Sex-education Part 11

Mental masturbation or "day dreaming" concerning s.e.xual functions is probably more harmful than mechanical manipulation. It is believed to be more common in young women than in men. However, there is little reliable evidence as to the prevalence of the habit. As an educational problem, there is nothing to be done beyond informing all adolescent young people that allowing their minds to dwell on s.e.xual affairs may interfere with nervous health, scholarship, and future efficiency in life. Hard mental and physical work and strenuous play as a daily routine will avoid or solve most such difficulties of young people.

[Sidenote: Not hopeless.]

In all dealing with this problem of young people, we must beware of overemphasis or exaggeration. Parents and teachers should do all possible to prevent and cure the habit; but there is still hope for most young people who, in spite of warning, occasionally lapse into their old habits. Both men and women of this type have led their cla.s.ses through college and won success afterwards. Probably they would have done still better if entirely free from the habit. On the other hand, men and women of neurotic inheritance combined with the habit have suffered nervous collapse during college years; and it is scientific to a.s.sume that the additional nervous strain produced by masturbation was a contributing factor. Evidently, we dare make no definite prophecy as to what will happen to one who in early life forms the habit of masturbation. There is no excuse for excessive alarm in any ordinary case; but, as we have seen, there are good reasons why parents and teachers should calmly and yet firmly help young people avoid unnatural s.e.xual activity.

To those who must consider the problem of masturbation in boarding schools, I recommend Hime's "Schoolboys' Special Immorality."

FOOTNOTES:

[13] See books on nature-study, _e.g._, Holtz's "Nature-Study,"

Hodge's "Nature-Study and Life," Comstock's "Handbook of Nature-Study." Morley's "Renewal of Life," March's "Towards Racial Health," and Hall's "The Doctor's Daughter" suggest the main lines of the nature-study approach to s.e.x-education.

VII

s.e.x-INSTRUCTION FOR EARLY ADOLESCENT YEARS

-- 27. _The Biological Foundations_

In discussing instruction for the pre-adolescent years I have stressed biological nature-study as important for the purpose of giving general knowledge of how new living things come into the world. This will develop a good att.i.tude concerning the origin of the individual human life. In this lecture I wish to direct attention to the scientific facts which are foundations for the s.e.xual knowledge that is important for other phases of s.e.x-instruction during early or late adolescence.

[Sidenote: Biological foundations.]

I believe that the best introduction to advanced s.e.x-instruction is through biological ideas which may be presented in popular lectures and books; but, of course, will be best taught in courses of biological science. My own view as to the selection of materials for such biological studies is expressed in the sections on reproduction connected with the account of each animal or plant type in the "Applied Biology" and in the last chapter of the "Introduction to Biology."[14]

In these books the study of life-histories of plants and animals leads up through vertebrates to mammals, and there are a few remarks suggesting that human development is like the mammals.[15] At this point these books should be supplemented by a brief survey of the essential structure, physiology, and embryology of human reproduction.

[Sidenote: Mixed cla.s.ses.]

Biological studies of human reproduction should not be coeducational in high schools or the early years of college. Mature college students who have pa.s.sed through extensive biological studies, may, without apparent embarra.s.sment, study human embryology in mixed cla.s.ses; but after experience with many such groups I have begun to think that separate cla.s.ses are desirable if the course is made to include all the important facts that college graduates should know concerning human reproduction. At any rate, there should be special lessons or reading dealing with detailed information that directly concerns one s.e.x only.

[Sidenote: Impersonal approach of biology.]

I certainly do not believe in completely revamping biological science for the purposes of s.e.x-education. It is better not to "spoil" a course by overemphasis on s.e.x, for much of the value of biology as a basis for s.e.x-education is the fact that s.e.x appears gradually and naturally and far away from human relations. This impersonal approach will be lost if the course in biology seems to revolve around s.e.x-education, for that will make s.e.x too prominent.

It is still debatable as to how much should be taught in high schools or in public lectures concerning the biological facts of human reproduction. I think that I can make my own views clearer if I discuss this first for boys, then for girls.

-- 28. _Scientific Facts for Boys_

First, it is generally agreed that boys of high-school age may profit by learning their own s.e.xual structure by means of diagrams such as the one in Hall's "s.e.xual Hygiene." There is no harm, and also no gain, in minute description, especially histological.

[Sidenote: Scientific names.]

The chief technical names of the parts of the male organs--t.e.s.t.i.c.l.e (spermary or testes), sperm duct (vas deferens), s.c.r.o.t.u.m, prostate, seminal vesicles, p.e.n.i.s, glans, prepuce (foreskin), urethra--should be taught; and the scientific dignity of these words as subst.i.tutes for vulgar words should be emphasized. In dealing with boys and young men I have noticed that these and other scientific words have a great influence on their att.i.tude. The scientific names of the s.e.x organs should be made part of popular vocabulary for the reason that there are no established common names corresponding to lungs, liver, stomach, arm, leg, brain, and so on for all prominent organs except the s.e.xual.

These have been left without authoritative names except in scientific language, and as a result dozens of ordinary words have been vulgarly applied and unprintable ones invented by uneducated people. Such usage of vulgar terminology is widespread, especially among men and boys. An editor of schoolbooks recently called my attention to the necessity of changing some ordinary words in certain books because in some localities the boys applied the words to s.e.xual organs. Even the little words "nuts," "stones," "b.a.l.l.s" accompanied by the adjective "two" mean t.e.s.t.i.c.l.es in the widespread vulgar language; and a physician told me that a college graduate used one of these words the other day when seeking medical advice concerning her baby. Here is an intolerable situation that must be improved by establishing in popular usage the dignified scientific words for the chief s.e.xual organs. We must begin to do so by teaching the words frankly to boys of adolescent years, and by persuading parents to teach their children correctly.

[Sidenote: s.e.x-physiology.]

Having learned the structure and names of their s.e.xual organs, boys may easily understand the function of each part if explained in simple language. Ten or twenty minutes ought to be enough time for stating the important facts. One printed page could state them clearly. Here is the time for personal hygienic advice, especially such topics as: rules for self-control; harmful habits (see discussion of masturbation in -- 26); s.e.xual activity not necessary for health; occasional nocturnal emissions not pathological.[16]

[Sidenote: Female organs.]

I believe it is well for boys of adolescent years to know a few leading facts regarding female structure and function, but such knowledge is best learned from oral description by a well-balanced teacher. Diagrams and (in some schools) a demonstrated dissection of a cat or other animal will be helpful. The meaning of the ovaries as sources of the egg-cells and of the uterus as the place for development of the fertilized egg-cell should be explained in a serious way that will help boys get some fundamental ideas as to what motherhood means Boys, moreover, should be informed concerning the existence of the periodic disturbance in the other s.e.x, for unless they know they are sure at times to misunderstand their sisters and other girls. Professor W.S.

Hall has stated the essential information in "Chums" (for boys twelve to sixteen), but his comparison of periodicity in the two s.e.xes is not strictly accurate, for there are not in men any s.e.xual cycles that are strictly comparable with the menstrual cycles of women.

[Sidenote: No pictures.]

It is probably best, as urged by several writers, that the life-like ill.u.s.trations, some of them photographic, in books of human anatomy be kept away from boys of early adolescent age. Diagrams can be made to explain all that is necessary, and without the danger of stimulation that might come from the ill.u.s.trated medical books.

[Sidenote: Embryology.]

The embryological facts of human biology are very impressive to boys and young men who know little of science. I believe that no other line of scientific facts is so likely to claim a serious and respectful att.i.tude. The ideal way for giving a popular glimpse at human development is with a small series of lantern slides or photographs from embryological works. Unfortunately, there is no available popular treatment of the main facts of human development, but teachers trained in biology can easily glean the facts for the preparation of a short lecture.

[Sidenote: Social diseases.]

Since the venereal diseases are due to micro-organisms, I believe that they should be introduced in connection with the study of bacteria and other germs, either in school courses or in popular lectures. Such instruction should be very brief.

-- 29. _Scientific Facts for Girls_

[Sidenote: Girls more innocent.]

I discussed first the problem of selecting scientific facts for boys because there is little dispute as to the advisability of giving them as much scientific information as may possibly replace the vulgar knowledge that the average boy is likely to possess. I know that there are a few men and many women who will disagree with this because they believe in the absolute ignorance of their boys; but I doubt whether one healthy adolescent boy in a hundred belongs in the "innocent"

cla.s.s. So we need not worry much concerning any supposed danger of treating facts too frankly, provided that they are given a dignified, scientific setting. In the case of numerous adolescent girls there is certainly dense ignorance, and so there must be more difficulty in getting approval of parents and teachers concerning facts proposed for girls. Often when talking with groups of parents I have heard them say that they would like to have their boys learn the scientific truth regarding certain facts, but they feel that it would be too startling and unnecessary for their daughters. Such is the widespread feeling which must be seriously considered in all planning of advanced s.e.x-instruction for girls. No doubt there will be much honest disagreement with the suggestions here offered.

The biological introduction based on plants and animals should be the same as for boys (-- 27).

[Sidenote: Structure and names.]

An adolescent girl of fourteen to sixteen should know the general plan of her own s.e.xual structure. She should know the scientific names of her organs, not because there are many vulgar names as in the case of boys, but because dignified names help att.i.tude. Ovaries, uterus (womb), v.a.g.i.n.a, Fallopian tubes, and v.u.l.v.a will be sufficient. Detailed description of the external organs (v.u.l.v.a) might arouse curiosity that leads to exploration and irritation, and hence many women physicians think that a girl under sixteen or possibly eighteen needs only the name v.u.l.v.a for the external parts surrounding the entrance to the v.a.g.i.n.a.

[Sidenote: An ancient belief.]

Some books for girls perpetuate the ancient but absurd emphasis on the virginal significance of the hymen; and a recent book from a prominent publisher goes so far as to try to frighten girls into remaining chaste by stating that a physician could discover if they have been unchaste.

This is far from being always true, for the structure may be congenitally absent, may sometimes remain after s.e.xual union, or may be accidentally destroyed in childhood; and reliable physicians have stated that proving unchast.i.ty by the hymen is by no means easy. Hence, the less said about the ancient belief, the better for young women. The truth is that the hymen is a worse-than-useless relic of embryological development, and it is neither an indicator nor a dictator of morality.

[Sidenote: Physiology of women.]

With regard to the physiology of the female organs, the following topics should be considered: The meaning of p.u.b.erty as the beginning of a long fertile period of about thirty years; the nature of menstruation as a periodical process preparing the lining of the uterus for reception and attachment of an embryo if a sperm-cell meets a liberated egg-cell near an ovary, and not as a season of illness invented by the powers of darkness; the possibility of fertilization following s.e.xual relations at any time during the fertile life of a woman; the essential facts of s.e.xual relation as a method of depositing sperm-cells so that they can swim on the way to meet an egg-cell; and the nature of the close blood relationship of mother and embryo. These are physiological topics which many parents would like to have taught to their daughters of fourteen to eighteen by some careful woman or by some good book.

[Sidenote: Social ills.]

With regard to the social diseases and the social evil, I have long sympathized with the conservatives who hold that extremely limited knowledge is sufficient for the average girl under eighteen or twenty.

No doubt that many working girls in cities need more protective knowledge than do school girls of the same age. Hall's "Life Problems"

seems to me to give the important facts.