Edukation. (Circa 1913)

Donations. We receive literally thousands of books and other materials a year. In fact over 20% of our collection at the branch is from patron donations. Sorting through the boxes/bags can sometimes be drag, but many a gem has been discovered. Today something special (even more special than the Kind of Kabob cookbook from a few months back) caught my eye (the lazy one). An absolute gem!

Excerpts from A Manual of Sex Hygiene (1914) by Winfield Scott Hall Ph.D (M.D.) & Jeannette Winter Hall (Biologist, Teacher and Mother):

From the Introduction:

It not infrequently happens that one unclean child will contaminate a whole neighborhood of clean-minded children before the parents discover the condition.

Further into the Introduction (superficially profound with not-so-subtle racist overtones or is that undertones?):

We find that our race emerged from a condition known as Primeval Man into a condition somewhat advance above that, known as Savagery. Our race was in the condition of Savagery from about six or seven thousand years ago (!) to four thousand years ago. Savages are fetish-worshiping, raft-sailing, cave-dwelling children of Nature.

From about Four thousand years ago to about one thousand years ago our ancestors lived in the forests of central Europe and southeastern Europe, and were in the age of Barbarism. This age is characterized as crude and cruel, rough and ready, venal and vulgar, blundering and blustering Barbarism. In their age of Barbarism they lived in tents if they were nomadic, in rude dwellings of stone and log if not nomadic. They were developing the industries concerned in the making of implements of war and the chase, of fabrics of apparel, and of various conveniences about the home. It was the age of war and the chase. It was an age of hero worship. Woman was a chattel; affection and consideration for the woman was no known.

From this age of Barbarism our race emerged into Chivalry over a thousand years ago. The age of Chivalry was at its height about five hundred years ago and merged by imperceptible gradation into our present system. In the age of Chivalry society as we know it came into being. The shackles were stricken from a woman, and she came into her present high estate.

Of course in 1913, if your point of reference for women's rights is the age of barbarism, no doubt women were indeed in high estate.

Onto an actual conversation (okay, a theoretical one between a mother and daughter):

"Why, Mother, the ovaries of a girl then are sacred to her womanhood, aren't they?"

"Yes, daughter, and that is why Mother has told you this story of womanhood, so you would always have that attitude toward this part of your body. The sex apparatus of a girl is, as you say, sacred to her womanhood. And do you see, daughter, that when a girl comes to have this feeling toward her sex apparatus, as she surely will have once she once understands the plan her Creator for the development of her womanhood, she could never be misled by an older, vulgar-minded girl into habits of touching or even thinking about her sex organs in such a way as to cause irritation or excitation of them."

"Yes, Mother, I understand perfectly, and I can not understand how any girl should ever do such a thing. There are some girls in school who frequently use vulgar language that makes us girls blush with shame. Surely these girls have not had these things explained to them by their mothers, or they would not use such language as they do."

On girls' monthly visitations (rights):

"But, Mamma, does this happen every month?"

"Yes, daughter, every twenty-eight days as a rule. But, daughter, this experience, which is common to all womanking and which may not at first be easy to become adjusted to, is your Creator's preparation of you for future motherhood."

"Why, Mamma, that is very different. You know I want to be a mother some time just as you are. I want some day to have a little baby all my own whose little warm, soft body I can hold close up to me."

"Yes, daughter, Mother wants you to be a daughter some day too. So when this comes to you, this staining of your linen with the first monthly period, if you will come to Mother she will give you further instructions as to just how to take care of yourself."

(1) That she should cleanse her external sex organs each morning and evening with tepid water as near to her blood temperature as possible.
(2) That she should during the three to five days of her monthly period abstain from and strenuous exercise such as dancing, skating, rowing, long cross-country walking, horseback riding, bicycle riding, or anything else that would not be called gentle exercise.
(3) That she should not take a cold bath during those days; and if in summer, of course, not go in swimming at the bathing beach.
(4) That she should carefully avoid getting her feet wet, in fact should take especial car during those days to keep both hand and feet warm and dry
(5) That she should try to cultivate a spirit of happiness and contentment during those days; though she might feel both unhappy and discontented sometimes, she should restrain herself and never permit herself to give expression to any unhappiness, irritation, annoyance or discontent.
(6) Today, daughter, you had better stay at home with Mother.

Mother knows best. You know, I haven't actually finished reading a book in months...I'm completely and utterly fascinating with this one. I am so going to finish this one. Now, if we could just build a time machine and bring me back a girl circa 1913--one who never permit(s) herself to give expression to unhappiness, irritation, annoyance or discontent. I can dream can't I?

Will keep you updated on Sex Hygiene tips circa 1913. Next update will be about entering into Manhood. (I skipped over the entire "Where to babies come" part...too much good stuff in this one!) Surprisingly, there is some information in this Manual that is still quite relevant today, but there's also much in here at us post-post-modern folk would scoff at. Society of scoffers we've become. 1913, must've taken some courage to even publish a book such as this. Top hats off to the authors.

I am so going to be late for work in the AM.