PROBLEM OF SEX EDUCATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 8 April 1926, Page 7

PROBLEM OF SEX EDUCATION.

English and American Methods. VICTORIAN'S INTERESTING .REVIEW. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Australian and N.Z, Cable Association (Received April 7, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, April 7. Mr Stanton Shannon, the wellknown .educationist and winner, of ■ the Victorian Government’s travelling scholarship, has completed his investigations in America on the subject of Education...- He says that America and jjigland, take entirely opposite views of .sex . education. America regards it as a subject the schools must, teach, whereas England does not touch it, "chiefly for the reason that English homes and churches still powerfully influence te children. These influences are apparently " losing ground in America, with the result that the schools feel they are responsible for teaching it. Mr Shnrinan expresses an opinion that in the hands of the right type cf teachers, little.harm is.likely to result, but it is not what is taught, but tlie tone of the school which, counts. Commenting on the efforts of Dr. Cyril Burt (psychologist to the London County Council's Education Department to devise a method of finding the vocation fur Which the pupil is best suited, Mr Sharman says the final 'judgment must still ' rest with the parent. Regarding the Dalton method of individual., timetables, the object of which is that the quicker pupils shall not be held , back by the slower, Mr Sharman thinks there is better promise in the Howard plan of combining teaching with the idea of individual effort. He regrets that Victoria’s lack of sympathy with the training ~of teachers at the university. and the high schools, prevented that State retaining its lead over Other, universities. He found 'that this branch of tlie work was making headway in America, England, and Scotland.