160 



The Journal of Heredity 



stereotyped than those of the men, who 

 are apt to have acquired their eugenics 

 pretty largely for a definite occasion. 



As can well be foretold, the require- 

 ments cover relatively few general 

 topics though the variations under each 

 of these are as many as there are writ- 

 ers. Pre-marriage frankness, and phy- 

 sical and mental characteristics in rela- 

 tion to personal tastes and to the pro- 

 duction of fit children form the central 

 theme of most of the records. The lat- 

 ter is the more remarkable in that in 

 these days of fractional offspring per 

 intellectual capita most of the writers 

 seem to be figuring in terms of the 

 whole number, and even in some in- 

 stances in the plural. 



There seems to be some real appre- 

 ciation of the value of physical appear- 

 ance as an index to health and it is 

 seldom that the valuation is wrongly 

 stressed on the "beauty" side alone. 

 Throughout the papers run expressions 

 in regard to physical well being and 

 similar basic desires, differing only in 

 terminology. To suit our Co-eds a man 

 must be of "good appearance," "physi- 

 cally sound," must possess "strength 

 and proportion," "cleanliness," and alas 

 for someone's ideals, "he must be phy- 

 sically perfect." Considerable stress is 

 laid upon cleanliness which may give 

 some pause for thought. One logically 

 points out that "sickness interferes with 

 a i^leasing personality." 



Possibly with the physical traits 

 might be indicated the realization of 

 some of the difficulties of interracial al- 

 liances. These expressions naturally 

 come mostly from the Jewish girls. An 

 element of jiatriotism seems to influence 

 some in arguing against foreign 

 matches. One girl maintains that her 

 children could not l^e pure-blooded 

 Americans if the father was a for- 

 eigner. It might be of some interest 

 to have her definition of such homozy- 

 gous American stock and also that of 

 the ])erson whose ideal is a "real 

 American of English, French, or Span- 

 ish descent." 



The demands in the intellectual field 



are just as rigorous as in the physical. 

 The male mate must possess refinement, 

 have personality, be broad-minded, be 

 intellectually superior, must "be of the 

 sort that I would be willing to have my 

 friends meet," and lastly and probably 

 most important, "he must possess real 

 understanding which leads to true com- 

 panionship." One girl has clearly .seen 

 that there must be mutual concessions 

 in order that understanding and real 

 companionship, with the resulting great 

 affection, will reign supreme. 



Hybrid Creeds 



Some anticipation of the difficulties 

 caused by crossing creeds leads a few 

 to foreswear matches involving such 

 possibilities. While religion has been 

 mentioned by a very few still, it is a 

 very active part of one girl's ideal, who 

 must qualify, according to her terse 

 statement, as "healthy, clean, white and 

 a desciple and lover of Jesus Christ, 

 our Lord." 



The increasing expectation of pre- 

 marital discussions and frankness can- 

 not fail to pj"oduce desirable results. 

 We cannot help but feel that the writer 

 of the following lines is on the right 

 track and hoj^e that she will meet her 

 match "who must be able to talk frank- 

 ly of marriage and its relations in order 

 to have the right understanding. If he 

 cannot, he has false modesty which is 

 ignorance." Incidentally there is to be 

 no condoning of wild oat farming, nor 

 yet of intemperance of any sort. 



It is a pleasure to note that a few 

 girls — but none of the boys — know that 

 the most essential mental characteristic 

 needed to bridge over many of life's 

 rough places is a sense of humor. If 

 one can laugh there is at least small op- 

 portunity for crying unless, of course, 

 one possesses a Celtic gene, when it is 

 l^ossible to do both at once and enjoy it 

 greatly. 



"The desire of all women is to have 

 liealthy children" though possibly open 

 to debate on at least one score, still 

 cx])resses an issue that is not dodged 

 bv anv. Unless thev fall down when 



