The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-08-24
he Democratic theory works in prac
THE HOME SHOULD HELP.

| The Superintendent OF Schools III
Kansas City voices complaint that Is
undoubtedly widespread throughout the
United States, and 1t is a complaint
that is likely TO be emphasized, IL the
"sexeducation which is being intro
duccd in the schools Is not made to
work harmoniously with home instruc-
tion, and be conducted upon lines that
are conservative, cautions, and repres,
sive. In Kansas City 1t appears that
high school girl has como TO q bad
end. and there are those who blame the
schools for 1t, since the "sex- -educa-
tion' y has been introduced, as reported
! IN those schools. The complaint is that
the instruction in this line has become
stimulating and erotic, or at least has
had that effect in some cases The
Superintendent, answering. states that
the schools are not at fault. that they
do what they can; but unless the efforts
Of the schools are supported by home
instruction, there is sure to be an
incompleteness which will leave cause
for complaint. As he says, 'many
parents have come to look to the
schools for the whole care of their
children -
This is manifestly the wrong view
for parents to take. Parents should
always have the liveliest interest in
their children in tho schools; they
should know how they are getting
along in their studies, they should know
what those studies are, what instruc-
tion Is given, and along what lines. and
whether that instruction is such they
approve or not. Unless parents them
selves mako criticism Of the progress
their children make and of their
the best criticism that can be made
upon them. That criticism is and
should be, from the parents Of the
children. Whether that criticism is
what the teachers would call intell-
gent or not does not matter. The es-
sential thing is that the criticism should
be available and should be made at all
times If the criticism is not valid,
the teachers ought to show the parents
their error, and if it is valid, then the
teachers should yield on the points
whore they are not able to maintain
their positions; for parents often have
q far wider view of life than the
teachers have
The care which the schools can have
of the children is a comparatively small
portion of the day, during the school
hours and such time as is necessarily
involved in questions that arise dur
ing those hours. The other sixteen or
more hours Of the day the children
are supposedly in the care Of their pa.
rents; and as to that care the parents
are themselves distinctly and directly
responsible, to the exclusion OF any re-
sponsibility on the part OF the schools
beneficial injunctions which those
teachers can apply.
In the matter of sex instruction, 1t
Is often said that this should be mat
ter Of home duty altogether. This Is
the natural order, and 1t could more
cheerfully be conceded If the supposi-
ton Of home instruction were in fact
to be relied upon. But experience
shows that 1t Is not. Many parents
are themselves ignorant, many are care
less, many consider that the subject
is too delicate to take up with their
childrenj and 30 the home instruction
counts for nothing In so many cases
that 1t has appeared necessary to intro
duce this instruction into the schools.
The least possible OF such instruction
in the schools would undoubtedly be
the best, provided the parents would
take the matter up with their children
and inform them farther as to these
things which they ought TO know. This
whole matter of "seI- educa ton or
instruction for young people is, in fact,
OF the most delicate nature; and
whether at home or at school the re-
luctance to enter lightly upon the i'm
parting of such instruction is natural
TO auv well-balanced mind, The time
may come when the restraint and deli
cacy which now surround that sub
iect will be less pronounced, but when
that time comes It IS not certain that
the human race will be in any way
benefited by the change.