Physiology and the School Child, 1935 – Ursula Wise discusses the importance of straightforward clarity and how best to achieve this.

January 8, 1935 in The Nursery World

Physiology and the School Child

Children should be taught something of the workings of the human body, and books both for parents and children to read are mentioned this week

The first two problems this week refer to the giving of information about the physiological basis of human life, and I may therefore answer them together.

            “Enquirer” writes: “Our son, aged thirteen, is going to his public school for the first time next term, and my husband wishes to tell him of the facts of life before he goes. Can you tell me of a book that would give some idea of the best way of explaining things to a boy of that age? He was quite interested in the arrival of our baby girl about three years ago, and we answered all his question quite frankly. But they only touched the fringe of the subject, and since then he has never asked another question on these matters; so we feel a little puzzled as to the best way of opening the subject again.”

            “M. F. M.” writes: “I should be very glad of your help about a subject that has been worrying me for some time. My eldest girl is now ten years old, and I am wondering when I should tell her about menstruation. I notice in most books on ‘how babies are born' they do not mention this subject. J. is a very intelligent child, but rather highly strung and nervous, and I do not want her to be worried about something which might not happen for a year or two. On the other hand, I do not want her to learn about it at school – as I did! Should I tell her now? Your advice in The Nursery World has been most valuable to me. I do not know what I should have done without it.”

There are two books I would recommend to both these correspondent, not necessarily to be put into the hands of the children, but to be used in the first instance for the purpose of reference and illustration. The first is What is Sex? by Dr Helena Wright. This is definitely not a book for the children themselves, but one that discusses the whole problem of the biological development of children and the best ways of dealing with the problems that arise in adolescence, and is an extremely useful book for parents and to read. It gives other sources of reliable information, as well as discussing difficulties in a sensible, straightforward way. The other book, which could be given either to the girl of ten or the boy of thirteen is The Human Body, by Dr. Marie Stopes, published at 3s. 6d. by Putman. Sometimes when I have recommended this book people have been a little scared about it, since Dr Stopes’s name is so intimately connected with the problems of birth control, but this particular volume has nothing to do with the question of birth control, and is different in many respects from Dr Stopes’s other writings. There is nothing in it that anyone need fear giving to boys and girls in their teens. It is a straightforward and work-manlike account of the anatomy and physiology of the body as a whole, including the reproductive processes. It grinds no axe of any sort, and confines itself to a clear statement of the dimple facts, leaving it to the parent to give guidance in the emotional and moral aspects of the family relation. These aspects of sex education – namely, the emotional and moral side, can of course, never be dealt with by giving the child a book to read. They are essentially the parents’ own responsibility, and what parents teach is bound to be an outcome of their own personal attitudes and fundamental beliefs on these matters. It is clear, however, that my correspondents have in mind not this aspect of sex teaching, but the basic physiological facts, whether of the reproductive process itself or of the fundamental physiological changes connected with growth and development in adolescence, and it is desirable that these basic facts should be given in a scientific and intelligible way to the child of these ages.
If the boy of thirteen is likely to be, as so many children of his age are, rather sensitive about discussing these points, it might be best simply to place The Human Body in his hands and leave him to ask any further questions about it which he wishes, just telling him that you want him to know where he can get such knowledge if he is interested, and that you want him to feel that he can discuss such things with you if he wants to do so. As regards the age at which it is best to tell as girl about menstrual periods, that does partly depend upon circumstances. It is not too early for a girl who is mixing with girl friends who are older than herself or one who is away at a boarding school, since she is so likely to get mysterious hints about it and be rather puzzled and frightened. It is a great help to a child when the periods first begin to have been given some correct information about the physiological meaning of the process. So many girls are really frightened by its first occurrence, and it is highly desirable that the girl should be helped against the emotional stress that is part of the ordinary development of her life at that time, by having sound knowledge of the fact that the process in itself is not in the least abnormal and has nothing whatever to do with illness. I should be careful to avoid any suggestion of forcing knowledge upon the child that she does not feel ready for, but I should be equally careful to let her feel that there is helpful information when she wants it, and that you are only too glad to give it to her when she feels she needs it. The process is explained in its proper setting in The Human Body, and that is the best way of giving information about it.