The Washington times., 1923-05-22
EDUCATION
ADVOCATED IN
SCHOOLS
Social Work Conference ]:
Told Teachers Must Act
Where Parents Fail.

The mooted question of whether
or not the adolescent should receive
systematic sex education was an
swered emphatically in the affirma-
tive by speakers before today 8
group meetings and general ses-
sions of the mi-Centennial meet
ing of the National Conference OF
Social Work.
Sex education of children is in,
dispensable for the building of char
acter, without which science and
technical development are or no
value to civilization, declared Dr.:
T. w. Galloway, of the American
Social Hygiene Association, Of New
York.
There are only two ways TO
better human conditions improN-
ing the character of individuals,
and developing sounders social in
stitutions and conventions" said
DIR. Galloway. aside from the
contribution eugenics can make,
these betterments depend upon ed
ucation.
Problem for Schools.
1.-THE schools should meet the
problem consciously, inspiringly,
scientifically, constructively. To do
so means not merely giving a few
of the pathological and anatomical
facts about sex, but fundamentally
to reorganiZe both the curriculum
and every aspect of school activity
so as to train scientifically and
satisfyingly in the art of human
a. oix iNyiV1o Vot
merely along the lines of inertia,
convention, and selfishness.
Sex education is essential to
necessary character education. 1t
is rather to insure that sex and re.
production make their greatest con-
tribution to bodily development,
mental and emotional health, per-
sonal happiness and adjustment,
home and family life, social spirit,
and racial improvement. At it's
best, sex and reproduction con-
tribute more to these ends than do
any other group of human func-
tions.
"Such sex-character education
must be done chiefly by the more
permanent social institutions; the
home, school, church, and agencies
of play and amusement. For vari-
among these. Schools of all grades
are inevitably giving sex education
to youth. The curriculum carries
subjects which cannot ignore sex
and be complete, such as physiology.
hygiene, nature study, biology, psy-
chology, the social studies, home
science, agriculture, literature, etc"
Says Parents Have Failed.
DR.. Florence H. Richards, medi-
cal director of the Philadelphia
Girls high school, declared high
school instruction in such matters
would eliminate knowledge gained
from impure sources"
while the home is the proper
agency for this duty" she said,
parents have failed to impart sex
knowledge, with grave results to
the children. Sex instruction
should be introduced in our schools
as fast as teachers are trained for
the work, and as fast as public
sentiment will support it,
This, the next to the last day
of an epochal gathering is being
given over to consideration of child
welfare
The outline of the program is as
follows:
MORNING GROUP MEETINGS.
mt. Vernon Place Methodist
Episcopal Church. Topic, General
Programs of Physical Health in
the Home"
2-American Red Cross assembly
hall. Topic. Provision for Physi-
cally Handicapped Children in the
Schools"
3-First Congregational Church.
Topic. School Programs for Men
tai Health"
anterior Building auditorium.
Topic, Special Provision in the
Schools for Those with Mental
Handicaps."
5-Washington Hotel. Topic, 1.-The
Relation of the School to Occupa-
tional Life"
6-National Museum Topic, so
cial Case Work AS Applied in the
Schools"
7-Corcoran Gallery of Art Topic,