Smokin on the Back Porch

By Anne Adams

            These days when inside public smoking is limited, we often see folks gathered outside offices or stores indulging their curious habit. However; a few years ago when smoking was much more common, and when a non-smoker was actually unusual the habit still had its critics.  Today smoking is probably rare because of health concerns but in 1910 there was a different reasoning. For example, the Texas State Teachers’ Association opposed the habit for young people since they were sure the practice caused insanity!             This opposition came when a teachers’ resolution was described in the February 17, 1910 issue of the Athens Review as it listed the unhealthy side effects of smoking. The habit, they believed; “takes away the appetite… irritates the air cells of the lungs… causes palpitation of the heart, weakens the muscles, excites, stupefies and paralyzes the brain and nerves…” However, they were also sure that smoking “, cripples the memory, lessens the power to think… often leads to bad company and drunkenness…” and of course caused insanity.               At that time smoking cigars and cigarettes was often a “guy thing” and was often done in the male atmosphere of a club, tavern or office.  Still, it was the building janitors who had to clean the inevitable spittoons…In fact, many foreign visitors in the 1900s were appalled by the remnants of tobacco juice on the floors of hotels, public transportation and offices. Also, so common was chewing tobacco that there is one report that it wasn’t until 1945 that spittoons were removed from federal buildings.             The Review response to the teachers’ resolution? While they agreed with the statement the editor also wondered how many teachers actually personally indulged in the habit. They even proposed that smoking teachers be ineligible for employment for Texas.              In addition, the editorial stated that there was no doubt that the damage of smoking was greater than that of “…intoxicating liquors, especially wines and beer.”              The subject came up later that year in the December 1, 1910 issue as the Review covered the subject again and quoted a prominent educator of the time who was also concerned with the issue. According to President David Starr Jordan of Leland Sanford University “…boys who smoke cigarettes are like wormy apples. They drop long after harvest time. They rarely make failures in after life because they do not have any after life.” Then the writer continued to describe other dangers besides cigarettes: One was “whiskey drinking” and this “…easily follows cigarette smoking, as this creates a thirst which ‘the town pump cannot satisfy.’ Cocaine, opium and other drugs also frequently follow indulgence of cigarettes.” Then he quotes another source: “If something is not done to check cigarette smoking and the vice that goes with it, we shall not be able to build insane asylums enough for the victims.” Makes you wonder if our anti-smoking ancestors would approve of today’s limitations on those who imbibe.