The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-04-29
Meet The Author
Condensed From New York Post)


Ruth Fulton Benedict be-
came an anthropologist a
quarter Of a century ago be-
cause she wanted to find out
what made people tick"
During the subsequent years she
pair scholarly visits 20 various
American Indian tribes and pre-
pared Columbia University stu
dents for expeditions to remote
corners Of the world such as Mel
anesia, Malaysia and Polynesia.
Out OF the resulting studies she
produced q half dozen tones rang
ing from her early "Zuni Mythol-
| ogy" to the more recent patterns
Of Culture" but nothing In them
prepared her for the political bonn
bast and bureaucratic nice-nellyism
which recently greeted her dime
pamphlet. The Races Of Mankind"
and blocked its distribution among
American servicemen.
Difficult To Comprehend
That She's . Celebrity
II Il difficult for her to eompre-
held how controversy could capa-
puit her cool s4-page summary Of
the facts Of race" into the list Of
best-selling volumes In this war,
with nearly half . million copies
sold to civilians and more being
sold every day.
She isn't even reconciled TO her
new status as a celebrity. I'm
afraid I'm not good theatre" she
says, with an intonation that sug-
gests no great inclination to meet
public curiosity.
Prof. Benedict is a slender wom-
an in her middle Sos. with snow
white hair and expressive black
eyebrows. Her costume favors
black and white and her converse
ton achieves a corresponding dig
nified clarity. She has green eyes,
wears tortoiSe-shelled glasses.
Though now in Washington on a
leave Of absence from Columbia to
carry out an important war assign
ment. she is a native OF New York
and during most of her life has
lived in a Central Park West apart
ment.
Ruth Fulton came from a family
that never had much financial mar
gin. Her father, a physician. died
when she was two. Her mother
brought up Ruth and a sister by
teaching school and working as a
librarian. The girls helped earn
their way through Vsssar.
While still in college Ruth met
Stanley r. Benedict, an Ohio boy
who was the brother OF one Of her
close friends. He was already
teaching at Syracuse university.
They were married in 1914. He died
in 1888. They had no children.
Ruth Fulton Benedict started 10
$ ecialiIe in psychology but switch
ed 10 anthropology because lit was
about the 95 per cent Of behavior
which we have in common in any
country. rather than about the diff
ferences
The Races Of Mankind"
Only Weekend Pamphlet
Since only few thousand In
tellectuals read and applauded her
various scholarly books. IL doesn't
SCCll kCdSOidOAC " AlCA IOW blldb
a popular distillation Of her phi
losophy and findings should find
mass support.
Why. The Races OF Mankind Is
only little pamphlet done over the
weekend" she says. wonderingly.
My Race: Science and Politics.
published in 1910. and put out in
England under the title Races and
Races is a much more enlightening
book"
Prof Benedic. has no intention 10
add new fuel 10 the fires OF con-
troversy. All she says is: Il don't !
think so badly Of American boys 70 /
believe that the facts Of rate would !
hurt them at all"
y y y
Things have 10 be pushed locally. !
Legislation Is piffling "a . func-
Iionai measure 10 end racial pretu- |
dice. Any change that makes q dif-
terence must be accepted by the
MY only hope about The Races
% Mankind Il that Its wide civilian
will help create the
.ort Of understanding that leads 10
Iocal action
TAKE Tor HoNoRs AT REVIEW