The Age of Parents 51 



of schooling, and partly because of lack of years 

 when the eldest son was bom. The eldest son is 

 said to have been feeble-minded, and the head 

 of the principal feeble-minded branch of the 

 Kallikak family. 



The second son, born after Martin, Jr., had 

 come nearer to the thirty-year standard, was 

 also feeble-minded, but to a less extent. Some 

 branches of his descendants are said to have been 

 normal-minded or doubtful. The third son, born 

 after Martin, Jr., was still nearer the thirty-year 

 standard, is said to have been normal. Martin, 

 Jr., also had several daughters. The earlier ones 

 were all feeble-minded, but the last two are said 

 to have been normal. The parents had acquired 

 mental development between the births of their 

 first and last children. 



Let us return to the history of Martin, Sr. 

 About ten years after the contretemps which 

 resulted in the feeble-minded Martin, Jr., Mar- 

 tin, Sr., married a girl of good family and one 

 who had a good or fair education. At this time 

 Martin, Sr., was nearly thirty years of age, and 

 was much nearer to what is normal-mindedness 

 for average parents when the average child is 



