EUGENICS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14900, 13 February 1914, Page 3

EUGENICS.

LECTURE BY 1)1?. TKUBY KING

HEREDITY AND ENVIRONMENT. (PBMS ASSOCIATION - TXLEGiAM.) AUCKLAND, February H , . There was a large attendance of doctors, teachers, and others at the V.M.C.A. this .morning, when l>r. Truby King, of Dunedin, who has dono so much for the promotion of the health of women and children, gave an interesting lecture on eugenics. After tracing the origin of the education system of the world, wliich, he said, was evolved for boys, and was then forced on girls, tho speaker gavea lucid explanation of tho beginnings of eugenics. Ho said the tendency of socalled eugenic instruction, especially as interpreted by the public, had been to regard heredity the effect on a child 01 all preceding generations as everything, and environment as almost nothing. In other worlds it had tended in tho direction of unhealthy fatalism and pessimism, because many people had come to think that, no matter how much pains tho parents took 10 render themselves normal and healthy, it was useless, if m> benefits would accrue to their immediate offspring. The public had come to talk glibly about the integrity of tho germ plasm and the individual's inability to hand on acquired characteristics to his immediate descendants. Dr. King gavo a clear and masterly resume of tho present conclusions concerning the germ cell, and went on to say that they proved that environment could '"knock heredity into a cocked hat." if a mother realised the tremendous importance of that she would realise her duty to keep herself and her daughters in good physical health, not merely for their own efficiency and happiness, but for tho sake of tho race, and educationists .wonld understand that more physical fitness, "bandow fitness, would not do. All-round development was wanted. Dr. King pleaded strongly for a rational education system, and was loudly applauded on resuming his seat.

Tho following resolution was moved by Bγ. King:—"That the Hon. Dr. Collins. T>r. Gibbs, Dr. Truby King, and Dr. Elizabeth Platts-Mills bo appointed a committoo to wait on tho Minister of Education and represent that, in tho opinion of this Congress, it it» in the highest- interests of tho whole, community that tho State should inculcate and bring about ac far as feasible an ideal of education for girl« which "(to quotn the words of Professor Stanley Hall) shall invert tho present maxim that girls shall bo primarily trained to independence and self-support, and that matrimony and motherhood, if it come, will tako care of itself. This Congress feels bound to deprecate any system of education which, under tho stress of excessive striving after so-called accomplishment*, pays insufficient attention to ensuring normal, orderly, well-bal-anced development and complete litness for maternity. This Congress is satisfied that, broadly epeaking, even where marriage does not tako place, the education which gives a girl the best allround equipment in body, miud, morals, and inclination for home life, and jxrtcntial motherhood, also givos her the soundest and surest foundation for future-health and happiness, and for a sustained power of earning an independent living, if such should prove to be her lot."

Tho chairman (Dr. Pnrchas), in explaining that tho resolution would he carried as a recommendation to iTo Congress, referred with regret to what ho called the "commercial flapper," the young girl with long hair, tshort skirts, and high heels, who was,running about offices at tho most critical time of her Jr'Fc: - " . ■•■" " •"■•■■

Mr W. A. Hoiman (Prem?or of In©w South Wales) said that Dr. King's lecturo was giving liim moro horie, and was more cheering than anything h© had heard before on the subject. When environnifmt played such an important part , in the future of tho race, it was their duty to see that social conditions were made so that all could livo bn/nny,--normal,'and contented lives. ■'■ The motion was carried unanimously.