The Renewal of Life; How and When to Tell the Story to the Young

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[Illustration: Book Cover]




  The Renewal of Life




BY MISS MORLEY

  A SONG OF LIFE. 12mo        $1.25

  LIFE AND LOVE. 12mo          1.25

  THE BEE PEOPLE. 12mo         1.25

  THE HONEY-MAKERS. 12mo       1.25

  LITTLE MITCHELL. 12mo        1.25

  THE RENEWAL OF LIFE. 12mo    1.25

  _Each fully illustrated_


A. C. McCLURG & CO.
CHICAGO




  The Renewal of Life

  _How and When to Tell the Story to the Young_


  By

  Margaret Warner Morley

  Author of "A Song of Life," "Life and Love," etc.

  Illustrated

  [Illustration: Publisher's Logo]

  Chicago
  A. C. McClurg & Co.
  1906


  COPYRIGHT BY
  A. C. McCLURG & CO.
  1906

  Published September 15, 1906
  THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.




Contents


  CHAPTER                                                           PAGE

     I. THE RENEWAL OF LIFE                                            9

    II. WHO IS TO TELL THE STORY, AND WHEN IS IT TO BE TOLD?          17

   III. HOW TO TELL THE STORY                                         27

    IV. TELLING THE TRUTH                                             36

     V. ON NATURE STUDY                                               40

    VI. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SEED                                   52

   VII. THE FERTILIZATION OF THE FLOWER                               87

  VIII. WHAT CAN BE LEARNED FROM THE LIFE OF THE FISH                107

    IX. AMPHIBIOUS LIFE                                              127

     X. THE BIRD                                                     137

    XI. THE MAMMAL                                                   154

   XII. VIGILANCE                                                    169

  XIII. THE TRANSFORMATION                                           178


  LIST OF BOOKS HELPFUL IN STUDYING PLANT AND ANIMAL LIFE            193




_The Renewal of Life_

_How and When to Tell The Story to the Young_




I

THE RENEWAL OF LIFE


Every human being must sooner or later know the facts concerning the
origin of his life on the earth. One of the most puzzling questions is
how and when such information should be given to the young.

There is nothing the parent more desires than that his child should have
a high ideal in regard to the sex-life and that he should live in
accordance with that ideal, yet nowhere is careful and systematic
education so lacking as here.

What parent would allow his child to go untaught in the particulars
concerning truth-telling, honesty, cleanliness, and behavior, trusting
that in some way the child would discover the facts necessary to the
practice of these virtues and live accordingly? And yet with apparent
inconsistency one of the prime virtues is neglected; one of the most
vital needs of every human being--the understanding of his
sex-nature--is too often left entirely to chance. Not only is the youth
uninstructed, but no proper way of learning the truth is within his
reach. It is as though he were set blindfold in the midst of dangerous
pitfalls, with the admonition not to fall into any of them. Those who
ought to tell the facts will not, consequently the facts must be
gathered from chance sources which are too often bad, poisoning mind and
heart. Even the physiologies, with the exception of those large, and to
the average reader inaccessible, volumes used in medical schools,
scarcely ever touch upon the subject. Of course these larger books give
only the physiological facts couched in scientific terms. How and where,
then, can the youth learn what he needs to know?

It is true there is a noble effort being made for young men, and to a
less extent for young women, by certain organizations that exist for
the help of the young, to supply this curious defect in our educational
system; but these efforts reach but comparatively few members in a
community, and come too late in the life of the young to give them their
first impressions on the subject. Perhaps the most encouraging sign for
the future is the interest that thousands of mothers in all walks of
life are to-day taking in the best methods of training their children to
a right understanding and noble conception of sex-life. Innumerable
mothers' clubs give the subject a place in the curriculum of the club
work, at stated times discussing, reading, consulting all available
authorities which may be of help.