The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-12-17
'Hu m an Capacity
Fixed BY Heredity
Limit Is Absolute, Scientist1
Holds, but Influenced
by Environment

Despite the fact this is the time
of year when most peoples minds
are on the frivolities of Christmas
tide, the debate as between heredity
and environment is commanding
/ the attention Of those who are
generally supposed to take scien.
| tific subjects and facts as matter
/ of course, as well as the serioni
| thinkers.
The Heredity Editor, who two
weeks ago invited readers of tAe
! Washington Times to give othcy
readers the benefit OF their views
Is just as busy an editor as the
GOOD FELLOW editor who is
spreading Yuletide joy and cheer
into thousands of Washington
homes where there would be ~
Christmas il it were not for his
activity.
In fact, to let out an office Sc
cret, there is quite a competition
on between the Heredity editor
and the Good Fellow. editor to see
whose stack Of mail each morning
Is the largest. And so it goes--if
1t isn't one thing it's another.
Work Over-Laps.
Incidentally the work of these
two editors is somewhat overlap
ping, for the writer's of many Of
the letters are expecting to earn
q, copy Of Harold Bell Wright $
novel, "A Son Of His Father" one
OF which is being given away each
day for the best letter on heredity
and environment.
Over dozen copies of this book
have been awarded since the hered-
fly argument was launched by this
newspaper and IN many instances
the winners Of the book are actual
" reading it first themselves and
then easing it on to some one else
as a Christmas gift. Can you beat
that? And thus, the Heredity edi-
tor thinks he)is doing lot OF the
work which really belongs to the
Good Fellow editor.
But let's get along to the busi-
ness at hand namely, heredity vs..
environment.
There has been so much smoke
and birthstone released on this issue
that the Heredity Editor thought
he'd go to the front from which
all information flows on the sub
ject OF heredfty-there to get the
real low-down.
Accordingly, he stepped over to
the Carnegie institute to interview
DR.. Charles B. Davenport, director
of the department Of genetics. And
there he found a true disciple OF
the theory OF heredity.
Limit Set BY Heredity
.aThe human capacity for accom-
pIishment, says this savant, is
absolutely limited by the herdity
factors that have gone into the
makeup OF the individual. You
will often hear musicians say, It's
30 wonder I am musical; was at
the piano as soon as was old
enough to sit on the stool But
they are wrong; for IL the heredity
factors had not been there, all the
plano lessons In the world would
not have helped them. Look at
the thousands OF aspiring amateurs
who take lessons assiduously and
never get anywhere.
II should say that, like Goethe,
and most other persons who have
thought over the matter,s1 find that
1 can trace many Of my tastes and
instincts and capacities to both
paternal and maternal sides Of the
house. No doubt there are certain
OF these that are not found in
either The father or the mother but
have appeared in other relatives on
both sides.
at have been somewhat amused
ITO find how have been led to do
certain things that my father took
great interest in doing, although in
temperament and other interests in
life / am very different from him.
think that the example played a
small part. for as young man my
bent was in quite a different direc-s
ton from my fathers.
The tastes have come out later.
after he was dead and gone. They
have nothing to do with a desire
to emulate his example. The prin-
cipal way. ] have no doubt. that
my parents influenced me, as adult
parents. was in furnishing good
environment. especially an inhibi-
tory one.
Finds Them Intertwined
Now. the Heredity Editor asks
you, observe how well the opening
theories expressed by DR.. Daven-'
port on the lives OF musicians, fit
into those expressed by Meyer
Davis, head OF an organization of
100 Jazz orchestras, and a finished
"a
"Heredity and environment are to
me such intertwined elements that
1" find 1t difficult to separate them.
Don't heredity or general family
traits in most cases create the en-
vironment? Thus a child in a
musically inclined family, while per-
haps possessing good natural mus
ical talent. is surrounded from hi
birth by an atmosphere which vii
promote his ability.
While none Of my family were
musicians by profession, all were
very fond Of music. Both my
brother Uriel and I were giver
musical instruction from a YER
early age and thus. In our teen
were ready for professional wor'
IF ! had not had some inbor
talent could hardly have learne
to play the violin well enough fo
professional appearances, and
my family environment had no
been OF sort to help me along,
might very well have grown wei
into young manhood without think
ing OF studying music"
Or course you want to know the
winner OF today's copy of "A Son of
His Father" the appearance OF
which book started all of this argu
ment anyway. Well, it is Miss Glare
kallfelz. the Concord, of this CITY
And here are her views. which. i'm
cidentally agree and disagree in tho
same breath with those of DIR. Dav
export or Harold Bell Wright him
self.