The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-09-12
Williams Policy-Right or Wrong?

The policy of prudery is to be continued in the
Wayne county schools, according to County
Superintendent Williams.
He is quoted as saying that he believes a
course of instruction in sex hygiene would be
more harmful than beneficial to the children.
1t is unfortunate that Mr.. Williams should
take such a view of this question, for our people,
especially the young people, must have more
knowledge of the question if future genera
tions to be healthy and happy.
There is a practical method of instruction on
this question which is safe to introduce in the
schools of Wayne county, which is being
preached by publications which reach the home
table and the libraries of the Sunday schools. 1t
has been indorsed by the leading educators, writ
ers, editors, physicians and members of the cler-
gy Surely they would not advocate a thing
which would have an i'll effect on the young men
and women of this country!
Sex diseases, the greatest curse of humani-
ty, continue to send thousands to early graves
and fill to overlooking the insane hospitals be-
cause prudery demands that children be
brought up in ignorance of the evils which
menace them.
"One-third of the infant mortality is due to
prenatal conditions. which mean either
speedy death lingering, cripple life" writes
Mr.. Barry in the Century magazine. "The larger
part of these untoward prenatal conditions are
due to sexual diseases. To eliminate them will
require two sustained efforts; the further abol-
ishing of prudery, with consequent rigorous sex
hygiene, and the enactment and enforcement of
laws that will require proper medical examina-
lion before marriage
To eradicate sex diseases the first step is to
shed light their and their prevention,
l.
ton is aptly illustrated by the Rev Dwight Hills
of Boston, who, in an address delivered last
May, said:
"At the present rate while we are doubling
the population we are quadrupling our feeble
minded and multiplying by three the insane, so,
that within three hundred and fifty years from
now the crazy people will break out and put us
in. Venereal diseases so prevalent
among that within three generations proba-
bly, one-half of present 95,ooO,oOo people will
under the law of heredity, be driven to the wall.
BY new and rigid laws we are going to have an
aristocracy of health in which the other half of
American society is going to have children born
with legs of ivory and rosy cheeks. 1t is they
who going to possess this land and are going
to own the EARTH
That the churches have an important part to-
play in arousing the American people to a gen.
eral crusade against the greatest i'll they are heir
to- is forcibly emphasized by DR.. William Lee
Howard, writing in the current issue of Pear
sons. He says:
''It is estimated that over one hundred mil
lions year spent to keep alive the insane
the imbecile and unfit in this country. At the
present rate of increase shall need two hum
dred millions in ten years. Of course we shall
keep them alive and in comfort as long as they
are with us-this is our duty to the unfortunates.
But it is equally duty to the future genera
tions to see that they not born of this de-
grading and ruinous stock. The churches of
lars year to spread Christianity throughout the
world Is any comment necessary? Not to the
thinking man woman.
The churches can do more at present to aid
in bringing about better moral and health condi-
tons than any other medium.
(Which do you think needs these S13,OOOOO
the so-called savages who have their sex laws
sex rites in which full instruction is given to the
young, and until the white man invaded their
territory were free from venereal diseases or an
untaught, prudery-soaked young people far more
ignorant and immoral than the Hottentot girl or
the Esquimo boy? $500.
Take some of these $13, 900, 900 and distrib-
ute among church and Sunday-school libraries
the new books upon sex hygiene. Use some more
of it in securing lecturers and teachers Take
the Bible into classes and read the commands of
God as to right sex living"
Da,,lI