SEX-EDUCATION 169* 



with reverence and as a great mystery as it 

 certainly is. 



It is with no unconsidered lightness that 

 we advise that an attempt should be made 

 to give children a frank, unashamed, and 

 reverent outlook on the essential facts con- 

 cerning the continuance of life. We do not 

 forget the solemn warning that it were better 

 for a man to be cast into the sea with a 

 millstone round his neck than that he should 

 cause an innocent child to offend. But the 

 child may be caused to offend by cowardly 

 reticence as well as by too great outspoken- 

 ness. There is a time to speak and a time ta 

 keep silence, and all sex-education must be 

 differentiated with reference to particular 

 cases. It may be agreed, however, that 

 whether the sex-instruction is direct or in- 

 direct, through hygiene or through nature- 

 study; whether it is given by the parent or 

 by the head of the school, by the science 

 teacher or by lending booklets care must be 

 taken not to anticipate interest, not to 

 excite, not to say what is untrue, not to teach 

 what will have to be unlearned afterwards, 

 not to make false mysteries (such as dusting 

 a stigma with a pollen-laden feather might 

 dispel), not to deal with the pathological, not 

 to frighten, not to pretend that men and 

 women are angels ; and, above all, not to say 

 too much. 



EDUCATION AND SEX. Let us again attack 

 as a common misunderstanding the idea that 

 the ordinary physical and intellectual life 

 and education is one thing, and sex-life and 

 education quite another. They interact ; and 



