Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-08-28

doctor at Harvard some 90 years ago, DR.. William
I. Brigham. who went around measuring students.
DR.. Brigham had actually measured 1000 OF them.
and had carefully tabulated and filed his figures. a
generation later, DR.. Dudley "A. Sargent. the great
pioneer Of physical education, conducted a similar
enterprise. But Dr. Sargent did not stop al a mere
1000. He measured 2O,OOOl
NTOW, in The present student body. there are boys
who are sons Of the men measured BY DR..
Sargent, and ~grandsons Of those measured BY
Dr.. Brigham. Mr.. Bowles did not stop with the
hgures al hand. He sent out 800 letters, and re-
ceived about $50 replies. After dubious cases were
excluded. the final count yielded measurements Of
400 sons and fathers. l32 grandfathers, and eight
greatgrandiathers
Nothing could Be done about The mothers Of Har-
ward men. because Mr.. Bowles found il quite i'm
possible to secure their measurements. But he went
to work and secured data on sol mothers and their
daughters who had attended Wellesley. Vassar.
Smith and Mt. Holyoke colleges. And. when he
had accumulated thousands and thousands Of figures.
he began his computations.
Bowles worked practically day and night for two
years. And. when he had finished, he returned i'm
mediately 70 Japan. for a good. long rest. Now
DR.. Hooton has published the young mans report.
and il contains all manner Of interesting things.
The annual increase in the average height Of the
American people Is a full inch every 3 years. The
present college generation Of Harvard men Of Old
American stock Is one Of the talest groups in the
world. (By "Old American Mr.. Bowles means
Ah1ML FAM@E 1912 80 1870 @A1&@ NV 49, IT A@
country for al least two generations.)
Modern sons are an inch and a third taller than
their fathers. Modern daughters are an inch and n
tenth taller than their mothers. Harvard boys born
between 1905 and 1915 are tallest Of all. They
average FIVE feet ten and one-tenth inches. which.
when you stop to think about il. is a pretty astonish-
ing average.
The increase in weight Of sons over fathers IS al
ost as marked as their superiority in stature. Old Amer
ans at Harvard weigh. on an average. 80 pounds. That.
course, is stripped. Their fathers. at their age, weighed
My al IL. Which means that the sons are eight and
half pounds heavier than their fathers were.
girls TO diet. You'd think. tD hear people talk. that
emaciation is a vogue. and that girls are much thin
er than their mothers used to be. AS a matter OF tact.
ollege daughters are seven and a half pounds heavier
Ian their mothers were. This does not mean that they
stockier. They are taller and relatively more slender.
The girls have greater chest expansion. II says Mr..
iowles. greater lung capacity, and greater chest girth
ian their mothers. They suIpass their mothers in every
imension except breadth Of hips. Their hips are more
Ian an inch narrower"
Legs are longer. arms are longer. and shoulders are
reader. The same thing is true Of the boys In Bowles'
Irvey. With the exception Of breadth Of hips and length
upper arm. their measurements are all superior to their
This great increase in height and weight y not re-
ricted to Harvard men and the women Of eastern col
points out Dr.. Hooton. Student measurements
low that this phenomenon u occurring all over the country.
ut Bowles. | think. is the only investigator who has been
bic to demonstrate II in family generations. ~ contrasted
nth mere college groups ct successive years.
MIR. Bowles. by the way, did not measure the girls him.
Ii was done by hygiene instructors in their various
ollege gymnasums. And The comparisons were obtained
rom measurements made approximately p years ago.
hen the mothers Of the present students were In college