Show 1 HEREDITY AND ENVIRONMENT I By DR A. A L. L C. C Before entering upon a consideration lion tion of the pros and cons of this very fascinating topic let us ask lt ourselves rs What is th the explanation of the tremendous interest with which men ha have V ever discussed this question l It is not perhaps this If Jf f man could but convince himself himself himself him him- self the omnipotence n Ilde e pt pf of environment environment environ environ- ment he would then fe feel l' l that he heI I was altogether master of ot his destiny des- des tiny for then by merely seeking for himself and his children the most cultured and Invigorating surroundings sur sur- he might with reason I anticipate that both he and his offspring offspring offspring off off- spring would attain to the fullest II stature of man But if man mans man's s endless ancestry 1 I chains chain him to the past if his goIngs goIngs goings go go- ings nd comings are determined for him as the thc rising using of the sun an and the going down of the same sam way then what's the use use Let us therefOre therefore therefore there there- fore eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die There are optimists who stake their all on the transforming possibilities pos pos- of environment nt Tere are pessimists who see only the wars wars- and failures of yesteryear yes yes- es But whatever the truth it is because because because be be- cause of ot these tremendous Implications implications that the tho topic so ao deeply en engrosses engrosses engrosses en- en grosses the imagination of nun everywhere l Man lan an would yet convince convince con con- vince ince himself of br his omnipotence yes jes even een the pes pessimist As usual the truth lies midway between the two extremes For I the thy God am a Jealous God visiting the iniquity I of the fathers upon the children childen unto the third and fourth generation genera genera- genera I lion tion of them that hate me me Exodus Exodus Ex Ex- Er- Er odus 20 5 S And some seed fell upon a arock arock rock and as soon as it was sprung up pp it withered ered away b because It Tacked lacked moisture And some well wel amon among thorns and tile the thorns thorns' r ran n 11 it and nd choked d ground an lh- lh 1 hut I Each tells but half the story Together Together To To- gether the truth i is contained To-I To Neither er the extreme extreme optimist northe northe nor northe the deserves full fun extreme- extreme pessimist credence Heredity and environment environment environ environ- ment are two casual streams Converging cOnverging con- con I verging to determine the lite life stream I of every Individual Heredity de determines determines determines de- de his highest potentiality I environment what fraction thereof he be shall achieve Dear Dr Mv Iy daughter now 16 years ears Id d has just completed ted her work at th tJ f high school iere and wants to go t to Simmons college an and 1 after atter a I. I year or two there to the Massachusetts general hospital to train as a nurse and arid db work vork in chemistry later She insists upon doing this I 1 would much rather lather have her accept a position position tion lion as secretary to a v very iy wealthy woman up here who wants her very I much and will train her hr and where where- she will meet nice people and wear nice clothes and have a chance to I travel and be a lady Dont Don't you I think surroundings like this will be he I better for her than doing all the dirty work in hospitals hospitals' Her father thinks she ought to do what she wants and so I 1 thought if you should say the other was better he might tr try to Influence her J J. J B B. B S SIt S. S It would seem J J. B B. S S. that you have mistaken externals for essentials essentials essen 1 Fine feather do not make fine birds bIrd While the term environment l in its broadest est sense includes both the ph physical as w well as the moral aspect of our surroundings it is unquestionably unquestionably unquestionably th the moral tone of any environment environment environment en en- which determines its fitness fitness fit fitness fit fit- ness as a place in which to bring up Ui young people Indeed the most opulent of material trappings may maywell maywell maywell well mask a most unwholesome moral atmosphere A As I write I have before me picture a of the little town of Ply Plymouth Ply Ply- mouth uth Nj y II IL where Calvin Cool- Cool dge was yas S i and raised Surely e i 0 work e J c clothes I Itt Itt- IttY Y W 10 t ol l I t. t f h lacking i in m the essentials that that count most mos for the training of body minand mind min and chara character ter i Furthermore J J. B B. S S. you ar are fortunate fortunate for for- or- or in having a daughter who is bent upon entering a worth while career and who is willing to rain herself properly for it f To divert this energy into other and less valuable valuable valuable val val- valI I channels would be a grievous error which I am sure surF sure you sou ou would never to regret I trust you ou will not consider me prejudiced if I side with father inthis' inthis inthis' inthis in inthis II this this' difference of If opinion Copyright 1924 by the McClure Newspaper Syndicate |