212 PAUL POPENOE 



sents to some extent mere personal preference; those which the Institute of 

 Family Relations is using just now for this purpose are the following: 



Exner, M. J.: The Sexual Side of Marriage. 



Galloway, T. W. : Love and Marriage. 



Groves, E. R.: Wholesome Marriage. 



Groves, E. R., and Groves, Gladys H. : Sex in Marriage. 



Johns, Jane: The Girls Men Marry. 



Jordan, W. G. : Little Problems of Married Life. 



Parker, Cornelia S.: An American Idyll. 



Popenoe, Paul: Modern Marriage: A Handbook. 



Popenoe, Paul: Problems of Human Reproduction. 



Sanger, Margaret: Happiness in Marriage. 



Wright, Helena : The Sex Factor in Marriage. 



Probably no one person reads all of these books, but each is urged to read 

 as many of them as time permits, in order to get the benefit of different ap- 

 proaches to the central subject. He is then sent to a medical consultant 

 for physical examination. The physician also gives contraceptive informa- 

 tion to those who desire it. Under the organization of the Institute, instruc- 

 tion on this subject is considered to be a function of the medical profession, 

 and this division of labor has proved satisfactory. 



The opportunity to get any general questions answered is afforded by the 

 physician, in whose own office the examination takes place. This means a 

 great saving of time for the medical consultants, and provides much better 

 work, since in their own offices they have every facility, including proper 

 help. The client then returns to the office of the Institute, and any questions 

 remaining in his mind can be cleared up. To avoid all possible misunder- 

 standing, he is finally given a mimeographed pamphlet which deals with all 

 the causes of sexual adjustment that have been found in our experience to 

 be common or serious, in as specific a way as our knowledge of the English 

 language permits. 



These consultations give the staff a chance to emphasize the three factors 

 that we have found present in every unhappy marriage (sexual maladjust- 

 ment, bad home-making, and failure to use leisure time constructively) 

 and to see that the young people have information on them. Opportunity 

 is also taken to warn against the danger of postponing child-bearing too 

 long. Finally, the findings of the study of personal and family history and 

 physical examination are reviewed, in order that any points which might 

 affect the future happiness of the couple, or their children, may be given 

 due weight. 



The premarital conference represents the most constructive, preventive 

 work of the Institute's Department of Personal Service, and therefore the 



