In no other phase of social education are mistakes so serious.  Other changes, demanded by new ideas of the function of the school, have been made prematurely and clumsily, but without grave danger.  We have adjusted ourselves readily enough to compulsory education, normal schools, higher education for women, expert supervision, the kindergartens, physical training, industrial schools, university extension, care of defectives, and vocational guidance.  Every new type of school and every new subject has been introduced before there were teachers trained for the new work.  We stumbled along.  Few were greatly concerned over mistakes in the teaching of penmanship and spelling and millinery and Latin and algebra.  Few protested against the inefficient teaching of physiology as long as it rattled only dry bones, and had no evident relation to the physical functions and health of the student.  But the moment men proposed to teach a subject of vital consequence, there was a cry of protest—­and rightly.

Here mistakes will not do:  here incompetent teachers cannot be trusted.  Ill-advised efforts to teach sex hygiene may aggravate the very evils we are trying to assuage.  Because the subject is of vital importance, education in sexual hygiene and morals must proceed cautiously and conservatively; according to tried methods, psychologically sound; always under the control of men and women of maturity, who see the present emergency in its many phases, who know how to teach, whose character is in keeping with the highest ideals of their work, and who approach their subject with reverence and their pupils with the joy and inspiration which come from a large opportunity to serve mankind.

Unhappily, not all of those who have been stimulated by the new freedom of speech to thrust themselves forward as teachers of sex hygiene, and as social reformers, are safe leaders.  Some are ignorant and unaware that enthusiasm is not a satisfactory substitute for knowledge.  Some are hysterical.  At a recent purity convention, a woman said, “I know little about the facts, but it is wonderful how much ignorance can accomplish when accompanied by devotion and persistence.”  That declaration was applauded.  Some people appear to believe that they will arrive safely if they go rapidly enough and far enough, even though they may be going in the wrong direction.  Many retard the movement for social hygiene by making statements they do not know to be true, especially in respect to the extent of sexual immorality, the number of prostitutes, and the prevalence of venereal disease.  Young people of opposite sexes, finding evidence on every hand that the traditional taboo is removed, discuss the subject for personal pleasure.