1. PARTICIPATION IN THE COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY OF RURAL VERMONT

The Eugenics Surrey was the instigator of the Comprehensive Survey of Rural Vermont. It is therefore its plain duty to fit into the plan of this larger undertaking in the best way possible. I suggest the following,

A STUDY OF SELECTED FAMILIES IN RELATION TO THE HISTORY, PRESENT CONDITION AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF SOME TYPICAL RURAL AREAS.

The object is to discover in how far hereditary tendencies seem to have operated, beneficially or harmfully in certain rural areas in Vermont. Have the descendants of the original settlers maintained their high standards? Do the descendants of the old families seem to be destined to supply the builders of a better Vermont or are the more recent immigrants likely to perform that function?

2. MATERIAL NOW ON FILE

Our pedigree families were selected for their high rate of dependency, deficiency and delinquency in successive generations. They have apparently had a profound effect for ill upon many of the towns where they lived, but in the case of some of the better branches, the influence has apparently been good.

Taking as a starting point the information now in our file, we can gather many more facts concerning the part played by these families and we can add other equally important facts concerning other families in the same areas. These facts should help us in an attempt to answer the questions: ‐‐

What influence have the successive generations of families A and B had upon the development of towns X and Y?

Have the successive generations of families A and B improved or deteriorated, especially as judged by a comparison between the present generation and some generation in the remote past?

Is the environment supplied by towns X and Y apparently responsible for that improvement or deterioration?

IF POSSIBLE, PLEASE READ CAREFULLY THE FULL PLAN ACCOMPANYING THIS SUMMARY.

1. THE COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY OF RURAL VERMONT

As you already know Dr. H. C. Taylor, working in conjunction with the Executive Committee of the Vermont Commission on Country Life, is planning active field work by a considerable group of agencies, to be done for the most part between July 1, 1929 and June 30, 1930.

The nineteen divisions of the Survey that are now on the blotter are as follows:

1. Contributions of Vermont to National life. 2. Geographical factors basic to rural life. 3. Races, population and migrations. 4. Landownership and tenancy. 5. Rural finance‐‐credit, taxation. 6. Transportation and communication. 7. The farm production and marketing problem. 8. Forestry. 9. Summer residence end recreation. 10. Land utilization. 11. Quarries, mines, manufactures and commerce. 12. Living standards. 13. Rural health. 14. Rural schools. 15. Adult education. 16. Libraries. 17. Religious forces. 18. Eugenics. 19. Citizenship. The question is now: ‐‐ What plan shall the Advisory Committee, of the Eugenics Survey make for the period beginning January 1, 1929 that will most effectively carry on the purposes of the Eugenics Survey and at the same time fit into the plan of the Rural Survey?

2. AREA STUDY

The various organizations, State departments and other groups that have already been signed up for the Comprehensive Survey will be allotted to various areas in the State, in such a way that each area will be investigated by about five of the agencies. An “area" will perhaps be a few square miles, ten for example, its boundary a circle drawn around a village as a center. The areas will be chosen with reference to their ability to contribute the facts that are most desired in this study of rural conditions in Vermont, as representative as possible of the different types of rural conditions to be found in the State as a whole.

Selection of the areas has not yet been begun. Shall we anticipate the possible selection of a few areas in which we have already made a beginning? My recommendation is that we do so, in consultation with Dr. Taylor.

3. PLAN OF STUDY

The geographical index of the Eugenics Survey is quite complete, giving the residences of more than 8,000 persons listed in our pedigrees of delinquent, deficient and dependent families. Certain areas are naturally better represented in this index than others. Some of these are apparently quite characteristic rural areas, and it is my recommendation that we begin at once to study the eugenic factors that hare been operating in some of them in the expectation that the Rural Survey will select them for a study of other factors.

4. THE TOWN OF READSBORO

What eugenic factors have been operating in and influencing the history of the town of Readsboro?

The reasons for selecting this town are that it has a number of characteristic Vermont rural features and that it has for many years been the home of members of the [Rector] family, one of our twelve main pedigree groups. What has the [Rector] family done to this town and what has this town done to the [Rector] family? Those are two very comprehensive questions and we cannot expect to answer them completely. I feel however that a study of these questions would be precisely in line with the aims of this Survey and would be a real contribution to the effort of the Rural Survey to discover, for the purpose of setting up a state‐wide improvement program, the interacting factors that have brought about the present condition, whether good, bad or indifferent, of rural Vermont.

While studying the relations existing between the [Rector] family and the town of Readsboro, our investigator will have an opportunity to discover other families equally important in the history of the town, Some of them will be found to have been helpful, others a social and economic drag, perhaps a menace. It will be his or her duty to find out the history of these families, the contributions that they have made in personnel, in economic, social, religious and other ways. Not only their contributions to Readsboro but to other places as well, whether in Vermont or outside of it, should be looked into. In other words, what sort of American citizens have these people been? What sort of American citizens are their descendants likely to be?

5. SIGNIFICANCE TO VERMONT

Usefulness of This Study

When this information has been collected, what use can be made of it? Will it be anything more than a contribution to academic discussion?

I might attempt to answer the above questions but my answers would be open to the criticism of vagueness and generality. Frankly, I am not yet prepared to give an answer. The purpose of our Survey is to gather information that may sooner or later have important bearings upon the welfare of Vermont and the country. Just what those bearings will be, I do not know. I do know that much effort has been expended fruitlessly in Vermont because of the lack of adequate information ‐‐ adequate in quantity and in accuracy. I believe that such a study as I have outlined is likely to bring out valuable information. I believe that our legislators, our judges, our superintendents of institutions and the heads of our social work organizations will be better able to function efficiently if they can know the answers to some of these questions. I believe that it is the duty of this Eugenics Survey of Vermont to try to discover these answers.

Do you agree with me? A full and frank answer is earnestly desired. Please be candid and merciless in your criticisms.