Salvaging American Girlhood; A Substitution of Norman Psychology for Superstition and Mysticism in the Education of Girls

New York: E.P. Dutton, 1924. First edition. Hardcover. Very Good. Firts edition (no statement as is correct). hardcover in maroon cloth titled in gilt. ix+ 302 pp. with index. A tight, very good copy, ownership signature front free endpaper, spine lettering dulled, front cover gilt a bit dulled. Very scarce. From the review in The American Journal of Sociology: "Not every author sahres Dr. Davenport's ability of willingness to set down accurately the steps occuring in an observation of social phenomena...". Davenport made her investigations under the auspices of the Columbia university Department of Psychology, the research aimed at discovering the actual state of sexual knowledge of young women of more than average education, in their late adolescence. One of her stated aims was to counter with more detailed study the "...more insistent claims of psychoanalysis to an authentic sex psychology---the acceptance of which would mean the firm establishment of mysticism for many years to come , in this field where more than any other, the clear light of knowledge is needed.." The author studied 160 girls between 17 and 23 years of age, in good standing in a teacher-training school who, of their own initiative, sought answers to questions on sex----some 880 questions were submitted to Davenport. Unsurprisingly today, her findings showed a lack of professional attitude in the area due to unsatisfied personal questions, ingnorance of simple biological and physiological facts, superstitions and a lack of (then) modern science knowledge into their own bodity functions and "...the whole subject of sex...". In the latter portion of the work, Davenport blames parents for their daughters' ignorance, criticizes the Freudian approach as unwholesome and out of balance and argues that girls' sex education on matter of sex should be equal to that of boys.