The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-02-13
A SANE SEX TALKER

admit that some of the purity books
are of real worth and are capable of
doing good, but many of them are an
abomination both from the standpoint
of literature and morals. A father or
mother should use extreme caution in
given in such volumes.
1 hope I have sufficiently cleared the
ground for what have to say about DR..
Barker and his manner and method. In
the first place he Is not a wandering
star hitched onto a subject which al
ways creates interest among certain
people; but he is certified to by an or
ganization which has an international
sponsoring anything or anybody with
out a most rigid examination. THIS is
a great protection to the public, for
few have the time or the fitness to ex-
anime the credentials of every man who
sets himself up as reformer.
DIR. Barker not only knows his sub
ject but he likes to talk about both in
public and in private. He must be an
iron man IL he keeps up the talking
gait which he had while here on
Wednesday. He spoke at the Ensley
High school in the morning; before Re
tary at noon, to the women at the
Southern club in the afternoon. and to
the Mems club of tho Southside
Baptist church in the evening. And.
believe me. he is no -four minute
speaker" but If a minister he would be
set down as one OF the old school which
detest the modern sermonettes.
But DR.. Barker is a man Of truth and
courage. He isn't one Of the public
speakers who take advantage of his
audience by holding out the flattering
hope that he will not speak long. When
introduced to the Rotary club he said:
II am going to speak full hour, and
II any Of you wish to leave. feel free to
do so, but kindly edge toward the door
so that you can get out with as little
noise and confusion as possible" / for
got to include nerve as one of his as
sets, for it takes lot OF 1t to try and
hold bunch of busy Rotarians at tho
noon hour.
A summary of his talk was printed
in The Age-Herald. All that I wish
to say for DR.. Barker ~ that Of ali the
talks have heard on the sex relations.
his was the most Straightforward and
sane of any of them. He did not retail
a lot Of questionable things to get a
laugh. but went into the heart Of his
subject without in the least palliatinR
any Of the infringements of the moral
code. and yet without at any time be-
coming coarse. I think every man
present felt that he was deadly in ear
nest and talking sane and safely in his
message to them and in his advice as
to what they should tell their boys.
He gripped his crowd. for I do not
think that out Of more than 200 men
he lost more than half dozen, and
they were men who had sngagementa
and yet he spoke one hour and ten min
utss, not In conversational tone but
with experience a. = speaker, I could
see that he was not sparing himself.
but giving out the very best that he
had in him, although conscious that he
was making = big call on his nervous
vitality. He proved the fact that ! gen
uine man with q vital message can hold
busy men, but that trifler cannot.
He asked President Woodan TO at-
tend the lecture to the women. as he
did me. ~ he was eager to have soma
men present to show that there was
nothing In his talk which could not be
given to both men and women. I wa
sorry that ! had : previous engage-
mont, for am sure that while he spoke
plainly. that he spoke with = delicacy
OF feeling which made II impossible to
give offense even to the most refined
and cultured ladies in his audience. His
coming was blessing to Birmingham.
only wish more could have heard him.
The Aarquesas Islands. in the south
Pacific. are haven for the idoaent It
is said that 40 win take one there
400.