Beglin, Philip M.

McGettigan, Daniel L.

English

epublications@Marquette

The Linacre QuarterlyVolume 35 | Number 1 Article 26February 1968The Catholic Physician and a Sex EducationProgram in a Catholic Elementary SchoolDaniel L. McGettiganPhilip M. BeglinFollow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnqRecommended CitationMcGettigan, Daniel L. and Beglin, Philip M. (1968) "The Catholic Physician and a Sex Education Program in a Catholic ElementarySchool," The Linacre Quarterly: Vol. 35 : No. 1 , Article 26.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnq/vol35/iss1/26The Catholic Physician and a Sex Education Progran1 l11 a Catholic Eleme11tary School DANIELL. 'McGETTIGAN7 M.D. AND PHILIP M. BEGLIN7 M .L In mid-196 5, a three day sym-posium on Family Life and Com-munication with the Younger Gen-eration was held in a San Frpn-cisco parish. A spontaneous and in-tense interest was shown when the subject of teen-age and college amorality was discussed. The pa-rishioners expressed a desire to in-quire into the possibility of starting a Catholic Sex Education Program in the parish elementary school. Subsequendy a committee, con-sisting of the assistant pastor, a lay theologian; four physicians, an at-tornev, and two nuns . from the schoo-l, was formed to investigate the possibility of starting such a program in the grade school. In-quiry was made into all known pro-grams throughout the nation. Ac-tually, only one or two similar pro-grams were found to exist. Their material and all available books and audio-visual aids were solicited. Such material and aids as seemed pertinent were purchased by the pastor for the use of the committee. One valuable source of infor-mation was a program in the near-by Hayward Public School District. This program had seventeen years of experience with quite satisfac-tory results. A representative of this school district was invited to attend a committee meeting in our 24 parish house. The represe ttive was most encouraging and e' ex~ pressed envy of our paroch ap~ proach. She felt that there ~ an advantage in being free c .uch problems as they had enco1 •::red with various religious and 1 -re~ ligious groups. These grou; · sub-verted the obvious need i . any moral overtones in the Jblic school system. She felt th <1 .here was a definite advantage i our program to be religion orien ~ : and related. The physicians, of nc· ·ssity, had to "carry the ball" in fo, :wlat~ ing the exact agenda. Prima· '. y the physicians were all men in rivate practice. The program h ad to fit into their schedules as wel! ·1s the school's curriculum. The sisters in charge gaVL' . rhole~ hearted cooperation. The p ;)gram was incorporated into the ' . :l igion classes of the 5th, 6th, ? u1, and 8th grades. The decision to c ·elude the 1st through the 4th grades was due partly to the shortage ( f phy~ sicians. Also, after several meetings of the committee and meetings with parents of the 5th th rough the 8th grades, . the conclusion was reached to limit the program to those grades and to separate the sexes. LINACRE Q u ARTE RLY The physicians decided to partic-ipate on two separate days in a week devoted to the subject. For several weeks prior to the progran1 the religion classes of each grade would study various aspects of the Sixth and Ninth Commandments, marriage, vocations, love, purity, etc. During the week of the pro-gram the parish priest spoke to each class on the first day. His special emphasis was on morality, sin and love as Catholics. On the second day the religion teachers (nuns in each instance) stressed the impli-cations of the program and pre-pared the students for appearance of the doctor on the third day. The four physicians had, by prior agreement, prepared an illus-trated lecture on sex anatmny, terminology and basic physiology. In this they used diagrammatic slides. They emphasized the need of the children to communicate with their parents. The doctors felt that the prime purpose of the first lecture was to familiarize the children with proper terminology and to discuss the subject of sex openly and wholesomely in order to stimulate interest and further inquiry at home. A preliminary meeting took place with the par-ents of the specific grades involved. It was felt that this. was an essential part of the education program. On the fourth dav two similar films were shown, e~plaining the maturing male and female. At the end of the film time was given to each group to submit anonymous estions. These questions were given to the physicians, who re-turned on the fifth day. \Vhile the questions were numerous, each doctor attempted to answer all of them. Again the students were en-couraged to pursue discussion with their parents. Each physician had a two hour period to "field" all questions, and reinstruct · where necessary. The following week a meeting was held with the parents again, to discuss the effects of the program. The results were most gratifying. Parents were unanimous in their approval. However, some of the shortcomings of the program were discussed and plans made for future improvement. This program has been in prog-ress now for two vears. The doc-tors all feel that s~mething worth-while has been accomplished. By their participation they are helping their parish. church and school. More importantly, they are helping the children themselves to grow up with a healthy understanding and appreciation of sex, its powers, and its responsibilities. Hopefully, the results will show in the behavior and moral grmvth of this younger generation , and still later in hap-pier marriages and well adjusted adult life. [Doctors Beglin and McGettigan are both graduates of St. Louis University School of Medicine. Both are in private practice, the former in urology and the latter is a general practitioner. Both are members of the San Francisco Guild. Dr. McGet-tigan is a past officer.] 25 I, :.· ,. .. ' . .' .· .. ·· . ... . . · '•. \. :· .·•· . ·~ . •, . ': ·· :"\ . '•··. . ·:· ;,·/ ·,, • .·'lo ., '(' '• 

The Catholic Physician and a Sex Education Program in a Catholic Elementary School

The Linacre QuarterlyVolume 35 | Number 1 Article 7February 1968The Catholic Physician and a Sex EducationProgram in a Catholic Elementary SchoolDaniel L. McGettiganPhilip M. BeglinFollow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnqRecommended CitationMcGettigan, Daniel L. and Beglin, Philip M. (1968) "The Catholic Physician and a Sex Education Program in a Catholic ElementarySchool," The Linacre Quarterly: Vol. 35 : No. 1 , Article 7.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnq/vol35/iss1/7The Catholic Physician and a Sex Education Progran1 l11 a Catholic Eleme11tary School DANIELL. 'McGETTIGAN7 M.D. AND PHILIP M. BEGLIN7 M .L In mid-196 5, a three day sym-posium on Family Life and Com-munication with the Younger Gen-eration was held in a San Frpn-cisco parish. A spontaneous and in-tense interest was shown when the subject of teen-age and college amorality was discussed. The pa-rishioners expressed a desire to in-quire into the possibility of starting a Catholic Sex Education Program in the parish elementary school. Subsequendy a committee, con-sisting of the assistant pastor, a lay theologian; four physicians, an at-tornev, and two nuns . from the schoo-l, was formed to investigate the possibility of starting such a program in the grade school. In-quiry was made into all known pro-grams throughout the nation. Ac-tually, only one or two similar pro-grams were found to exist. Their material and all available books and audio-visual aids were solicited. Such material and aids as seemed pertinent were purchased by the pastor for the use of the committee. One valuable source of infor-mation was a program in the near-by Hayward Public School District. This program had seventeen years of experience with quite satisfac-tory results. A representative of this school district was invited to attend a committee meeting in our 24 parish house. The represe ttive was most encouraging and e' ex~ pressed envy of our paroch ap~ proach. She felt that there ~ an advantage in being free c .uch problems as they had enco1 •::red with various religious and 1 -re~ ligious groups. These grou; · sub-verted the obvious need i . any moral overtones in the Jblic school system. She felt th <1 .here was a definite advantage i our program to be religion orien ~ : and related. The physicians, of nc· ·ssity, had to "carry the ball" in fo, :wlat~ ing the exact agenda. Prima· '. y the physicians were all men in rivate practice. The program h ad to fit into their schedules as wel! ·1s the school's curriculum. The sisters in charge gaVL' . rhole~ hearted cooperation. The p ;)gram was incorporated into the ' . :l igion classes of the 5th, 6th, ? u1, and 8th grades. The decision to c ·elude the 1st through the 4th grades was due partly to the shortage ( f phy~ sicians. Also, after several meetings of the committee and meetings with parents of the 5th th rough the 8th grades, . the conclusion was reached to limit the program to those grades and to separate the sexes. LINACRE Q u ARTE RLY The physicians decided to partic-ipate on two separate days in a week devoted to the subject. For several weeks prior to the progran1 the religion classes of each grade would study various aspects of the Sixth and Ninth Commandments, marriage, vocations, love, purity, etc. During the week of the pro-gram the parish priest spoke to each class on the first day. His special emphasis was on morality, sin and love as Catholics. On the second day the religion teachers (nuns in each instance) stressed the impli-cations of the program and pre-pared the students for appearance of the doctor on the third day. The four physicians had, by prior agreement, prepared an illus-trated lecture on sex anatmny, terminology and basic physiology. In this they used diagrammatic slides. They emphasized the need of the children to communicate with their parents. The doctors felt that the prime purpose of the first lecture was to familiarize the children with proper terminology and to discuss the subject of sex openly and wholesomely in order to stimulate interest and further inquiry at home. A preliminary meeting took place with the par-ents of the specific grades involved. It was felt that this. was an essential part of the education program. On the fourth dav two similar films were shown, e~plaining the maturing male and female. At the end of the film time was given to each group to submit anonymous estions. These questions were given to the physicians, who re-turned on the fifth day. \Vhile the questions were numerous, each doctor attempted to answer all of them. Again the students were en-couraged to pursue discussion with their parents. Each physician had a two hour period to "field" all questions, and reinstruct · where necessary. The following week a meeting was held with the parents again, to discuss the effects of the program. The results were most gratifying. Parents were unanimous in their approval. However, some of the shortcomings of the program were discussed and plans made for future improvement. This program has been in prog-ress now for two vears. The doc-tors all feel that s~mething worth-while has been accomplished. By their participation they are helping their parish. church and school. More importantly, they are helping the children themselves to grow up with a healthy understanding and appreciation of sex, its powers, and its responsibilities. Hopefully, the results will show in the behavior and moral grmvth of this younger generation , and still later in hap-pier marriages and well adjusted adult life. [Doctors Beglin and McGettigan are both graduates of St. Louis University School of Medicine. Both are in private practice, the former in urology and the latter is a general practitioner. Both are members of the San Francisco Guild. Dr. McGet-tigan is a past officer.] 25 I, :.· ,. .. ' . .' .· .. ·· . ... . . · '•. \. :· .·•· . ·~ . •, . ': ·· :"\ . '•··. . ·:· ;,·/ ·,, • .·'lo ., '(' '• 

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The Catholic Physician and a Sex Education Program in a Catholic Elementary School

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