town, asking him to speak of it and to tell the boys that they would receive a copy at school. An effort is now being made by the teachers of boys’ Sunday school classes to get the boys to sign the pledge.

The superintendent of the Temperance Department of the Sunday Schools of Maine purchased several copies and sent to the district superintendents all over the State, asking them to order from the Maine Tract Society. The Portland Sunday school superintendents are being visited with reference to using the Anti-Tobacco number of the Instructor on Anti-Cigarette Day, which is appointed for June 1st there.

The interest which has been awakened by Anti-Cigarette Day has made it easy to do this same thing in hundreds of places. Who will help? M. E. Kern.