Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1905-12-02
RIGHT HANDED FOLKS
WHY ARE THEY so VERY LARGELY IN
THE MAJORITY
There Are Two Factors In the Prob
lem, an Inherited Tendency anu
Constant Practice-The Origin OK
the Innate PrOclivity.

Constant PractIce-The Origin OF
the Innate Proclivity.
That the great majority of persons
use the right hand with greater skill
Than the left is doubtless due to two
influences - an innate procliyity ana
constant practice. The preference
shown by most infants at the age OF
one wear for the use of the right mana
proves that there is an inherited tend
encv. Further evidence OF 1t Is tounu
I'm the greater ease with which any en-
tirely new act Is performed by the right
than by the left hand. Training, now
ever. is an important factor. y mature
nerson. having lost the right mana by
accident, can achieve wonders WIN
the other If he only exercises patience
perseverance and strong VIII.
The more mysterious Of the two rae
tors in this problem is the Unborn tend
ency. How did it arise? There are
exceptions to the rule. Perhaps TWO
ont of every hundred babies are leIt
handed. But when you stop to thihK OIL
If the natural inclination Of the other
ninety-eight is remarkable y great
many psychologists have specuiated i'll
regard TO its cause without reachlhs
any conclusion upon which all couiu
agree.
DIR. George NJ. Gould says In the
Ponular Science Monthly that right
handedness Is so thoroughly ingratiat-
ed In human nature that 1t must nave
been partially developed in the savage
ancestors of the race. Primitive man,
In his opinion. must have felt a definite
neod for the exercise Of his right mana
I'm preference to his left, and that ne
cessity must have been recognized anu
obeved for long period continuously
The impulse could not well nave nc
tated his habits in eating, for knives
ond forks are of recent origin, the
modern gun had not been inVenteu'
and writing was practically unknown
Moreover. in such operations as emp
ming arrowheads, weaving baskets anu
welding clubs, bows and arrows IL
could not have mattered much which
hand was employed.
When warfare had been carried 10
such a stage of advancement as 10 Ill,
volve the use Of a shield, however, tha'
object was probably held on the lel'
side In order to protect the heart Ihen
as a matter Of convenience the rlgh'
arm was leg free for the more acuNt
function of fighting with spear aho
sword. and with habitual exercise
came special skill An attendant phe
nomenon was a Amer organization o.
that particular center In the Dran
which controlled these movements an'
which was situated In the left hair o
the organ. The brain is the real seat o
all dexterity, and something take
nlace there In correspondence with ex
ternal efficiency. With an increased
use Of the right hand, DIR. Gould thinks
there must have been greater demand
upon the right eye, because vision mus
nrecede the order to strike or to CIV
neaceful signals. In this way ther
may have been developed keene
mower Of vision in the right eye than
the left DR.. Gould assumes that Their
was and declares that right hande
neople are right eyed" and that In the
brains the center Of vision Is on tn
left side. in close proximity to that go'
erning the right arm.
While civilization was yet at 10
level communication was carried o.
especially with strangers, largely
the sign language Barter laid Il
: foundations of arithmetic and called Il
, TO play the diglts The preference a
ready given to the right hand In bait
NAV have guided men in the choice II
This service and also in official ana S
cial ceremonies. Computation, u
Gould points out, was an intellectu
: process which was conducted IN u
speech center Of the brain. Nature WI
+ compelled to take sides in locating q
I latter. and she placed It to the lett
e 4be middle. DR.. Gould thinks that Il
choice was governed by the emplo
j ment of the right hand for giving 81
n nails. SO intimately related are t
functions of speech and vision al
the control of the muscular efforts WI
the right arm that action would
% Quicker II the cerebral centers contr'
e ling them were closely associated.
B Before discussing the cause OF ie
- handedness DR.. Gould calls attention
~ the fact that with right handed peoI
70 the left hand Is occasionally called
=. on to perform task of greater imp
~ lance than its mate. In eating
! fork is used more than the knife.
IL nlaving a violin or vlOloncello the I
T. qerlng is done with the left hand a
~ tbe bowling with the right. 1t Is 81
oested that some Of these operate
NAV result from the superiority OF
/. right eye. Perhaps the latter can wal
&c and guide them better when they
>, performed with the left than with
- right hand.
e' Left bandedness is considered by
ho Gould an inheritance from anceSto
savage or civilized, who were oDllt
nv some misfortune to abandon the
- of the right hand. An even more I'M
- entail injury, he thinks, would h'
been as to the right eye. With the
tivation Of skill with the left hand,
.. believes, there followed a change
~ the organization Of the brain. Ow
~ TO disease the center, which had
20 merly controlled action, lost Its VII
U and that on the opposite side acqui
Nv increased power. DR.. Gould says I
III III the speech center was also transfer
w from the left side to the right OF
40 brain in consequence. In the transn
~ sion Of the cerebral popularity to
spring he finds the key to the manil
tation of left handedness at ten
age.-New York Tribune.
"a In Darkest London.
NSN 0Tbild Slaves Of Or