Temperance Day

Washington state celebrated Temperance and Good Citizenship Day on January 16. It has been a long standing requirement for schools to observe.

The day was initiated in 1923. Ostensively, it was to push prohibition and avoidance of alcohol. That purpose was dashed with the repeal of prohibition, although moderation in drink was still a goal.

Now, this day has a different significance.

Temperance is not just about alcohol.

Defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, temperance is:

1-moderation in action, thought, or feeling

2a-habitual moderation in the indulgence of the appetites or passions

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