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"The Morality of Sex," 1913
consciousness. Instruction can succeed in the end only as every one --
and especially parents, teachers, and religious leaders -- becomes
awake to its necessity and significance.
It is generally agreed that mothers should be induced to discuss
with their daughters questions of sex hygiene and sex relations, the
responsibilities of motherhood, and the value of home life. Many
mothers, however, believe that their daughters know nothing about
such subjects and prefer that it should be so; others are frankly afraid
to treat the matter; others feel that they have no vocabulary for the
explanation. To meet these two latter situations certain settlements
have organized talks before the women's clubs, and in a few instances
have collected a small library, the books of which are loaned to
mothers. Though the task of inducing mothers to give such instruction
is beset with difficulty, it is indicative of the distinctively settlement
method of meeting responsibility by helping its proper bearer to carry
it; a course which is, under present conditions, infinitely harder though
in the end much more rewarding than the opposite one of imparting
instruction directly. It is interesting and significant that in one city the
school authorities maintain classes to teach mothers how to instruct
their adolescent children.
Where the mothers cannot be induced to give the necessary
instruction, most settlements set about securing the parents'
permission to present the matter to their daughters. This is done
through explanations before the women's clubs, and by calling on
individual mothers and explaining clearly and frankly the dangers of
ignorance. There is always a proportion of women who are certain that
any instruction is unwise; but the majority are glad to be relieved of
responsibility by which they are more or less consciously worried.
The best opinion is in favor of individual instruction for adolescent
girls, though before adolescence instruction may well be given in
groups. Where the individual approach is not practicable, which is the
common condition, the group should be kept small; six being the
number most mentioned. As far as may be, the members of the class
should be a club group, of like age and experience. Wherever possible
the subject should be introduced incidentally. General discussion
should follow the talk, and future individual conferences should be
systematically encouraged. In a few instances books are lent after a
talk to girls who desire them. There are very exceptional instances in
which a measure of success is attained with large groups. In such a
case it should be deliberately planned to include not less than twenty-
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