The Social Emergency: Studies in Sex Hygiene and Morals
Science
The Social Emergency: Studies in Sex Hygiene and Morals
Sex instruction
While chiefly known to the public as a golfer, Holabird was catcher on
the school baseball team, half-back on the eleven, held the gold medal
for the inter-class track meet, and, in fact, excelled in all athletic
sports. As a scholar he always ranked high. He was devotion itself to
his parents, his brothers and sisters, respectful to his elders, a
leader among his associates, and beloved by all who knew him; tall in
stature and muscled like a Greek god, with clear-cut, delicate,
refined, and manly features.... With a rare combination of strength
and gentleness accompanied by a bearing and life well illustrating "He
was one of nature's noblemen."... A splendid athlete, with a life
without a spot or stain, he was a natural leader and a model for all
the fellows in the school. The younger boys followed and imitated
him.... He hated everything false or unclean or vulgar. To us all, men
and boys alike, it was an inspiration to know him.[47]
Our standards for boys and men have been too low. Charles Wagner says, in
writing of youth and love:--
Chastity has a host of enemies.... These enemies are quick to throw at
your head, as an unanswerable argument, "He who tries to play the
angel, plays the fool."
But he continues:--
Many play the fool who have never tried to play the angel. They have
not fallen into the mud because they tried to fly too high, but
because they began too low down.... A society which permits license in
youth, and counsels it, degrades love.... Sin against love at its
base,--in youth,--and the life of the whole nation is torn, and
suffers immeasurably.... The rule of conduct here is chastity Every
infraction is a sin. Though this law may seem difficult and severe, it
is the only safe one. Morality without it is but rubbish.[48]
A start has been made. During the last decade, we have declared that we
must no longer have two standards of purity, one for the man and another
for the woman. We recognize a difference between the nature of the man and
the nature of the woman; but as our goal and as our standard for practical
life, we have abandoned "the double standard." This is a great advance,
for our young people as a whole measure up fairly well to standards which
society as a whole sets for them. It is entirely within reason to expect a
large majority of our boys to reach full maturity and marriage with an
absolutely clean record, as far as personal and social purity are
concerned. In fact, we should be constantly working toward a time when the
personally impure boy and the socially impure young man will be
eliminated. Both the men and the women of our nation must demand this.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account