The Washington times., 1904-05-15

" HE charge of race suicide" which
President Roosevelt. the presi-
Il dent of Harvard. and the comic
papers have made against the modern
college graduate rests on no fair basis.
says DIR. Theodate L. Smith in a recent
publication OF Clark University
The alarming outcry in regard to the
future population of the United States
is founded upon too narrow a study Of
statistics and upon the biological blum
der OF estimating the increase of popula-
ton per man instead OF per woman.
From close study OF the statistics
OF Yale and Harvard colleges through
the last 200 years DR.. Smith has found
that the number of children in these
circles during the century is not ex'
The decrease in the size of families is
undeniable; since 1870 scarcely a class
has reproduced itself, the average num-
less than two. This fact is, however,
Offset on the one hand by less mortal
ity among women and fewer second
marriages among the men, and on the
other by the greater vitality OF the
children in the smaller families of this
generation
1t is erroneous to assume that the
statistics concerning the birth rate
alumni show the average number OF chill
dren per couple.
Many Wives to Rear Children.
A study of the biographies of these
graduates of 200 years ago reveals that
a second, a third, fourth, or even a
NTH wife was required 20 bring up the
large families which were in fashion at
that time. AS many as 40 per cent of
the wives of Yale graduates between
llOl and 11O5 did not live TO bring up their
children. The Harvard record closely
parallels that Of Yale.
IF a man has twelve children and
marrieS five times" argues DIR. Smith
on this point. citing an actual record
the true average or children per couple
for that family is four and not twelve
1t is true that the later wives some
times had few or no children of their
own. but in the estimate of children
this makes no difference, as these wo-
men were required 20 bring up those of
Others" The problem OF superfiuous
woman did not exist in those days, he
says humorouslY.
Conditions of life in the American colo
MES during the eighteenth century were
hard on everyone. but particularly
hard on women who married college
graduates that went into the ministry.
And the ministry was the favcrite pro-
fession of college men, One-half of the
4S3 members of the Yale classes be-
tween that year and 1853 one-third chose
this same calling.
Worn Out by Large Families.
At this period a ministers average
salary was $40 TO $50, and drewood.
Usually it was necessary to exc this out
by teaching. and by running small
farm.
Marriage was universal, and most men
married young, especially ministers, who
seem to have regarded this as the next
step after ordination. The average was
twenty-one; among women IL was
younger, many marri-c IN their teens,
and some brides were oily fourteen
years of age.
The list OF a colonial mothers duties
and cares which DR.. Smith makes out
reminds one of the statement which
General Otis made In Chicago before
the Mayfiower Society a couple of years
ago. The pilgrim mothers, he said, de-
served even more respect than the pill
grim fathers did. for they not only had
to endure as many hardships as the
latter, but they had 10 endure the pill
grim fathers, TOO.
The wife of the early college graduate.
according TO DR.. Smith. was expected 70
bring up at least eight children. With
the aid of the older ones she spun.
wove. knitted, sewed, baked, brewed,
washed, and ironed. and in many cases
made tho butter and cheese for the
family" A large proportion OF the
mothers whose families reached or eX-