SEX-EDUCATION 163 



father speaks to him on the subject of sex. 

 There is, again, the serious fact of very early 

 emigration from home and home control. 

 It is plain, too, that those children who most 

 need definite instruction and warning, because 

 of hereditary predisposition to go wrong, are 

 least likely to get it. In ideal conditions, no 

 doubt, the sex-instruction should be given 

 at home ; but, as things are, it seems certain 

 that it must also be attempted in school. 

 We have referred in the Bibliography to some 

 books which may be useful to parents who 

 are able and willing to discharge for them- 

 selves the duty of instructing their children 

 in regard to the continuance of life and the 

 facts of sex. It goes without saying that, 

 without ever mentioning sex, many parents 

 do the best of services for their children by 

 garrisoning their minds with good examples 

 and ideals of self-control and healthy-minded- 

 ness, thus' preoccupying the heart " out of 

 which are the issues of life." 



INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOL. As things are at 

 present, it appears that the sex-education 

 will have to be given in school, and that it 

 should be linked on to such subjects as 

 nature study and biology, human physiology 

 and domestic science the linkage being left 

 to the teacher's discretion. As the gift of 

 speaking effectively about such a secret and 

 sacred thing as sex is probably rare, it must 

 be left an open question whether the instruc- 

 tion is to be given by the headmaster or head- 

 mistress, or by the class teacher, or by the 

 teacher of biology, or by the school physician, 

 or by the loan of books and pamphlets. 



