'YOUTH AND THE RACE'

Evening Star, Issue 18332, 20 July 1923, Page 8

'YOUTH AND THE RACE'

WORTHY PARENTHOOD.

A DIFFICULT PROBLEM ATTACKED.

Tho publication of ‘ Youth and tho Race,’ being an inquiry into the development and education of young citizens for worthy parenthood, is (says “H.A.C.” in the Sydney ‘ Daily Telegraph ’) indicative of the attempts now being made in Britain to grapple with tho problem of human sex, in its social as well as personal relations. The publication represents tho fourth report of, and the chief evidence taken by, the National Birth Rate Commission, 1920-1923. Tho report remains as a tribute to the absolute fearlessness, as well as the undeviating industry, of tho many distinguished authorities who formed tho Commission. Inspired with a sense of tho imperative necessity of such an investigation, while at the same time recognising tile almost insuperable barriers with which they were faced, the members of the Commission sought to reconcile the selfishness of essential sex with tho moral and ethical imperatives of society. The Commission set itself to face five problems: (1) Should sex instruction be given to young _ people ‘1 (2) At what age should it begin ’! (3) What should be tho content and nature of the instruction ? (4) What methods should be adopted ? (5) What would bo tho most useful and practicable agency to employ. The personnel included tho Bishop of Birmingham (president), Sir James Merchant (general secretary), tho Bishop of Pelershorough, Dr Mary Scharlieb, Rev. Principal Garvio, Rev. F. B. Meyer, General Baden-Poweli, Professor Sim Woodhead, Sir H. Rider Haggard, Principal Sclbie, Rabbi Hermann Gollancz, .Monsignor Provost IV. F. Brown, Doctors Amand Routh, Bond, Saleeby, and other recognised social and religious leaders. Another committee consultation for Scotland was further appointed. The various methods of educating youth of both sexes in sex hygiene before school as well as in earlier formative years were dealt with. Tho factors affecting tho growth as well as those retarding normal bodily and mental development of the adolescent, and the extent to which worthy ideals of citizenship and parenthood can and should be Inculcated by education in tho widest sense, were considered, The Commission further studied various sociological and industrial factors in so far as they affected normal sex development, and included in its scopa housing problems and questions of population and migration. Under another section the value of religious instruction and tho most effective methods of imparting .1 were treated, and the Commission also dealt with tho serious problem of sex pathology and disease. Tho witnesses were drawn from practically every department of social, educational, religions, and reformative institutions.

With one exception, tho Commission found that definite sex education should lie undertaken among the children of Britain, in precisely similar fashion as any oilier recognised form of didatic instruction is imparted. Tho Commission in its report stated that it was convinced by the evidence heard that “ however difficult and delicate the task may be, it is one that cannot, with ibie regard to moral safety and welfare of youth, be shirked, but should be undertaken, and should therefore bo foundered, not as an irksome duly, but as a privilege.” It. agreed (bat this sex instruction should not, necessarily bo delayed until the approach of puberty. Dr Solbie, in his cvi-deii.-e, argued that no good ground could ho urged for postponing instruction after tee child had reached ten years of age. It was recommended that the ‘‘old legends should not be repeated, and the child must he made io feel that he had asked a question that should bo answered.”

The Commission admitted its inability to lay down a definite period at which sex education should begin, since it was impossible to legislate for different conditions of environment, temperament, etc. ; bonce it submitted that “ instruction should be given whenever curiosity in regard 1 to these matters appears, or when there is any indication of bad habits being formed.” The Commission opposed any suggestion that sex education should be. forced upon a. youth before his own mental and! moral constitution was prepared to receive, it. A “reticent policy” was generally agreed upon. It was felt that it would bo a “mistake to isolate eex instruction from moral education generally, for thereby an undue emphasis would 1 he given to it.” Further, the clangor in an excessive emo-tionally-presented instruction was also noted, the Commission suggesting that “ too fervent appeals may bo injurious, as associating the subject with an emotional disturbance.”

There was general agreement that the preparatory instruction as regards the facta of life, hirlh, and growth generally in the biological lesson might he given to a class. It was suggested by Mr Tansley, of Cambridge. that it would bo possible to educate growing children along the necessary lines by the dissection of frogs. Ho stated (bat bo bad successfully fa.ugbt children !be elements of sex before they were twelve years, by carefully and without “emotional weighting” fracing the life history of the frog. The Commission recommended' a submitted school curriculum along (be following lines;—Fimt year, plant li'e, fertilisation reproduction ; second year, animal life, environment, and habits ; third year, young organisms, vegetable and

animal functions, etc; fourth and fifth j years, human body and its functions. I)nr- j ing the last ven.r a. course should he in- j eluded rivaling with special lessons on parenthood. I The obligation for sex education', the j Commission suggested, must always rest I primarily upon the parents. It lamented (he fact, however, that “many parents fail or are not competent to give that instruction ” ; hence it was recommended that “ maternity and child welfare centres afford valuable opportunities, of which more ad- I vantage should he taken for right education in sex and in parenthood.’’ It also suggests that the Church had proved l remiss in the past, and was “convinced that much more should bn done, through the agencies of the Church, to raise the .standard of marriage and parenthood.” INDUISTFTAL DIFFICULTIES. “ Industrialism and urbanisation ” have tended to.rob life of its inherent sanctity. “Industrialism demands the young person ns a. 'hand’ just when his powers are beginning to unfold. Except for the very lew ami fortunate, whose numbers arc now markedly declining, puberty usually means (lie end of any education undertaken by the State. The child is thrown into the maelstrom of factory Ijfc, not only without protection or experience or sound advice, but witli money to spend and the city to suggest all manner of unwise ways in which to spend it. The marvel is that so few comparatively make shipwreck of their lives under these conditions.” The. Commission further recommended that more attention should be paid l to fond, and that “young people should he fed according to the canons of modern dietetics,” It also recommended that a more systematic method of planning and controlling public parks arid reservations should bo' adopted, and further suggested that the sale of spirits to young people under the age of twenty-one should be prohibited. Throughout its prolonged sittings the. Commission investigated every possible ascertainable cause for immorality or moral declension. Its considered opinion is that the push of life, without which any person is abnormal and non-human, need not necessarily lie treated ns man’s worst enemy. To x’ob life of the sex impulse would be to rob life of its very content. The only effective way to deal with the increasingly difficult problems of human relationships is to endeavor to lift life itself on to a higher plane, and to early encourage the youths of the land to accept themselves and their inherited' powers in the mostjjnatmal fashion*