[Sidenote: School Nurse Instructs] Miss Morris, a fourth grade teacher, called together the mothers of her pupils and asked a trained nurse who lived in the village to address them on sex hygiene. After the talk, Miss Morris said: “The subject just discussed is a most important one. I shall be very glad, indeed, to make reports to any mothers whose children, in my judgment, need attention relative to this subject, if it is the wish of the mothers here present for me to do so.” A vote was taken and the mothers thus expressed their desire to have such help as the teacher could render. Thereafter she felt perfectly free to go to them whenever it seemed necessary to discuss this great subject, so pertinent to a child’s welfare. CASE 153 (FOURTH GRADE) Miss Vane saw a note fall upon Mary Pratt’s desk. She said, “Mary, bring that note to me.” The child, she knew had not yet read the note. Greatly embarrassed, Mary looked questioningly at Clyde Mitchel before starting toward Miss Vane. [Sidenote: Improper Notes] Contrary to the courtesy which teachers admonish pupils to show, Miss Vane stood up, opened the note and perused it in the presence of the school. While she was looking at the note, Clyde Mitchel buried his scarlet face in his book. “You wrote this note, didn’t you, Clyde?” asked Miss Vane. Clyde only nodded “Yes,” and burrowed even deeper into his book. “This is a shameful note,” said Miss Vane. “It contains words that no child should ever write or speak. You may stay after school, Clyde.” The boys waited at the second corner from the school house for Clyde after school. In about ten minutes Clyde came running toward them. “What did she do, Clyde?” they asked. “Aw, nothing; she just preached a little and gave me a few licks that wouldn’t hurt a baby.” “What was in the note, anyway?” He told them exactly what was in the note, and a loud “Hurray!” went up from the group of listeners. The subject of conversation among these boys as they went on down the street was as full of unclean words and suggestions as the worst boys in the group could think up. CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT If you can not deal with sex subjects privately, with pupils in the lower grades, do not deal with them at all. Miss Vane made a mistake in reading or referring to the note in the presence of others. In her efforts to suppress such foul communications she occasioned a talk upon the unnamable topics by all of her own room and many in other rooms as well. COMMENTS Public punishment of culprits who offend by talking or writing on sex subjects only occasions more such talk. It is like trying to quench fire by brandishing a fire-brand which emits live sparks in every direction, each one of which starts a conflagration. ILLUSTRATION (THIRD GRADE) [Sidenote: Avoid Spreading Harm]