no other line
of scientific facts is so likely to claim a serious and respectful
attitude. The ideal way for giving a popular glimpse at human
development is with a small series of lantern slides or photographs
from embryological works. Unfortunately, there is no available popular
treatment of the main facts of human development, but teachers trained
in biology can easily glean the facts for the preparation of a short
lecture.

[Sidenote: Social diseases.]

Since the venereal diseases are due to micro-organisms, I believe that
they should be introduced in connection with the study of bacteria and
other germs, either in school courses or in popular lectures. Such
instruction should be very brief.

Sec. 29. _Scientific Facts for Girls_

[Sidenote: Girls more innocent.]

I discussed first the problem of selecting scientific facts for boys
because there is little dispute as to the advisability of giving them
as much scientific information as may possibly replace the vulgar
knowledge that the average boy is likely to possess. I know that there
are a few men and many women who will disagree with this because they
believe in the absolute ignorance of their boys; but I doubt whether
one healthy adolescent boy in a hundred belongs in the "innocent"
class. So we need not worry much concerning any supposed danger of
treating facts too frankly, provided that they are given a dignified,
scientific setting. In the case of numerous adolescent girls there is
certainly dense ignorance, and so there must be more difficulty in
getting approval of parents and teachers concerning facts proposed for
girls. Often when talking with groups of parents I have heard them say
that they would like to have their boys learn the scientific truth
regarding certain facts, but they feel that it would be too startling
and unnecessary for their daughters. Such is the widespread feeling
which must be seriously considered in all planning of advanced
sex-instruction for girls. No doubt there will be much honest
disagreement with the suggestions here offered.

The biological introduction based on plants and animals should be the
same as for boys (Sec. 27).

[Sidenote: Structure and names.]

An adolescent girl of fourteen to sixteen should know the general plan
of her own sexual structure. She should know the scientific names of
her organs, not because there are many vulgar names as in the case of
boys, but because dignified names help attitude. Ova