86 Environment and Efficiency 



of this kind, extending, if possible, over a much^ longer period, 

 that those who have the welfare of the institution child at 

 heart, can hope to refute the theory that larceny, drunkenness, 

 prostitution, and other forms of vice, are transmitted with the 

 same regularity from one generation to another as characters 

 of mental defect. For if the part played by environment 

 in the formation of the child's character is as small as some 

 Eugenists would have us believe, how can we account for the 

 marked contrast displayed between the early and later history 

 of these children ? 



The following contentions of course may be raised : 



1. That it is not possible to base conclusions upon records 

 kept for periods of under, say, 20 years. 



2. That in any case the vicious characters are lying latent 

 to be reproduced in a future generation. 



With regard to the first of these criticisms, the inadequacy 

 of many of these records has already been acknowledged ; 

 and although the object of this thesis has been to prove the 

 very definite part played by environment in the development 

 of character and efficiency, as illustrated by these records, I 

 have never attempted to maintain the impossible position that 

 every one of these young people, so far classed as satisfactory, 

 will therefore remain satisfactory until the end of their lives. 



I have, however, quoted various authorities to prove that 

 the unemployed workmen of middle life have frequently been 

 found to originate in those numberless boys who drift from the 

 moment of leaving school ; and I have thought it fair to infer 

 that the boy, satisfactorily accounted for during the first five 

 years of his adult life, may well become the reliable workman 

 of 40 or 50. 



As to the length of time for which records should be kept, 

 two, if not three of the institutions whose books I have 

 investigated, will, in the course of another 10 or 15 years, 

 be able to produce records of 20 and 30 years' duration. 

 And with regard to the numerous institutions where either 



