w
that the skillful marshaling of the few available forces would after all
have ended in failure had it not been for the quick wit and personal
responsibility of the head hostess of the occasion, the president of the
New York State Union.

For thirteen years Mrs. Burt served the state without salary, giving to
its work the best her life afforded freely and without price. With such
leaders, under God, and with the true end kept steadily in view,
Christian women ought not to fail in their great temperance work. It
matters comparatively little with what branch of the evangelical church
they are associated, but we are persuaded that none of us will esteem
our president less when knowing that she has grown in trust and
devoutness in this work while in the communion of the Protestant
Episcopal Church.

CHAPTER IV.

EDUCATIONAL.

"My people perish for lack of knowledge."

The educational work of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union has been
one of its prominent sources of usefulness. The trend of so many
departments has been along this line, that to enter into the details of
each would exceed the limit of this historical record.

"Teach it to thy children."

In a memorial presented to the state legislature in 1877 appeared a
clause asking that it be made obligatory by law for all teachers to
instruct their pupils in temperance. This was the inception of the
Scientific Temperance Instruction Department of the New York State
Woman's Christian Temperance Union.

This was made a regular department of work in 1880, with Mrs. Mary T.
Burt as superintendent. Mrs. E. H. Griffith, of Fairport, succeeded her
the following year and laid some foundation for the work. Miss Elizabeth
W. Greenwood, of Brooklyn, then became superintendent, continuing as
such from 1882 to 1886, and to her must be accorded the honor of doing
the _hard work_ of the department. Her preliminary work consisted in
visiting and presenting the subject before the various normal schools of
the state. This aroused public interest and created a sentiment which
made the subsequent work comparatively easy. At the convention held at
Poughkeepsie in 1883 it was decided to make the securing of a scientific
temperance instruction law a leading line of work for the ensuing year,
and Mrs. Mary H. Hunt, of Boston, national superintendent, was invited
to assist the state superintendent in the campaign.

This was faithfully done. And what of the result? In