what is the bearing of the laws of
heredity upon human affairs?
eugenics provides the answer, so far as this is
known
eugenics seeks to apply the known laws of heredity
so as to prevent the
degeneration of the race and improve its inborn qualities
an example of favorable heredity is shown by the pedigree of the Phelps family,
members of which have been
boatmen on the Thames for generations
nine members of this family have won the
race for the famous 'Doggett's Coat and Badge'
on this diagram the nine winners are
shown in white
the present head of the family, whose father was a royal waterman, is Bossie Phelps, the King's barge master
now no longer an active sculler himself
but still a coach for others
his son Ted is ex-world and English
champion sculler, and also a Royal waterman
Ted's brother Eric, is challenger for
the English Championship
and like Ted, he shows the superb physique which has been in his family for generations
but other things besides strength and
endurance run in families
here is a man who although normal, comes from a mentally defective family
here is his wife who is also normal. They've had 17 children
let us examine the pedigree of these children
five of them died in infancy
three are still too young for an opinion to be formed their mental state, a boy and two girls
only two of the remaining children are normal: a man and a girl
the remaining seven children are all mental defectives marked on the pedigree in black
these two live at home a man and a crippled dwarf girl
there is one man in an institution and a woman with the mentality of a child
the other three are all girls, and are
all in an institution
how has this disastrous state of affairs
come about?
if we examine the pedigree of this family,
we find that although the father and mother of the youngest generation are both normal
the father's brother was insane
Their mother was normal, but the father (the grandfather of the youngest generation) was defective
and his two brothers insane
of their parents the mother was normal but the father defective
we thus see how mental deficiency has passed from one generation to another
although the parents of the latest generation are apparently normal
in institutions such as this all over the country, mental defectives are cared for
these are children who are helpless in
every way and need constant attention
once such children have been born, we
must do the best we can for them
...who can only be educated up to the point of
normal children of seven to ten
not all mental deficiency is hereditary but heredity accounts for more of the mild feeble-minded types
such as you see in this group of men exercising in the grounds of the institution
if carefully trained they can be taught simple routine tasks
here are men in the
workshops carpentering
some of them are taught to do the
bookmaking for the colony
while others make clothes for themselves
and their fellows
once they have been born, detectives are happier and more useful in these institutions than when at large
but it would have been better by far for them and for the rest of the community, if they had never been born
let us turn to a happier picture of the power of heredity
here is the pedigree of the Godfrey family famous as band-masters in the brigade of guards for 120 years
figures in white indicate the members of the family who have revealed unusual musical ability
here Sir Dan Godfrey the musical
director, is seen conducting
many members of this family have musical
degrees and are directors of Orchestra
let us look at one more of them at work-
here is Howard Godfrey
another famous family is that of the
Terrys
all the individuals drawn in light color on this pedigree possessed exceptional talents for the stage, music and art
Dame Ellen Terry, the great actress was one of the most outstanding members of this family
here is her portrait as Lady Macbeth
which is now in the Tate Gallery
beside it stands her daughter Edith Kraig who is an actress and an expert in historical stage costume
and well-known as a producer of stage plays and pageants
her brother Gordon Craig, is recognized both in England and abroad as a genius who has been a notable pioneer
in modern stage design and lighting
his son Edward Carrick is a stage designer
and artist
now let us see some of the other
well-known members of this family
Alan Terry's brother Fred Terry, the famous actor married Julia Nielsen an actress and singer
their daughter Phyllis Nielson Terry is a distinguished actress with a beautiful singing voice
her brother the late Dennis Neilson Terry had a distinguished career in the theatre
and his daughter Hazel is now at the beginning of her career in the films
speed up...33 take 1..
action
[phone rings]
hello? yes...no, no, I've not been waiting at all...just one hour that's all
I suppose I'd better meet you then
I'll try to, but I'll most likely be late I mean I can't possibly help you
oh all right but I'll do my best. all right, goodbye
Ellen Terry's elder sister Kate, was before her marriage an even more distinguished actress than Dame Ellen Terry
one of her daughters is Mabel Terry Lewis the actress, and another daughter Kate
married Frank Gilgoud, a fine amateur pianist
of their children, Val is dramatic producer at the BBC
now are we all ready for the final run-through? first light for the announcer in 6aa 19-6 a
the second light in 6e for the music, and then the light in 6c for Hilgoud's first speech
all get that? right. stand by
and John is perhaps our leading romantic actor
yes I was there all right half a
mile away at the other end of a telescope
yes it's quite true...I'm just one
of those long-range assassins
but that doesn't make it any better does it?
in addition he is a pianist and a stage designer and producer
in discussing human genetics we have to 
 take account of what we call differential fertility
in this figure we have represented the differential rate of increase in a population
where originally half the individuals were below the average in physical and mental ability, and half above it
and where couples below the average have three children, as against two produced by those above
in the first generation there will be three below, to two above
with a second four and a half below to two above
in the third six and three-quarter below to two
and in the fourth rather over 10 to 2
the lengths of these grey and white strips represent the average of the population of each group
so you'll see that in a mere matter of four generations
individuals below the average have become more than five times as abundant as those above it
and so if we want to maintain the race at a high level physically and mentally
everybody sound in body and mind should marry and have enough children to perpetuate their stock and carry on the race
lastly I would like to thank the distinguished members of the Phelps, Godfrey, Terry & Gilgoud families for their invaluable help
thanks are also due to the warden and medical staff of the institution for training mental defectives
and finally we want particularly to thank the father and mother of the family showing mental defect for their public spirited cooperation
