EDUCATION FOR MARRIAGE

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30213, 19 August 1963, Page 5

EDUCATION FOR MARRIAGE

Special Teacher Suggested (N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND. Aug. 18. Parents had a clear responsibility to discuss married life with teen-agers, Dr Henry Bowman, professor of sociology at the University of Texas, said on Saturday. He was speaking at the week-end conference arranged by the Adult Education Centre in association with the National Marriage Guidance Council on education for marriage. Young people from 12 to 15 must be educated to realise their future roles in the community and their duties as husband and wife, he said. "We are not talking about sex education,” he said. “We are talking about a way of life—not the facts of life. I have great reservations about sex education. Sex is not the most important element in married life and instruction is taking it out of its context.” He said that education for marriage could not guarantee everybody a happy marriage, but it could help. The first step should be to get a teacher with maturity, wisdom, discretion, emotional balance, interest and courage and a reasonable academic background.” The personality was paramount, he said. Guidance background could be given afterwards. The job would be full-time and not a teacher’s part-time interest. This person could later find a person with similar qualifications.