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Eugenics and Education: Implications of Ideology, Memory, and History for Education in the United States

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Eugenics and Education: Implications of Ideology, Memory, and History for Education in the United States Abstract WINFIELD, ANN GIBSON. Eugenics and Education – Implications of Ideology, Memory, and History for Education in the United States. (under the direction of Anna Victoria Wilson) Eugenics has been variously described "as an ideal, as a doctrine, as a science (applied human genetics), as a set of practices (ranging from birth control to euthanasia), and as a social movement" (Paul 1998 p. 95). "Race suicide" (Roosevelt 1905) and the ensuing national phobia regarding the "children of worm eaten stock" (Bobbitt 1909) prefaced an era of eugenic ideology whose influence on education has been largely ignored until recently. Using the concept of collective memory, I examine the eugenics movement, its progressive context, and its influence on the aims, policy and practice of education. Specifically, this study examines the ideology of eugenics as a specific category and set of distinctions, and the role of collective memory in providing the mechanism whereby eugenic ideology may shape and fashion interpretation and action in current educational practice. The formation of education as a distinct academic discipline, the eugenics movement, and the Progressive era coalesced during the first decades of the twentieth century to form what has turned out to be a lasting alliance. This alliance has had a profound impact on public perception of the role of schools, how students are classified and sorted, degrees and definitions of intelligence, attitudes and beliefs surrounding multiculturalism and a host of heretofore unexplored ramifications. My research is primarily historical and theoretical and uses those material and media cultural artifacts generated by the eugenics movement to explore the relationship between eugenic ideology and the institution of education. Eugenics and Education: Implications of Ideology, Memory, and History for Education in the United States By Ann Gibson Winfield A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of North Carolina State University In partial fulfillment of The requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Educational Research, Leadership, and Policy Analysis Raleigh, NC 2004 Approved By: _________________________________________________________ Dr. Anna V. Wilson, Chair _________________________________________________________ Dr. Peter A. Hessling _________________________________________________________ Dr. Paul F. Bitting _________________________________________________________ Dr. Kenneth H. Brinson Biography I was born on December 16, 1962 in Williamstown, Massachusetts and moved at the age of three months to New York City. In 1970, I moved with my mother to the islands of British Columbia Canada where I learned to pick oysters, run on log booms, follow salamanders, and love the ocean. I lived in various island locales until the age of eleven when we moved to Vancouver. I attended alternative schools, by choice, through high school, graduated in 1980 and moved back to the “states.” After taking time off to work I was determined to attend the University of California and set about beefing up my credentials by attending Community College in Oakland, California. I attended the University of California Santa Cruz from 1985 to 1988, majoring in cultural anthropology. Following my graduation, I worked for twelve years in the non-profit sector as an organizer in the San Francisco Bay Area and a legislative assistant in Sacramento, California. During this period I became a mother to Lucian, now twelve, an event that has provided me with my greatest joy and has defined and focused my life ever since. In 1997, I decided to return to graduate school and entered a program that allowed me to get a Masters in Education and teacher certification simultaneously. I was drawn to the field of education in part because much of my time in the non-profit sector was concerned with community education and empowerment as well as educating and training hundreds of college students to raise money, conduct press conferences, set up meetings between community leaders and citizens, etc. During the three years it took to get my Masters degree I worked full time as an office manager and drove over 400 miles per week between three cities. ii Toward the end of that program, in the summer of 1999, I attended a class on curriculum theory and met my future advisor, mentor and chair of my committee Dr. Anna Wilson. The introduction to curriculum theory resulted in a major paradigm shift for me and I decided to continue my education with the goal of receiving a Ph. D. in Curriculum Studies. Now, I am nearly at the end of that journey and my love and passion for my chosen field has only deepened. Theory, philosophy, and interdisciplinary approaches all combine to provide me with a rich foundation from which to think about human society and the interactions therein. iii Dedication I could not have completed this work without the love and support of my friends and family. My mother, Camille Nichols, has been there in all ways intellectual and emotional. Her deep and unwavering love for me throughout my life has allowed me to construct a worldview that is based on love and hope. My father, John Winfield has provided me with the spirit and tenacity to strive. He has modeled an approach to living that simultaneously does not let up and yet takes every opportunity to scratch behind a dogs ear and notice a beautiful sky. My stepmother, Leigh Callahan has given me the purest love and appreciation and has shown me that kindness is metabolic. My son, Lucian Winfield McCoy, has infused my life with joy and humor, pre-teen perspective and Spongebob Squarepants philosophy. My friend Debbie McMullen has been my beacon in a foggy, stormy sea. She has unwaveringly been there to show me the way back to real life, to warmth and companionship. My thanks go also to my aunt Edith, who has provided an articulate and pithy political commentary concerning family, national, and global affairs. My committee, Dr. Paul Bitting, Dr. Peter Hessling, and Dr. Ken Brinson have inspired and incited my courage, reigned in my purple pomposity, and provided a wholly professional graduate experience. Most of all, this dissertation is dedicated to my friend, mentor, comrade, and committee chair, Dr. Anna Wilson. Anna is a phenomenal teacher who from the first challenged me to reach within to my deepest depths and question what I think I know. Anna recognized me as a voice, treated me as a respected colleague, gave me room to do things my own way, and guided me to navigate academia in an accurate, thoughtful, purposeful manner. A consummate professional, Anna nevertheless shares herself with her students in a way that truly models what it iv means to live a life that speaks truth to power. I dedicate this to all of you who have loved and supported me so well through this process. Thank you. v Table of Contents CHAPTER 1...................................................................................................................... 1 IDEOLOGY, TOOLS, AND PERSPECTIVE ............................................................... 1 What is Eugenics? ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Fear of the 'Other' ............................................................................................................ 3 The Dilution of Genetic ‘Stock’ ...................................................................................... 4 Immune to Invalidation ................................................................................................... 6 Dissemination Campaign................................................................................................. 7 Sterilization of the Unfit.................................................................................................. 8 Progressive Roots ............................................................................................................ 9 Eugenics and Education............................................................................................................................. 11 The ‘Fathers’ of Curriculum.......................................................................................... 11 Testing as a Tool............................................................................................................ 12 Why it Matters............................................................................................................................................ 12 How it Matters............................................................................................................................................ 13 Collective Memory........................................................................................................ 13 Role of Collective Memory ........................................................................................... 15 Researcher Perspective .............................................................................................................................. 16 Family Background ....................................................................................................... 17 Education....................................................................................................................... 18 Political Life .................................................................................................................. 22 Emotional/Social ..........................................................................................................
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