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.

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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, wisely, indeed, but also resolutely and effectively, to provide clear, true, scientific knowledge of the origin of life and the laws of sex.  The educator can, must, and will answer truly and purely, all questions in these matters on which the child and youth are now left to random, miscellaneous, clandestine sources, and get vile, false, and pernicious answers.

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As childhood passes into youth and the pubertal changes begin, the objective curiosity of the earliest years passes gradually into the intense concern of personal problems.  The general principle is the same:  do not drag in the subject of sex and reproduction, but do not evade or ignore it when it appears; deal with it truly, purely, honestly, fearlessly, as an essential and organic part of truth and life.