Note 696 — Chapter XXVI

For this reason, Fr. W. Förster, in his admirable “Jugendlehre” (Berlin, 1906), devotes a special section to the subject of “sexual pedagogy” (pp. 602-652).

[697] Maria Lischnewska, in her admirable work upon “The Sexual Instruction of Children,” published in Mutterschutz, 1905, vol. i., pp. 137-150, quotes the principal passages relating to this subject from the works of the writers just mentioned.

[698] In addition to the two admirable works already mentioned, by F. W. Förster and M. Lischnewska, I may allude also to the following: Richard Flachs, “Sexual Enlightenment as a Part of the Education of our Young People,” with a full bibliography (Dresden and Leipzig, 1906); Carl Kopp, “Sexual Affairs in the Education of Youth” (Leipzig, 1904); Max Marcuse, “Sexual Enlightenment in Youth” (Leipzig, 1905); “Sexual Hygiene and Sexual Enlightenment in the School” (a Discussion at the First International Congress for School Hygiene, held at Nürnberg, 1904), published in the “Reports of the German Society for the Suppression of Venereal Diseases,” 1904, vol. ii., pp. 63-71; Karl Ullmann, “The Sexual Enlightenment of School-Children,” published in the Monatsschrift für Gesundheitspflege, 1906, No. 1; M. Flesch, “Enlightenment in the School,” published in Blätter für Volksgesundheitspflege, vol. iv., p. 164; Emma Eckstein, “The Sexual Question in the Education of the Child” (Leipzig, 1904); Adelheid von Bennigsen, “Sexual Pedagogy in the House and the School” (Berlin, 1903); Alfred Fournier, “Pour nos Fils quand ils auront Dix-huit Ans” (Paris, 1905); M. Oker Blom, “Beim Onkel Doktor auf dem Lande”: a Book for Parents, second edition (Vienna, 1906); Friedrich Siebert, “A Book for Parents” (Munich, 1905); same author, “What shall I say to my Child?” (Munich, 1904); Mary Wood-Allen, “When the Boy becomes Man” (Zurich, 1904); same author, “Tell me the Truth, dear Mother”; W. Busch, “No more Stork Stories: a Practical Introduction, showing how Children should be taught the Truth, and how the Family should be Safeguarded from Moral Contamination” (Leipzig, 1904); E. von den Steinen, “The Human Sexual Life: a Lecture to those leaving School” (Düsseldorf, 1906); cf. also, by the same author, “An Address to those leaving School concerning Sexual Love,” published in the Journal for the Suppression of Venereal Diseases, 1900, vol. v., pp. 259, 260; F. Siebert, “Our Sons: their Enlightenment regarding the Dangers of the Sexual Life” (Straubing, 1907); F. Siebert, “The Sexual Problem in Childhood,” published in “The Book of the Child,” edited by Adele Schreiber (Leipzig and Berlin, 1907), vol. i., pp. 106-117; L. Bergfeld, “Take the Bandage from your Eyes, dear Sister: an Open Letter to Adolescent Girls” (Munich, 1907).

[699] In some cases the child will criticize the grown-up’s fables with a sharp-sighted logic, as the following story proves: Pepito, a child seven years of age, asks his mother, “Tell me, mamma, how do children come?” “People buy them.” “I don’t believe that people buy them!” “Why not?” “Because poor people have the most!”

[700] S. Freud, “Collection of Minor Writings upon the Doctrine of Neurosis,” p. 216 (Leipzig and Vienna, 1906).

[701] Cf. Eugen Neter, “The Only Child and its Education” (Munich, 1906).

[702] Angelo Mosso, “Physical Culture in Youth” (Hamburg and Leipzig, 1894).

[703] Paul Güssfeldt, “The Education of German Youth” (Berlin, 1890).

[704] Georg Sticker, “Health and Education,” second edition (Giessen, 1903).

[705] Ludwig Gurlitt, “Education in Manliness” (Berlin, 1907).

[706] Hans Wegener, “We Young Men: the Sexual Problem of the Cultured Young Man before Marriage: Purity, Strength, and the Love of Woman” (Düsseldorf and Leipzig, 1906).

[707] M. W. Drobisch, “Moral Statistics and the Freedom of the Human Will,” pp. 96-101 (Leipzig, 1867). Valuable works regarding the education of the character and the social education of the child are found in the first volume (second edition) of the monumental work edited by Adele Schreiber, “The Book of the Child” (Leipzig and Berlin, 1907), from the pens of Laura Frost (pp. 42-63), F. A. Schmidt (pp. 168-179), Lüngen (pp. 192-201), G. Kerschensteiner (pp. 202-207), R. Penzig (pp. 215-222), and Adele Schreiber (pp. 223-231). Important in relation to sexual enlightenment is also the question (one actively discussed at the present moment) of the education of the sexes in common—the so-called co-education. It has been proved by experience that co-education has a good effect in sexual relationships (cf. Gertrud Bäumer, “Co-education,” op. cit., vol. ii., pp. 44-48).

[708] The question of sexual education and enlightenment occupies at the moment a place in the foreground of public interest, and rightly so; for upon this depends principally the further reform and the resanation of all the sexual relationships of civilized peoples. For this reason the Discussions, now in the press, of the Third Congress of the Society for the Suppression of Venereal Diseases (“Sexualpädagogik”), Leipzig, 1907, were occupied exclusively with this subject, which was considered in elaborate debates from four points of view:

1. Sexual instruction in the house and the school.

2. Sexual enlightenment of young persons at puberty.

3. Sexual instruction of teachers and parents.

4. Sexual dietetics and education.

The present position of sexual pedagogy in all these respects is exactly defined in this comprehensive volume; and, in addition, at the conclusion of the book we find a compend of the recent literature of the subject. Much of value regarding sexual regimen is to be found in the work of H. Mann, “Art and the Sexual Conduct of Life” (Oranienburg, 1907), and in that of A. Eulenburg, “Sexual Regimen,” published in Mutterschutz, July and August, 1907. As an opponent of early sexual enlightenment, we must mention G. Leubuscher (“School Medicine and School Hygiene,” pp. 65-70; Leipzig, 1907). He considers that such enlightenment should only be given at the time of leaving school. His reasons, however, are not convincing, and, above all, do not apply to large towns.