490 HEREDITY AND ENVIRONMENT 



The essence of all education is self discovery 

 and self control. When education helps an 

 individual to discover his own powers and limi- 

 tations and shows him how to get out of his 

 heredity its largest and best possibilities it will 

 fulfil its real function; when children are 

 taught not merely to know things but particu- 

 larly to know themselves, not merely how to 

 do things but especially how to compel them- 

 selves to do things, they may be said to be 

 really educated. For this sort of education 

 there is demanded rigorous discipline of the 

 powers of observation, of the reason, and es- 

 pecially of the will. 



It is possible greatly to improve heredity: 

 (a) By weeding out from the possibility of 

 reproduction human stocks bearing serious 

 defects. (b) By cultivating pride in good 

 heredity and by discouraging voluntary in- 

 fertility on the part of those who have a goodly 

 heritage, (c) By increasing opportunities for 

 early and favorable marriages, (d) By care- 

 fully conserving the best human mutations or 

 inherited variations. In this way if in any 

 way the better race will be produced. The 



