The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-07-17
American People lend
To Drift from TONES

AIIIEJ JCdu ! CUpIC JENu
To Drift From ii0nles
SAYS DR.. JOHNSON IN PRESENT
| ING METHODS OF RESEARCH
TO EUcENIcs CLASS.
That the American people are tend
ing to drift away from the home, the
unite of society, brought atou. large
ly through commercial and profes
sional pursuits, was contention
made by Prof. Ralph l.. johnson be
fore his class in Eugenics, yesterday
morning. This has tendency to re-
suit in a reduced birth rate, as does
the employment Of women in factories
and the love for social life.
1T is the business of Eugenics to
concern itself with the birth rate as
well as with the quality Of the peo'
| v =
ple," said the speaker. In order
that society keep apace there must be
four births to every marriage, as has
been shown by statistics on the birth
and death rates.
The method Of research in eugenics
must concern itself with several i'm.
portant factors, as outlined by DR..
johnson. 1t must take into consider
alton certain vital statistics, such as
the number of children born in each
family, the number Of blind children
and the number Of children mentally
defective. It has been shown, for in
stance, that the increase in population
in Prussia in 1909 was fifteen per
thousand. In Italy, Scotland and Eng.
land the increase was eleven for ev.
cry thousand Of population. The pop.
ulation of France was stationary. The
ratio Of the birth rate In: England,
Wales and Scotland in 1870 was thirty
five, and by 1910, it had dropped to
twenty.seven. In the London slums
the birth rate fell twelve per cent
from 1881 to 1901, and among the
better class Of people it fell thirty-six
per cent. Among the peers. where
the average number Of children was
five per family before 1870, it has
dropped to three. Foreign statistics
are quoted because the population is
more staple and they are the more
easily acquired.
Eugenics must consider the EN-.
ployment Of women, and It has been
found that the birth rate is low
where women are employed in fac
tories. It is high in agricultural
communities and again falls where So
cial pursuits are much INDUCED in.
These facts have been shown by
statistics.
The problems Of population, must
be Of concern to the eugenist, it was
pointed out. He must determine the
rate Of increase Of population, or the
decreasing birth rate. the increasing
proportion Of aged persons and the
quality Of the people. Such a re-
search has revealed that the problems
of feeble-mindedness, drunkenness,
ETC., are hereditary, in sense that
the same Affections have been found
to appear in several generations. Like
will mate with like, and will beget
like.
Stress is laid on the medical in.
spection OF school children for such
physical defects as adenoids, afflic-
lions of the eye and ear, etc. This
must 60 farther in special cases, to
the home. Consideration Is made Of
pauperism, its extent, cause and ten.
denotes, as well as criminal statistics
duO I0O ACSuAC6 VI OAvAAOAAAOASs <3A
Of these must be considered in the
betterment Of the race. All Of these
must come into consideration from
the eugenist's point Of view, for the
betterment Of the race.
Prof. Johnson is an authority on
the subject Of Eugenics and children
of the special class. His lectures
have become very popular part Of
the summer term, being heard by
many members of the faculty and cit
liens. as well as by his classes. Es-
pecial interest has been aroused in
his clinics held each Saturday after
noon, when actual tests are applied
as used at the institutions for chill
dren Of the special class.
TEAchERs' INSTITUTE
TO OPEN At NORMAL
III