The entire subject is of tremendous moment and worthy of the careful study, thought, and judgment of parents and scientists for the formulation of a future policy which can adequately cope with this great problem. In a report of the Special Committee of the American Federation for Sex Hygiene on the matter and methods of sex-education this recommendation is made: “Your committee would emphasize the necessity of good judgment and tact in introducing sex-instruction into schools. It should not be introduced prematurely, but only so fast as teachers can be found or trained who are competent to give it, and so fast as public sentiment will support it. On the other hand, undue weight must not be given to the difficulties attending such instruction even under present conditions, inasmuch as even occasional mistakes will do far less harm than allowing children to continue to gain this knowledge, as many of them now do, from impure sources--receiving a pernicious first impression which induces in them an attitude of mind toward the subject that makes it extremely difficult later to give them the best instruction. In not a few such cases subsequent sound teaching is practically fruitless.” CHAPTER XVI AN OUTLINE OF SEX-INSTRUCTION The limitations of this chapter will prevent more than a mere outline of the periods in a child’s life when sex-information should be imparted and the character of it. Familiarity with the boy’s psychology given in Chapters III and IV will be of value in its application. From birth until the child is six years old--the prescholastic age--he is at home under the care and guidance of his mother, excluding the kindergarten which is attended by a small proportion of children. During this period the mother’s chief concern should be the hygienic care of the child’s body and the prevention of danger which may come from an injudicious or immoral nurse. The only sex-instruction should be a simple answer to his question as to the origin of human life--usually prompted by the birth of a baby whom he has seen or of whom he has heard. This may be done by the statement that God sent it in a human basket and the doctor delivered it, or other phraseology which carries the same import and will satisfy his curiosity for the time being until another inquiry is made. It is desirable to remember that the child up to approximately ten years of age will continue these interrogatories to his mother from time to time and that whenever he ceases to make such inquiries it is evidence that he believes he has obtained full information on the subject either from parental or from outside sources.