man spirit in our own day
is manifestly addressing itself to the solution of the special social
problems which involve the sexual life of men. Three of these problems may
be specified: (a) The so-called "social evil," including not merely
prostitution, but also all other forms of waste and injury through sexual
errors; (b) the problem of family life, including marriage and the rearing
of children, as well as pathological aspects such as desertion and
divorce; (c) the vast problem of eugenics or race culture.

In all these fields the problems of sex are involved. Men and women who
desire to bear their whole burden as members of a progressive society must
contribute to the solution of these great social problems, and to do this
wisely must know something about the basic facts of sex life.[32]

The first and basic part of sex education is bodily regimen: children and
youth must live an abundant, vigorous, wholesome physical life.[33] Cities
have threatened to be the "graves of the human species" in this respect.
Sedentary life chokes and misdirects the currents of nervous energy and
the very circulation of the blood. The lad who plays vigorously, even
violently; who can "get his second wind," turn a handspring, do a good
cross-country run, swim the river, possesses a great bulwark of defense
against sexual vice, especially in its secret forms.

The revival of play, of play for all, boys and girls, weak as well as
strong, is one of the most hopeful movements on foot to-day. Let us base
our promotions from grade to grade, and especially for "graduation" from
school, partly upon physical tests, requiring each student to make of
himself physically, not a record-breaking athlete, but the best that can
be made out of the stuff in him.

Food, sleep, clothing, bathing, fresh air,--all these are vital also;
whatever turns the flow and thrill of life into wholesome channels,
abolishes indolence, stagnation, morbidity, and fosters abundance of
bodily life,--such is the regimen of sex health.

No bodily regimen can be effective without mental control. Nowhere does
mind affect body more immediately and powerfully than in the realm of sex.
The educator has two great tasks in this respect: first to improve the
general environment in which the young must live and develop. As things
are, our streets, store-windows, books and magazines, and especially
public amusements, such as theaters and dance halls, abound in sexual
suggestion and s