A suggested program of eugenics education in high school biology Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Stahnke, Herbert L. (Herbert Ludwig), 1902- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 04/10/2021 01:11:18 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/553253 A SUGGESTED PROGRAM OF EUGENICS EDUCATION IN HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY. Herbert L. Stahnke. Submitted In partial fulfillment of the v. ' 'A requirements for the degree of Master of Arto in the.College of Education of the University of Arizona 1 9 3 4 Approved!_ Major adviser Date &. s - * «ie£ 1 4 3 $ 4 7 t a b l e of cwrmiTs Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION............................... 1 The Need For Such A Study Aa T h i s * ........ 1 Related Studies* «••••• .......... * . 8 The Purpose Of This study* ••••••*•* 16 The Scope Of This Study.............. •••• 17 The Plan Of Procedure In This Study* . * . * II. UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES FOR EUGENICS INSTRUC­ TION ....................................... 21 The Time Of Year ••••••............ .. 21 A Scientific Vocabulary.............. *••• 21 Proper Atmosphere* ...... ............ 22 - Attitude Of Teacher.................... ••• 22 Acceptable Subject Matter Headings * . 23- Instruction By Trained Biology Teacher • • • 23 Instruction As An Integrated Part Of Biology 24- Normal Emphasis On Venereal Disease. • • • • 24 Stress On Human Reproduction ........ 25 Private Instruction In Sex For Problem Cases 25- No Public Announcement Of Instruction. • • • 25 Sociological Aspects Integrated With Other Courses. ............... 26 A Supporting Extra-Curricular Program. • • 27- III. A SUGGESTED PROGRAM OF EUGENICS EDUCATION. 28 An Outline Of Units For A Year Of Biology. • 28 - The Suggested Program Of Eugenics Instruc­ tion ........ .................... .. • • • • 30 Teacher’s Syllabus For Unit 11. 31 Student’s Syllabus For Unit 11........ 56 Teacher’s Syllabus For Unit 12. • 89 Student’s Syllabus For Unit 12. • . • 96 IV. A TABULATION OF READING MATERIAL.......... 114 V. SUMMARY.......... 134 BIBLIOGRAPHY..................................... 138 11 bdl * 5 TABLES Table Pag© I. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL FOR ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION AS FOUND IN VARIOUS BIOLOGY TEXTBOOKS. ............. 116 II. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL FOR SEXUAL • REPRODUCTION AS FOUND IN VARIOUS • BIOLOGY TEXTBOOKS. ............. 121 III. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL FOR EMBRYOLOGY AS POUND IN VARIOUS BIOLOGY TEXTBOOKS. .... 125 IV. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL FOR GENETICS AS FOUND IN VARIOUS BIOLOGY TEXTBOOKS. 127 V. LIFE CYCLES. MATERIAL NOT SUITABLE FOR SPECIFIC REPRODUCTION INSTRUCTION. ..... 131 DIAGRAMS Diagram Page 1. Life Cycle of Ulothrlz ..................... 61 2. Life Cycle of Spirogyra. ......... 64 3. Life Cycle of the Moss .......... 67 4. Life History of the Angioopera: A Typical Flower .............. 70 5. Life History of the Angiospem: The Microsporange and Megasporange ...... 71 6. Earthworms Copulating.............. .. 7. Reproductive Systems of an Earthworm. 75 8. Reproductive Systems of Amulets. ..... 76 9. Developmental Stages of the Animal Zygote. 81 10. Types of Mammalian Uteri ......... 82 11. Human Embryo in Utoro. .......... 82 12. Reduction Cell Division. • • • . • . 100 ill CHAPTER I. I1TTR0DUCTI0IU , m . For SUCH A StuJx M Bile. At oomo time or other every biologically normal individual eomos in contact with conditions pertaining to sex, heredity, and family life. These experiences begin at an earlier age than is customarily thought. This is especially true in the field of sex,1 As tho individual develops mentally and physically he becomes more interested in these phases of life. If, as a child, his curiosity la satisfied with exact knowledge skilfully pre­ sented the interest grows normally. On the other hand if this natural inquisitiveness is left unsatisfied sex becomes an absorbing and activating curiosity. Thus a perfectly nor­ mal and natural topic, because of lack of instruction, is thrust for the child into the realm of the mysterious. This is unfortunate since nothing else is so motivating as mys­ tery and since the average child is reared in on environ­ ment of secrecy and taboo regarding eugenics2 in general* Any normal child is going to satisfy his curiosity, con­ sequently since his immediate sources of information will not assist him, he will seek his information from secret 1. Pinkevitch, Albert P, -s paper the term "eugenics" does not only refer to race Improvement through selective mating but also to the topics necessary to an understanding of this practice,!.e. sex, heredity, and family life. 2 sources regardless of their authenticity• As a result of this practice of secrecy and taboo In regard to the sexual phases of life, an abnormal attitude with a consequent unbalanced emotional condition develops within the individual.^ Tills is especially true of the av­ erage boy placed under such conditions. The topic of sex obsesses him to such an extent that at an early age he seeks definite sexual experiences. The Investigator^ quoted pre­ viously states that almost one-half of the boys of school age, while under the immediate Influence of physicians and teachers who consider it their duty to protect the members of the younger generation by keeping them in ignorance, learn to know sexual life, not from theory only, but from actual experiences of the most diverse character. The writer has likewise known young people who have had early sexual experiences because of curiosity regarding the opposite sex and an unbalanced emotional condition in their sex life. Unfortunately these investigations were not of the type sanctioned by society nor did they always end happily for the individual, ; Since youth is going to learn about sex anyway it is the duty of the school to provide Instruction that will furnish him with correct information and acceptable ideals and Counts. Principles of Education.n.229, Pinkevitch,Op* Cit. Briggs, Thomas,"Golden rule of education: The first duty of the school is to teach pupils to do better the desir­ able things that they are likely to do anyway." 3 > By providing thic instruction many of the above- difficulties could be averted, if the child were given ocx" information at an early ago more desirable behavior patterns would bo developed.^ The abnormal sexual development would not take place since the primary urges of sex would not receive ab­ normal attention. As the child grows older the sex urge would not dominate his being so that the energies released by the i sex glands could be harmlessly diverted into other channels of endeavor. It is not claimed that the abovo results will be achieved with the program of eugenics education herein pre­ sented unless the students taught have also been given in­ struction of this nature at an earlier age and that similar instruction be continued beyond the course in biology. Even then normal development could not be secured from each indi­ vidual since some are abnormal from birth. Such a program as this could, however, develop a sane and thoughtful attitude ? toward eugenics topics. Educational agencies may not be ablo to stop entirely promiscuous sexual relations nor be able to stop entirely the production of unfortunate and unwanted children, but they can do much toward decreasing both. These agencies can likewise give information that will enable tlio individual to protect himself from the social diseases and 6 6. Kulp,D•H*,II» Educational Sociology,1952.p.477. 7* Chapman and Counts,Op.clt.p.251-2. ' quack doctor a. Education may not be able to curb the paosiono of people but It certainly can do. much toward mitigating the miffGringo of people. Further need for eugenics instruction is evident when one.considers the theories and beliefs that are still common in regard to eugenics phenomena. Ono of these theories claims that the experiences of an expectant mother definitely affect the development of the unborn child. According to this belief a mother wanting a beautiful daughter should look at pictures of beautiful v/omen. Or if s mother desires to give birth to a child talented in music she should spend much time listening to music. If the mother is frightened by some object tho child will have a birth mark the shape of that object. Other theories are mentioned below. The sex of the child depends on parental vigor. One child may receive its traits from the father while another child is the "mother's" child. The blood of the mother flows in the veins of the child. The sex of the child is predictable. Consanguineous marriages are bad per se. Conception.by a female results in a definite modification of her germ-plasm from the influence of the male, and this modification will be shown in the offspring she may subsequently bear to a second male. These are the most common misunderstand­ ings of eugenics phenomena and amply serve to illustrate the point. & v Artielea on eugenics are becoming increasingly numerous in lay periodicals, and the average citizen needs a back­ ground to read this literature intelligently. He should be able to distinguish fact from fiction. The relatively small amount of scientific eugenics knowledge that the average individual possesses has been misinterpreted and warped to justify the primitive practice of ancestor worship, the false idea of race superiority, the anti-social practice of snobbery, the undemocratic opinions of class distinction, the misconceptions of intellectual aristocracy, and the dangerous development of race prejudice. The layman needs to distinguish true scientific information founded on re­ search from mere propaganda. It is not true that miners, janitors, street-cleaners, and collectors of garbage, who have large families, are necessarily idiots and morons. It 1® not true that college graduates, people in "Who's Who", and some "successful" people, are necessarily physically, mentally, and morally superior parents of our new generation. It is not true that celebrated individuals necessarily beget celebrated offspring.