Evening star., 1939-12-16
Trade Board School
Committee Hears Plea
For Sex Education
Everett Argues for Plan;
Relief in Nonresident
Pupil Burden Backed

Inclusion of sex education in the
school curriculum will greatly lessen
the present great danger to So
ciety" of venereal diseases, Ray H.
Everett, executive secretary of the
District of Columbia Social Hygiene
Society, yesterday told the Public
Schools Committee of the Washing
ton Board of Trade.
These sexual Diseases" he de-
clared, whose occurrence is high
est in the 10 to % age group, and
which are the only diseases that
can be handed down directly from
parent to child, are not even touched
upon in the school because of the
taboo against sex education"
Mr.. Everett said he saw no reason
for their avoidance by teachers
when they study all other diseases,
such as tuberculosis, diphtheria and
smallpox
Death Toll High.
Syphilis and gonorrhea," he con-
tinued, take higher toll of life
and are more prevalent than other
diseases, and yet can't be studied
because they are sexual diseases"
Why does the school, in dealing
with the growth and life of plants
and animals, stop there? he asked.
Isn't human life so much more i'm
portant? he demanded.
The right kind of wholesome sex
education will go far in cutting
down the toll of life due to sexual
disease, he asserted, and also will
greatly reduce morbid curiosity
among the children.
If we think of sex as denoting
most of the lovely things in life"
Mr.. Everett said. such as the home,
family and children, then by all
means we should have sex educa-
ton in the schools"
Although admitting that the home
plays a great part in this form of
education, he insisted that until
the time comes when the home can
do a 100 per cent job 'it's up to the
school anG. to a lesser degree, the
church to foster such a study"
Sees Mental Attitude Faulty.
Many parents are not mentally
equipped, that is, do not take the
right mental attitude toward teach
ing sex to their children. he ex-
planned. He confessed that he him.
self had been embarrassed when he
taught sex facts to his children.
Primarily, he continued, sex prob
lens are no different to children
than any other problems and must
be solved or explained to them so
that they may have an adequate
understanding of them.
After sharp discussion the COM
mittee approved report by A. J.
Barrett on nonresident children in
District schools, asking that nom
resident pupils here either be barred
from attending local schools or
tina, they pay tuition.
Mr.. Barrett charged that there
are at present 2,408 nonresident
white students in Washington
schools, whose education costs Dis
trict taxpayers $3.50 1861 annually,
and 1886 nonresident colored pupils,
whose annual cost to the District
is $33, ,264.07, making a total cost of
1858 ,46098.
See Deterrent In Nearby Areas.
In addition, he said, this prac-
tice of accepting nonresident pu-
pills into the District holds back
nearby Maryland and Virginia
counties from building their own
schools, because the people who live
there are able to send their chill
dren to school in Washington"
Other members, however, said
such recommendation might an
tagonize members of Congress liv-
ing in Washington, who would at
tempt to lower the annual Federal
payment to the District in retalia-
ton against any attempt to make
them pay tuition here for their
children.
The group also asked that the
budget for the local school system
should not be reviewed by the Budg-
ct Bureau, but solely by the District
Commissioners, since the latter have
more information concerning school
needs.