The San Francisco call., 1899-05-12
MANY STUDENTS EXAMINED
NERVOUS MIGRATORY TYPE
PREDOMINATES.
Blondes Are in the Majority and the
Average Stature is Taller Than
That of the Eastern
People.
Special Dispatch to The Call.


STANFORD UNIVERSITY. May Ii
DR.. c. c. Closson who is measuring the
heads of the Stanford students in the
gymnasium here in an endeavor to obtain
data TO substantiate the theory that the
shape of the human skull has much 10 do
with race movements and habits, will re-
main at his post until the end of the
semester, when he will go to San Fran
cisco to pursue his Investigations among
the Swiss, German and French inhabit-
ants there. Next fall he will take meas
urements at Berkeley similar to those
now being taken here.
DR.. CIossOn has examined about 130
students Although he has not COM
piled the information obtained, he is able
to say that the large majority of the
men at the university are OF the long
headed, urban type, the chief character
istics Of which are migratory activity,
energy, late marriages apd small families.
He is under the impression that there is
a much larger number of blondes at
Stanford than in the Eastern colleges,
though in the shape of the head there is
no material difference between them. Ii
is asserted that Eastern college students
are more narrow headed than those in
England.
This fact has an important bearing on
the statement that the long headed type
of people is responsible for the settle
in the north of Europe the long headed
type predominates, but, that it grows
weaker toward the south. Hence, the
fact that the students of the United
States are narrower headed than the
students of England shows that even
where the long-headed type predominates
1t is the most extreme cases of this for
nation that are the ones to migrate.
The influence of their traits is one of the
reasons why new countries develop rapid
ly until such numbers of the broad
headed or Alpine type, with their slow or
stationary habits and average intelectu-
ality, reduce the high activity of the
pioneers, when the growth is slower. The
same IS to certain extent true in the
birth and growtE o. towns and cities
The Investigations being made by DR..
ClossOn and his colleagues in aGthrO-
biological study have revealed some curl
Gus facts relative to the population of the
United States. In the first place, il is be-
lieved that there is tendency for blonde
complexion and tall stature TO associate
with the narrow. type of head. 1t is
found from army measurement statistics
that the people of the United States are
taller than those of Continental Europe;
tnat the people of the different natiOnal-
ties who have migrated here are taller
than their countrymen at home; that even
the population of the Western United
States averages taller than that of the
East, while the people who come West
from Massachusetts are taller than those
left in Massa chusettS
These strange condolences of physical
characteristics with race movements have
led anthrOpologists 10 arrive at the con-
CluSiOn that there were originally two
types of men-one short of stature, dark
compleXioned broad-headed and sluggish
in nature the other, tall, narrowheaded,
blonde, unsettled in habits and of an in
quiring mind The intermarriage of
these two types has brought about the
various kinds of men we have to-day, and
so 1t in no wise refutes the theory to find
d broad-headed man with the mental and
domestic characteristics attributed to
the other type, and vice versa. Never
theless, this seems to be the exception,
not the rule, and the general contour of
the head still stands the clearest eX-
pOnent of permanent hereditary differ
ences in the human species. Not that
these eminent scientists believe in bump
Ology' and support fake phrenOlogists in
their assertions that they can tell by
lingering a mans Uranium whether he is
sentimental or sour. a thief or a parsOn
a poet or a scientist, but the color of the
eyes and the size of the human stature
are liable TO notifications by local cir
cumstances, while the shape of peoples
heads is little influenced by climate, food
or habits.
This wide view of mankind is not of as
great Importance to the particular groUD
OF anthrOpOlOgists to which DR.. ClOsson
belongs, as is the question of social strait
fcaton and displacement. Society has
often been likened to a pyramid whose
base is the bone and snew of the land
and the apex the upper classes. but this
likeness can be carried still farther-the
base being largely of the broad headed
into predominance of the narrow head
ed. The pyramid is constantly changing
People are dropping off at the top and
being recruited from the abest represent
ablest representatives of the lower classes.
1t is known as a fact that several gener-
ations ago the average family of genteeI
parents was eight children, where now it
is only two.
From the large common class of society
grow two distinct clasSeS-One. the intelli-
gent middle class in city and country
whose members have medium-sized fami-
lies, but somehow fail to materially bet
ter their condition; and the other, the up
per class, with nervous, energetic charac-
teristfcs and small families. Both of
these latter two classes the ma iOritv of
whom are narrow-headed, tend to die out.
but the number of generations necessary
to accomplish this has not been deter
mined. This is one of the Things which
DR.. Closson. DR.. Sargent of Harvard and
Or. Ripley of Columbia are now attempt
Ing to flnd out. and at the same time dis
cover the exact effect of education and
refinement on the size of the family
The study in California will afford data.
though necessarily incomplete, as to the
size of families among Californians What
IN anthropology In Europe and the United
states Will reveal is only surmise, but it
Is liable to cause a reconstruction Of ideas
as to the history of the human race and
will undoubtedly throw considerable light
on our obscure past. Already me inVes-
supported by solid reasoning, that the
home of the Aryan race was in the center
OF Europe, rather than in India, and that
the blonde, narrow-headed type Of man
originated in Scandinavia, when that land
was larger and it's climate more suitable
for human habitation.
TWO CDANTTCJ HTrNrc