Racial Experience 



may easily mistake in our characterization, but 

 we recognize that different races have different 

 Inherited capacities and tendencies. 



The fixedness of a tendency is roughly pro- 

 portional to the length of time during which it 

 has characterized the race. One well-fixed tend- 

 ency will modify to a large extent all our modes 

 of thought and our views on all questions. It 

 gives us the standpoint from which all prob- 

 lems are vlew^ed and studied. 



But early environment aids the fixedness and 

 spread of these tendencies and habits of thought. 

 The young child Is exceedingly imitative, and 

 almost as open to suggestion as the hypnotized 

 patient. The mother, busied and burdened by 

 cares of home and household, regrets that she 

 cannot do more to educate her children. She 

 forgets that her Industry, fidelity, cheerfulness, 

 poise and steadiness, hope, courage, faith, rever- 

 ence, calmness, kindliness, and courtesy are all 

 reproducing themselves in their minds and 

 hearts. The child, left to nurses, acquires the 

 virtues of a faithful servant or the vices of a 

 hireling. What the child learns from books by 

 application and mental effort is the smallest part 

 of his acquisitions. He absorbs almost or quite 



139 



