A PROBLEM IN EDUCATIONAL EUGENICS 367 



college whicli tlic high school afTords would serve quite as useful a pur- 

 pose to the entrance board as is now served by the examination or cer- 

 tificate; indeed, in most respects a mucli higher credential than the 

 latter. But beyond this ordinary entrance tribunal tliere sliould be one 

 of still deeper importance. If the earlier school life has been largely 

 one of grounding and discipline the college should be distinctively one 

 of discrimination and selection. There is no more expensive and 

 important institution in human society than the college and university. 

 It is obviously unfair to add to the constantly increasing burden for 

 supporting tliese social institutions by adding to their obligations the 

 thankless task of educating the uneducable ; cultivating a defective soil ; 

 producing a superior fruit from degenerate seed. Yet such is the 

 present program. 



Let there be added to the entrance examination already in vogue an 

 inquiry into the eugenic pedigree of every entering freshman. This 

 will involve no additional machinery; simply a better type of medical 

 inspection; one which will not stop short with a test of lungs or heart 

 or musculature; but will inquire into antecedents touching mental and 

 moral as well as physical traits. That such is not so radical a matter 

 as might at first sight appear, note the following recommendation made 

 to the board of trustees of a state university only a year ago. 



"A Chair of Individual Attention." — This sounds a bit vague, or 

 worse, and it is not quite clear as to just what was involved in such a 

 diair, but the following will afford some clue : 



To ascertain everything possible as to the antecedents of every student 

 entering college, he (the professor) should know from pastor, teachers, parents 

 and all qualified to testify concerning him, what his life has been from infancy 

 through the kindergarten, the grades and the high school up to the time of his 

 entrance to college. It would be possible for such an expert to learn something 

 of the causes that have contributed to the previous failure or successes of the 

 student. (Miami Bull., 1911.) 



Without attempting a discussion of this particular suggestion, or 

 an inquiry as to just what might have been the aim, it seems fairly 

 evident that one feature concerned was a more intimate personal rela- 

 tion with the student. The program herein proposed involves this and 

 much in addition. That the personal concern is important is beyond 

 all question; but that much more is imperative and fundamental is 

 equally certain. It matters little just what name may be attached to 

 such a chair. It might be designated the professorship of educational 

 eugenics; or it might be called the chair of hygiene and physical cul- 

 ture; or any other of a dozen such. The point of real importance is 

 that such a chair be created and placed on the same basis of dignity and 

 independence as that of histor}' or economics, and given opportunity 

 and facilities essential to efficiency. To the writer no departure in 

 educational progress is more imperative than that here proposed, and 

 lie earnestly anticipates its early realization. 



