The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-03-20
TEACHING SEX EDUCATION.

From time to time there come
to us questions asking about the
propriety Of teaching our children
in the schools matters pertaining
to sex. The answer may be given
in a few words: 1t is a horrible,
vicious and brutal practice. This,
in spite of the fact that so-called
sensible persons are behind the
movement
In the first place, it must be re-
membcred that this is not a State
movements; it has been inaugu-
rated and is being spread by the
Federal government. 10 this end
state boards Of health and Y. NJ.
G.. A. secretaries are being en-
ploycd. Whatever argument may
be advanced from the standpoint
Of health--and it is an extremely
weak argument-it is safe to say
that no more pernicious method
Of wrecking morals could we'll be
devised. While older persons
might, or might not, be benefited
by a perusal Of the pamphlets
spread broadcast, there is no
doubt at all that the minds Of
children will be permanently in
jured by the descriptions and eX-
plantations which are so laVishly
given in these booklets.
An examination of the pam
phlets prepared for the use of
school children brings a blush Of
shame even to an older cheek. The
child is supposed to be devoid of
imagination, and so every detail
of name. description and action is
placed before him with all the
clearness of the MONDAY sun. TO
use the words Of a keen observer,
it simply teaches sanitary SHINING.
1t takes for granted what is falla-
cious, illogical and misleading,
namely, that a knowledge Of evil
is the strongest deterrent from
sin. And yet police records show
that the greatest criminals are
usually the brainiest of men. 1t
entirely overlooks the appeal to
the moral side of the child, and
supposes that the portrayal Of sin
will act as an antidote against
evil. When public school chill
dren have peruscd these booklets,
and attended the supplementary
lectures and viewed the pictures
and drawings prepared for their
representation from evil: - there IS
little doubt that the next genera
ton will witness a wonderful
diminution of the divorce evil ::
for marriage will probably be re-
placed by free love, and the ethics
of the barnyard will take the
place Of even the low moral code
of pagan nations.
For a Catholic, Christian, the
whole rotten business is SO filthy,
so abominablc, 50 soul-revoltlng.
that words scarcely can be found
sufficiently strong to stigmatizc
the originators and the propaga-
tors Of such fcndish doctrines. 1t
may well be that the authors Of
such vile teachings for children
are actuatcd by worthy motives,
but they are motives founded in
downright paganism, and based
upon the ethics Of the stock
breeder who seeks a better grade
in his animal progeny. Christian
principless are scattered to the
winds Of heaven, and the inno-
cent mind of the child is treated
on a parallel with the improve
ment Of blooded stock.
i Catholic parents should be OH
their guard and should endcavor,
as far as possible. to remove from
their boys and girls any such So
called "literature" that teaches
all the secrets Of sex and that dis
plays these mysteries of genera
ton in prurient terms and morbid
picture. Catholics have a far
more potent remedy against the
evil Of sexuality, and it consists
in the teachings of the Church
and the sacrament Of confession.
Here the youthful mind is taught
to reverence the body; to avoid
sin because it offends God, not
because it may cause disease; to
respect the body Of another, be-
cause it is a sin to do otherwise,
not for fear Of contagion; in a
word, to shun everything that
may tend in the least way to
tafnish the purity of the soul
+, through the channel Of the body.
a prelate once said: Il fear