Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-09-26
Sex Education.

To what extent can sex instruction
be given in the public schools? Wild
difference of opinion still exis,s
among school men on the subject
Judging from reports received at the
United States Bureau of Education
There is widespread recognition Of
what President Foster. of Reed Col
iege, calls THE Social Emergency,
and general agreement as to the need
of action against the social evil. but
when it comes to the question of wha :
part the public school shall play, the
ideas range from a detailed plan of
sex instruction beginning in the ele-
position to any form of sex education
whatsoever.
Professor Thomas NJ Ballet of New
York University outlines several
points of attack in sex education. He
believes sex instruction can now be
given to the following groups: % To
parents, by means of lectures: % To
enlisted men in the Army and Navy,
where the need for it is urgent; 90
TO college students, both men and
women: (4) To young people in Y. NJ.
C. AS and similar association. DR..
Ballet considers sex instruction to
college students particularly valuable;
because it will enable them to impart
sex knowledge in turn to pupils in
elementary and secondary schools, as
soon as the public is prepared for this
step.
Recently medical men have joined
hands with school men in the sex
hygiene movement. DIR. Hugh Cabot,
distinguished physician of Boston is
one of the leaders in the demand for
sex instruction in the schools. He
declares that the policy of silence ami
punishment as practiced in the past
rather than punishment, as a remedy
for social evils. He says: Sooner n
later we shall come to realize that
teaching the comprehension of the
sex instinct is the function of the
public school, though we are far from
such a realization today" Other men,
bers of the American Federation OF
Sex Hygiene, including former Presi-
dent Eliot, of Harvard, who is the
head of the organization, hold equally
positive views of the need for sex in
struetion.
On the other hand, there are many.
both among educators and physicians,
who see danger in sex instruction in
the schools. DIR. Tierney, president
of Woodstock College, Maryland, ex-
presses the fear that is in the minds
OF many thinkers, when he says: Sex
instruction Is apt to put forward By
some years the time of suggestion and
temptation. Safety lies in diverting
the attention from sex details"
Officials of the Bureau of Education
believe that the sex hygiene question
is about to assume great importance
in many school systems. Chicago is
now struggling with the problem; the
board of education has appropriated
money to provide lectures on sex
hygiene tn parents and to groups OF
high school pupils. with the ultimate
idea of extending sex instruction to
the elementary schools if the expert
ment with older pupils proves satis-
factory. Teachers in New York and
other cities report considerable sue
cess In incorporating sex instruction
into elementary work in biology. State
Superintendent Hyatt, of California,
has issued a lea1et on sex instruction
tha has been considered worthy OF
distribution by the United States Gov
ernment: while the American Fed
Grafton of Sex Hygiene, carrying out
its plan of constructive work against
the social evil, has drawn up what is
probably the most careful outline vet
devised for sex education at every
stage of life. both intfschool and at
hSpe.
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