THE MULATTO 579 



is that no attempt is made to establish this opinion on a scientific basis, 

 and to definitely determine that limit of mental development beyond 

 which the law of diminishing returns dictates cessation of effort; and 

 furthermore, that in flat contradiction to this common opinion educa- 

 tion is planned in apparent utter disregard of it. 



"We are now in possession of a fairly precise and very simple method 

 of determining innate mental capacity in the Binet-Simon series of 

 mental tests. These tests ought at once to be applied to several thou- 

 sand each of negro and colored school children. The results should 

 yield a fairly accurate idea as to the relative capacity for education and 

 the limits for each. This is of very practical importance. If it can 

 be shown that the negro brain has definite, relatively low limits of 

 flexibility and development, money should not be spent in attempting 

 the impossible. This is the more serious in view of the common inade- 

 quacy of educational facilities. The limit of economical educative 

 return being determined, the negro should be given the best possible 

 opportunities for reaching the uppermost range. This would be to the 

 best interest of white and negro alike. If the returns indicated, as is 

 commonly assumed, that mulattoes are endowed with a higher educable 

 limit, national interests again demand that they be given means of 

 attaining the maximum capacity. 



The point is that our activities along educational lines, seeing that 

 the financial resources of the states most intimately concerned are 

 relatively meager, should follow clearly indicated paths as determined 

 by scientific facts. Even with our present knowledge it would seem 

 that wisdom and foresight should take more practical heed of Booker 

 Washington's keen suggestion and example, namely, that the education 

 of the negro be for the present chiefly along industrial, and secondly 

 moral lines. The Binet tests would also early detect the feeble-minded 

 and mentally defective, an especially serious menace in an already 

 naturally handicapped race. "Very rigid safeguards should be pro- 

 vided against the reproductive liberty of these unfortunates, so that 

 the race suffer no internal contamination. A first step in the scien- 

 tific approach of this fundamental aspect of the " problem " would 

 certainly seem to be the very extensive study of colored mentality by 

 the Binet measuring scale. We shall work largely in the dark until 

 we have this information. 



With respect to the second point: Until recently it was believed 

 that mulattoes generally bred true and became progressively lighter 



conclusions follow from neglect, or inability, to differentiate the mulatto from 

 the negro. Moreover, the Binet tests seem to me superior for the purpose in 

 hand to those employed by Professor Miller, and for this reason, and also 

 because scientific work touching so important and serious a matter needs con- 

 firmation and reconfirmation, should be used in further more extensive similar 

 investigations. 



