CHAPTER XXXII 

 THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE HUMAN RACE 



Problems : How did man become civilized f 



What is social inheritance ? 



What is the meaning of euthenics f 



What is the triangle of life ? 



What is the meaning of eugenics f 



Do Mendel's laws apply to man f 



How may we make use of this knowledge f 



Laboratory Suggestions 



Demonstration. The germ cells of ascaris or of a sea urchin, to show chromo- 

 somes. 



Home project. A study of the controllable factors of my environment. 



Home or laboratory study. To make a comparison of some applications of 

 the laws of heredity. 



Home project. How may I determine my future vocation? 



Home project. To work out the inheritance of certain traits or peculiarities 

 in my own family. 



How has Man become Civilized ? — It is a far cry from the 

 home of the cave man to the elaborate structures in which we live 

 to-day, and from his simple life to the rush and bustle of a modern 

 city. Let us see how such progress has been achieved. 



We have seen that instinct plays an important part in the lives 

 of animals lower than man. A baby chick just hatched pecks at 

 a bad-tasting worm and receives a sense impression, so that after 

 a few more mistakes of the same kind, it learns that such worms 

 are not good and must be left alone. Man not only learns to 

 profit by experience, as does the chick, but in addition he passes 

 on this knowledge to others. While we cannot hand on this 

 knowledge by heredity, we can teach others, and they in turn 

 can teach their generation. In this way our race has made wonder- 

 ful progress, the benefits of which we are now enjoying. This great 



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