ue inquiries, gropings after
what he cannot phrase or hesitates to utter; these inward stirrings are
vital, and the alert and sympathetic and patient parent can in the main
perceive them and bring them to light. But success need not be hoped for
in this respect unless first the beginnings are attended to; uncounted
parents can testify to the infinite difficulty of breaking to the boy or
girl the silence long practiced with the child. Nor will occasional or
spasmodic fits of interest and action by the parent achieve much;
Emerson's proverb holds inflexibly here; "What wilt thou have?" quoth God;
"pay for it and take it." Pay we must in time, in thought, in perseverance
and patience, in study of the problems and self-preparation for the task.
Happily the progress of sex hygiene among adults is yearly increasing the
number of fathers and mothers who are awake and active.

We have spoken of meeting the motions of the child, as though the educator
might never need to take the initiative; in all probability that might be
true in an ideal state. As things are it would be unsafe to rely
absolutely upon questions; the parent and on occasion other educators must
take the initiative in some cases. In doing so, however, the most
scrupulous care should be taken to be sure that the mind of the learner is
ready for the particular instruction.

* * * * *

In biological instruction what is needed is not an artificial appendix or
addendum, but simply that we should cease to mutilate science by omitting
its most fruitful and essential elements. Nature study for little children
is the first available field; it should begin even before the kindergarten
age, with the simplest and easiest observations, and proceed by gentle
gradations of progress; it finds abundant and fascinating material in
growing plants, eggs, brooding chickens, kittens, puppies, and, best of
all, the new baby, where the home questions and the nature study meet in a
profound emotional and intellectual experience.[36]

The botany, zooelogy, physiology, and hygiene the upper grades and the
high school the natural mediums for further scientific treatment.[37] It
will probably be found advisable to separate the sexes for this part of
the work, and have boys taught by men and girls by women. Not a few high
schools and colleges are already carrying on such instruction with entire
success.

It seems quite clear that the school must set itself,