The Eugenic Marriage, Volume 1 (of 4): A Personal Guide to the New Science of Better Living and Better BabiesHague, W. Grant (William Grant)
Science
The Eugenic Marriage, Volume 1 (of 4): A Personal Guide to the New Science of Better Living and Better Babies
Hague, W. Grant (William Grant)
Eugenics; Hygiene; Marriage
There is only one way to prevent these types from becoming a menace.
Restrain them while they are still developing; keep them from becoming free
agents in the community they menace. Types continually come up in the
Children's Society and the Children's Court. They are carefully studied.
From the actions of the child, from his parents and family history, from
the frequency with which he repeats some offense particularly pleasing to
him, and by virtue of psychological tests and careful medical examinations
the examiners are able to pick out children who should receive scientific
care and treatment.
"The characteristics of the feeble-minded are usually deceiving. One
expects to find them with low brows and furtive looks and more or less
vicious in appearance after they develop criminal tendencies. One would[41]
expect them to show stupidity at a glance. On the contrary, they are
sometimes bright on the surface, amiable, good-tempered under trying
conditions, and almost likeable for their external social side. This is
particularly true of the high grade defectives. The lower order may be
taciturn, gloomy and retiring, and these traits may be noticed almost from
infancy. But as they grow up their social nature may be developed, and they
too may give the appearance of amiableness. One notable thing about them is
their pose of frank innocence. In this they are engaging, and almost
convincing.
"The street type that makes a gangster is practically the same if cruder in
development. These children usually exhibit absolutely no sign of affection
for their parents, no sympathy, and are notably cruel toward animals. One
boy we had in the Children's Society persistently killed all the dogs and
cats his family kept. Finally, when they ceased keeping the animals he got
at the canary cage and killed the bird by pulling the feathers out singly.
He had no compunction about lying, and looked you right in the eye when he
lied. Otherwise he was charming and natural."
While moral insanity is hereditary, yet it can be produced in one
generation. An alcoholic man with clean antecedents may leave tainted
descendants. The only way to combat these conditions in the city is to have
strict registration of all feeble-minded and insane. The state should
discover them, examine them through public officials, and segregate them.
Not only physicians, but school teachers and officials in public
institutions should detect them. There should be in each state an
institution for feeble-minded delinquents.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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