Civics and HealthAllen, William H. (WIlliam Harvey)
Science
Civics and Health
Allen, William H. (WIlliam Harvey)
Hygiene; Public health
8. What special difficulties do you find in teaching it?
9. What special need of teaching it have you found?
10. What special benefits (or otherwise) have you noticed from
teaching it?
11. What criticisms (favorable or otherwise) do you encounter?
The difficulty of introducing formal instruction in sex hygiene, even
in the upper grades of public and private schools, is hinted at in the
pamphlet. The purpose of the publishing society as given in its
constitution is "to eliminate the spread of diseases which have their
origin in the social evil." Although sex hygiene does not begin with
sex immorality, almost every text-book on sex hygiene, and almost every
pamphlet urging class instruction in sex hygiene, begins with sex
immorality. Yet only the exceptional school child is in danger of
violating sex morals, while every school child needs instruction in sex
hygiene.
Instruction in sex hygiene, whether at school or at home, should deal
with sex normality, sex health, sex temperance. Instruction in sex
immorality is objectionable, not merely because it offends prudists,
not because it is difficult, but because it can be shown by experience
to be less efficacious than training in sex health.
To expect fear to prompt sex hygiene is to make a mistake that has
retarded the development of sound measures in the treatment of
offenders against criminal law. For centuries man failed in attempts to
fit the punishment to the crime. To deter men from committing crime by
holding up a threat of prolonged and dreadful punishment has been found
futile. Individuals take the risk because they think they will escape
detection. It is an axiom of criminal procedure that a would-be
offender is deterred by the certainty, not by the severity, of
punishment. The modern theory of probation is, that children and adults
may be best led away from evil practices by crowding out old influences
with newer and stronger interests. Occupations that are wholesome are
made to rival diversions or occupations that are harmful and criminal.
[Illustration: OBJECT LESSONS FOR INSTRUCTION IN SEX HEALTH
Note the uncomfortable, unhealthy overdressing]
Abnormal conditions of mind and body in regard to sex can almost always
be traced to general physical ill health or to an unhealthy moral
environment. Cure and prevention require two kinds of treatment within
reach of parents and teachers: (1) build up the child's physical
condition; and (2) give him other interests. Proper physical care, and
work adjusted to body and mind, may be relied upon to do infinitely
more to promote sex hygiene than instruction, either at home or at
school, in immoral sex diseases. That sex morality is weak and
untrustworthy which is based upon fear of sex diseases. Like alcoholism
and nicotinism, the saddest results of sex diseases are social and
economic. The strongest reasons against such diseases are economic and
social, not physiological.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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