Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-31
ESSEX DENOUNCES
SEX HYGIENE BILL
Assemblyman FISHER, Its Au-
thor, Is Alone in Its Defense
at Hearing.
Especial to the Evening start

ASVCGtnA AZ INT GNChAh3 ENhEsI
TRENTON, March H.-The FISHER
bill to prohibit the teaching of sex
hygiene In the public schools afforded
an opportunity before the Senate edu-
cation committee yesterday for a dis
cussion of the merits and dement's of
instructing pupils In this subject.
AssembIyman FISHER, of Essex,
alone supported his measure, while
opposition to the bill developed from
ali sides. Mr., FISHER complained of
lack of notice of the hearing, saying
that for that reason he was unable
TO bring his supporters here to advo-
cate the bill.
II. W. Dutch, principal of the Mont
clair High School, said he was OPP
posed to any legislation either permit
ting or prohibiting the teaching of
sex hygiene. He said the subject
should not be entirely wiped out OF
the schools, and admitted the dangers
of promiscuously teaching the school
children along this line. Until the
home is prepared to instruct the chill
dren in such problems he said, the
school must stand ready to stop the
child from forming hapha gard ideas
on the subject.
DR.. Laban Dennis, of Newark, pres
fdent of the Public Welfare Commit
s-stee of Essex County, informed the
! Senate committee that all the prin-
cioal educators OF the country were
opposed to such legislation as the
FISHER bill proposed The sex hy-
giene teaching of the street, he MAIN
tanned, is responsible for dreadful
diseases.
DR.. Katherine Porter, medical in
spector of the Orange public schools,
who was also representing the
Women's Club, of Orange, thought
the proposed law would prohibit
meetings In school buildings where
parents were taught sex hygiene.
She said the future mothers of the
country were being trained along
lines at present that are commend
able and hoped the Legislature
would not not shut the door to fur
Their legitimate instruction along this
line.
Rev. H. E. Jackson, of Montclair,
also opposed the bill Assemblyman
. Nutting, OF Essex. opposed his col
league, Mr.. FISHER, and said the great
a2hjoritj of che people were deadly
against the bill. The State Board OF
Education, Essex County education
boards and civic associations, he said,
have all signifled their opposition to
the FISHER bill.
Mr.. FISHER said an economic rea-
son should be sufficient to prohibit
the teaching of sex hygiene. He con-
tinued that he would be the last
man on earth to stop educating the
children along these lines, but main
tanned that the school is no more the
place for instructing the children on
the subject than the school is the
place for teaching religion.
IF the people opposing this bill de-
voted half as much energy to instruct
ing their own children and the children
in their neighborhoods we would all
be better off" he said. There are
great many more people in Montclair
IN favor of this bill than opposed"
he concluded.
Edmund 3. Osborne, of Montclair,
and Professor John S. Van Dyke, of
New Brunswick, members of the
State Board of Education. were also
opposed to the bill Mr.. Osborne
said the teaching of sex hygiene
should not be either compulsory or
prohibited. III, A. Strohmeyer, of
Montclair, read to the committee nu-
merous letters from prominent edu-
gators and associations voicing their
, Opposition to the measure Among
those whom Mr. Strohmeyer mem
kioned as opposing the bill are: DR. c.
Z. Chaplin, of the Montclair Normal
School; Don G. Bliss, superintend-
ent of schools, of Montclair; A. s.
knight. principal of Central Gram
mar School. Montclair; Federation
OIL women s NiuDSs 1OuUtll VI Iill~
anthropy; class of 100 teachers and
mothers of Trinity Church; high
school teachers; the Socialists of
Montclair: State Board of Educa-
ton: Public Welfare Committee of
Essex County; Civil Association OF
Montclair: Orange School Board;
Newark Civic Club; Frank f. Gray,
of the Boy Scouts. and Edmund r.
Osborne Mr. Strohmeyer said those
associations opposing the bill had
passed resolutions condemning Its
provisions.
Among those who attended the
hearing were: Mrs. Grover Smith.
of Upper Mohtclair; Mrs. William S
Disbrow, of Newark: Mrs. John b.
Webb of Orange, and Mrs. Louis
Hinrichs, of Glen Ridge Senator
AeSley, a member of the education
committee. after the hearing. an
nounced that he was opposed to re-
porting the bill in the Senate