." This is indeed a strange situation, and we
might compare it with reading extensive works on insanity before
learning the elements of normal psychology. It is certainly a useless,
if not a dangerous line of approach to the information concerning sex
which intelligent people need. The leaders in the sex-education
movement will do well to promote the circulation of some brief and
authoritative statement of the chief facts relating to the problems of
abnormal sexual life and then to discourage the popular circulation of
the extensive works which only certain physicians and social reformers
need. I know that there is some difference of opinion as to the effect
of such literature. I know many prominent educators and physicians who
would keep the extensive works on the psychopathology of sex out of the
hands of all general readers; but I also know a few who see no
possibility of danger in widespread circulation of such books.

[Sidenote: Limited knowledge of the abnormal.]

Looking at all sides of the present situation, it is my personal
conclusion that every one should learn first the scientific facts
regarding normal processes connected with the sexual system; and then
for the general reader there should be only a limited amount of warning
knowledge regarding the dangers of sexual abnormalities.

VI

SEX-INSTRUCTION FOR PRE-ADOLESCENT YEARS

[Sidenote: Periods of early life.]

In Sec. 8 of the Report of the Committee of Three of the American
Federation for Sex-hygiene, by Morrow and others, the life of the child
was divided into four periods, namely,--under six years, from six to
twelve, twelve to sixteen, sixteen to maturity. This division now seems
to me to be too arbitrary, and I have come to believe that it is more
helpful to consider sex-instruction for three periods as follows:
pre-adolescence (ending at eleven to fourteen years); early adolescence
(twelve to sixteen years for girls, thirteen to seventeen for boys);
later adolescence (sixteen to twenty-one for girls, eighteen to
twenty-five for boys).

Sec. 25. _Elementary Instruction and Influence_

[Sidenote: Nature-study.]

The life-histories of plants and animals as taught in the best
nature-study[13] are important in forming attitude towards reproduction
and giving a basis for simple and truthful answers to the child's
questions as to the origin of the individual human life. The
publications listed in the last section of this book under the