Evening star., 1943-05-01


HoW little chickie matches;
HoW pigs arrive and 0roW to
hogs;
Ho,o fishes spnwn In patches:
These lessons, pure and unde-
filed,
The pupils learn each morn,
But Uoe betide the maynard child
Who asks. Hon tpas born?"
BY RAY HI. EVERETT,
Executive Secretary, ID. C. Social Hysiene
Society.
That great humanitarian and
educator, Charles w. Eliot, president
OF Harvard for 50 many years, was
among the pioneers In the study and
promotion of sound teaching re-
garding sex. Having been privi-
legged to confer on social hygiene
education with him and such other
leaders In that field as Bigelow,
Exner, Galloway. Groves, and Anna
Garlin Spencer, today's summary
will be confined to points which
those outstanding teachers have
termed established. 1t will be
general statement of philosophy
rather than an attempt to define
detailed problems and methods.
Much of 1t outlines principles
enunciated by our present dean"
Of social hygiene teaching in the
United States, Doctor Maurice A.
Bigelow, director emeritus, School of
Practical Arts, Teachers College, Co.
lumbia University.
Let's consider, first. what social
hygiene education represents. 1t
stands for the protection, preserva-
ton, extension, improvement, and
development Of the monogamic FAM
lily, based on accepted ethical ideals.
1t seeks to aid individuals to control
and guide their sex lives for the
purpose of securing the greatest So
cial health and happiness. Success
full marriage and family life Is the
greatest good within our present
vision, for it aims at the fullest de-
velopment of the possibilities of
friendship and affection between
the sexes.
Social hygiene education or sex
education are not names for new
courses of study in schools or col
leges. They are simply convenient
headings for the educational ac-
tivities which contribute to the gen.
eral aim of social hygiene. The
terms are practically synonymous
if sex education is taken in its
largest sense.
Five Tasks Presented.
Social hygiene education is now
understood to include all educational
measures which may help human
beings of any age, especially in
childhood and youth, to meet the
problems or situations of life that
have their origin in human sex re-
lations and the sex instinct-prob-
lens that inevitably come in some
form into the experience of every
normal human being. These prob
lens extend over a vast range of
life's experiences from simple little
matters of personal sex health to
the exceedingly complicated phys
ical, mental and social relationships
that concern marriage and the
family.
There are five great tasks for this
type of education: Cd Developing
an minded, serious, scientific,
and respectful attitude toward all
problems of human life which relate
to sex; ca giving that knowledge
of personal sex hygiene which makes
for the healthful and efficient life of
the individual; 90 developing per-
sonal responsibility regarding the So
cial Gncluding ethicaD and eugenic
aspects Of sex as affecting the indi-
vidual life in its relation to other
individuals Of the present and fu-
ture generations-in short, the prob
lens Of sex instinct and actions in
relation to society; 90 developing
an appreciation and understanding
of family life; go teaching very
briefly, during adolescence, the es-
sential hygienic and social facts
regarding the destructive venereal
diseases, and dealing with them as
with other communicable diseases in
college hygiene and in lectures to
adults.
1t is recognized that sex education
must deal both with the construc-
tive and destructive aspects of sex.
On the constructive side this means
the promotion of wholesome, es-
thetic and scientific attitudes of
the individual towards sex in all
its normal relations to life; and of
healthy, happy marriage and parent
hood,
Conversely we attempt to prevent
or cure the common evil results of
uncontrolled or mismanaged sex
life, such as personal i'll health,
venereal disease, illegitimacy, pro-
mlscuity, sexual immortality, sexual
vulgarity, unsuccessful marriage and
uneugenic parenthood.
Old Policy Is Useless.
Since human beings are by nature
left to control or manage the sex
instinct solely by intelligent choice,
it is evident that the old policy,
based on silence, superstition, igno-
rance and mystery, is useless. The
only safe and sure road to the con-
troll needed for desirable social ends
is to be found In knowledge of the
reasons why control is best for the
individual and for society; and of
the ways and means for control of
sex conduct.
Sex education should help to-
wards intelligent choice by devel-
oping in young persons appreciation
and understanding of many con-