SEX AND THE YOUNG.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 228, 23 September 1920, Page 7

SEX AND THE YOUNG.

SUGGESTED EDUCATION. A number of male teachers of the primary schools attended a meeting last night in the rooms of the Education Institute to meet Dr. E- H. Wilkina, chief school medical officer of the Dominion, who has been instructed by the Minister of Health to report on the matter of sex education in schools. Mr. N. H. S. Law, president of the Auckland branch of the Education Institute, presided. Dr. Wilkins said he wished to get an expression of opinion from the meeting as to whether or not it was advisable that instruction concerning sex matters should be given in the schools, and as to how, when, and by whom it should be given. The right people to instruct the child were, of course, the parents, but they did not do. so, and the question was how should it be -done? One suggestion made by Dr. Wilkins was that a pamphlet should be prepared for distribution to parents pointing out how essential it was that their children should receive sex knowledge in a proper manner from the proper persons. There was a good deal of discussion, and from the tenor of the remarks of those prosent it was quite obvious that they did not think teachers should give the instruction, and that they thought class teaching of such a subject would do more harm than good. On the motion of Mr. J. Armstrong, seconded by Mr, W. H. Newton, the meeting resolved: "That this meeting of teachers thoroughly approves of Dr. Wilkins' idea of issuing a pamphlet to parents dealing with sex education as an initial step towards introducing the matter to children." A further motion, moved by Mr. W. W. Hill, and seconded by Mr. A. J. C. Hall, was adopted, as follows: "That at present it would be inadvisable that teachers should be asked to give instruction in the schools on sex hygiene."