SMALL FAMILIES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 241, 8 September 1927, Page 7

SMALL FAMILIES.

EFFECT ON INTELLIGENCE. ENVIRONMENT AND HEIGHT. DISCUSSION AT CONGRESS. LONDON, Sept. 6. “Small families mean more intelligent children,” according to Dr Ginsberg’s paper at the Science Congress. Dr Ginsberg declared that the upper classes generally had much larger heads. It was the general impression that broad heads had more capacity for thought than long heads, but evidence forced the definite conclusion that there was no relation between the intelligence and the size of the head. Curiously, stated Dr Ginsberg, a larger brain did not correspond with the degree of civilisation. Civilised Chinese were smaller brained than were Chinese barbarians. The children of the professional classes were from two to five inches taller between the ages of six and thirteen than children of the working classes, for which Dr Ginsberg blamed environment. Europeans were a much taller race than in 1827, because of hygiene and better social conditions. The investigator had discovered that although the working class provided a small percentage of distinguished people, it produced 35 per cent, of sculptors and painters. Professor Godfrey Thomson revealed that the intelligence of 15 per cent, of the Nothumberland miners’ children exceeded tho average of professional men’s sons.

Dr E. C. Bartless said that social status was determined by temperament more than by intelligence. Many who went to the Dominions succeeded by tact and resourcefulness, not by learning and wisdom.—A. and N.Z. cable.