It was stated in the _Times_, January, 26, 1905, that at a meeting of
the Senate of the University of London, Mr. Edgar Schuster, M.A., of New
College, Oxford, was appointed to the Francis Galton Research Fellowship
in National Eugenics. “Mr. Schuster will in particular carry out
investigations into the history of classes and families, and deliver
lectures and publish memoirs on the subjects of his investigations.”
Now that this appointment has been made, it seems well to publish a
suitable list of subjects for eugenic inquiry. It will be a programme
that binds no one, not even myself, for I have not yet had the advantage
of discussing it with others, and may hereafter wish to largely revise
and improve what is now provisionally sketched. The use of this paper
lies in its giving a general outline of what, according to my present
view, requires careful investigation, of course not all at once, but
step by step, at possibly long intervals.
I. Estimation of the average quality of the offspring of married
couples, from their personal and ancestral data. This includes questions
of fertility, and the determination of the “probable error” of the
estimate for individuals, according to the data employed.
(_a_) “Biographical Index to Gifted Families,” modern and recent, for
publication. It might be drawn up on the same principle as my “Index to
Achievements of Near Kinsfolk of some of the Fellows of the Royal
Society” (see “Sociological Papers,” Vol. I., p. 85). The Index refers
only to facts creditable to the family, and to such of these as have
already appeared in publications, which are quoted as authority for the
statements. Other biographical facts that may be collected concerning
these families are to be preserved for statistical use only.
(_b_) Biographies of capable families, who do not rank as “gifted,” are
to be collected, and kept in MS., for statistical use, but with option
of publication.
(_c_) Biographies of families, who, as a whole, are distinctly below the
average in health, mind, or physique, are to be collected. These include
the families of persons in asylums of all kinds, hospitals, and prisons.
To be kept for statistical use only.
(_d_) Parentage and progeny of representatives of each of the social
classes of the community, to determine how far each class is derived
from, and contributes to, its own and other classes. This inquiry must
be carefully planned beforehand.
(_e_) Insurance Office data. An attempt to be made to carry out the
suggestions of Mr. Palin Egerton, “Sociological Papers,” Vol. I., p. 62,
of obtaining material that the authorities would not object to give, and
whose discussion might be advantageous to themselves as well as to
Eugenics. The matter is now under consideration, so more cannot be said.