The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1916-12-28

HSS OK MltCI6tl. declares Ill lSlleT
to The Republican that he cannot
understand how any same person can
approve Prof. Jones practices. Mr..
McGrath's letter follows
McGrath's Letter.
70 the Editor of The Republican:
per for bringing before the public
the clinical proclivities of the now
famous Prof Jones. / have read with
feelings of mingled appreciation and
regret, the various articles which
have been written on the subject of
Prof. Jones' clinical examinations of
students.
am unable to understand how
any persun can approve of the prac-
tees 10 which Prof Jones has been
addicted ard to which he confesses.
In my Judgment the fact that
eiantv .~er cent of the teachers of
our state at the Watertown meeting
approved of the doings of Prof.
Jones-and the further fact that the
teachers and professors of the state
seem so reluctant to express them
selves on the subject. while a few
even sustain him-these facts, I say,
reveal a dangerous and threatening
condition in the school system of our
state.
SEXUAL Hygiene Oycrworked.
This practice of sexual eXamin-
ations may be, and probably is, the
natural outgrowth of taking sexual
hygiene into the schools where in
my opinion it has no place. Sexual
matters, difficulties and corrections
are matters which belong solely to
parents and family physician. The
state has not given and ought not to
give (even If it CAM any authority
to any person, physician or other
wise, to make sexual examinations of
students who may be attending school
Neither has the board of Regents
any authority to authorize such prac-
tees
Some of your correspondents seem
to have misconception of the ques-
ton at issue; some discuss DR.. Par
sons, and some, notably Mr.. Dawes
attacks the entire medical profession.
But neither DR.. Parsons nor the eff
ficiency of the medical profession is
the question at issue.
Prof. Jones confesses to having
made thousands of sexual eXamina-
ii ons chiefly among students-young
lady students-in the high schools
and normal schools of the state, and
the question at issue is, shall Prof.
Jones or any other Professor or
teacher be permitted to continue to
make such examinations? Prof.
Jones has primitive" operation
which he performs, but we are not
advised as to the nature of this
primitive" opcTation.
They tell US about progressive
education' Isn't it astonishing what
fools the people have been ali these
years, and are yet, with the eXcep-
ton of a "wiseacre" who appears
upon the scene now and then.
Public Against I.
There is no doubt but that the peo-
pie with practically unanimous
voice condemns the practices of Prof.
Jones and others. if any. who have
been cooperating with him. Profess
ors and teachers have M more right
than merchants and others employ
ing young ladies, to search out the
cause of any inefficiency they may
discover.
In my opinion the law is ample
now TO prevent and punish such as
saults upon young ladies, but it is
not, then the incoming legislature
should be urged to enact such legis-
lation as may be necessary to pro-
, fjlit such practices.
VIM. McGrath.
Mitchell. Dec. &c. 1916.
Yanllton Hcrald's Comment.
The Yanllton Herald comments on
Prof. Jones activities as follows:
prof Jones of the state univer-
gotten himself entaEgled in a very
lively discussion as to the propriety
of making sexual examinations OF
school children. The professor has
been making such examinations for a
couple OF years past in various parts
of the state and apparently has spec
ialized along female sexual lines. His
proceedings nave aroused both sus-
picion and anger Ill some quarters
with the result that he was scored
pretty heavily at the recent meeting
of the state educational meeting OF
the state educational meeting at Wa
tertown. Since then tho newspapers
have taken the matter up and some
of them are Justify demanding that
the state board OF regents put the
BRAKES on the professors zeal for
scientific research along these lines.
''personally this paper believes
tl;at Investigations for possible de-
fects in The sexual organs, if conduct
ed by the family physician or under
other proper medical auspices, would
be of equal proprlety with examin-
ations conducted by like authorities
for other physical shortcomings. At
tention to even the slightest of ply
si..al ailments in scnco, children can
not be overcstimated. Bot when the
situation resolves itself into a he
professor going about the state dab
bling premiscuously into the sexual
affairs of she-students without right
or license, that is another matter en-
tirely. If Prof. Jones can do this. any
professor with plausible address can
secure the same liberties and the
time is bound to arrive II it is not
already here, when either too much