the children
along lines similar to those suggested above.

[Sidenote: Summary.]

Summarizing, it is evident that there is very little direct
sex-instruction suitable for pre-adolescent years. So far as the
child's own life is concerned, it now seems clear that parents or other
adult confidants must instruct individuals, or possibly small uniformly
selected groups. Class instruction seems out of the question except for
life-history studies of animals and plants. On the whole, then, there
is nothing radical or impossible in the proposition that there should
be a beginning of sex-education before the advent of adolescence.

Sec. 26. _Hygienic and Educational Treatment of Unhealthful Habits_

[Sidenote: Problems of children.]

All adults should take a sane and scientific view of the sex problems
that are likely to come even to normal children. We must remember that
they are born with sexual mechanisms that may easily and automatically
lead into harmful habits unless parents and teachers guide
hygienically and mentally along the lines that are known to offer
safety.

[Sidenote: Masturbation.]

Concerning habitual manipulation of the sexual organs of either sex,
known in medical literature as masturbation or self-abuse (often
erroneously called "onanism"), there are certain facts that are
important for the guidance of all parents and teachers. I discuss it in
this connection since the problem often arises in the later years of
the pre-adolescent period.

[Sidenote: Does not indicate degeneracy.]

It is absurd to suppose that the tendency towards the habit means
degeneracy or innate viciousness of children. Young horses, dogs,
monkeys, and other animals sometimes form a similar habit, the stimulus
being some irritation of the sexual organs. Hence, it is not at all
unnatural when children attempt to relieve their irritated organs by
friction, and then it is inevitable that the sensitive nerve endings
will give sensations that are more or less pleasurable and satisfying,
depending upon the sex, age, and emotional peculiarity of the
individual child. This fact suggests to parents and teachers the
methods of prophylaxis; namely, avoid (1) irritation of sexual organs
and (2) opportunity for manipulation.

[Sidenote: Irritation.]

[Sidenote: Circumcision.]

With regard to irritation, the first sign of such disturbance may
appear in babyhood. In the case of boys, whose structure renders them
vastly more liable th