Characteristics and Differential Fertility of American Population Groups

Abstract

I885 to i889. The number of men concerned is of course small. It is also possible that failures to record children who died soon after birth were more common in the earlier records than now. Yet in spite of this there can be little question that the increase in families shown by these statistics is real. It confirms our other data in suggesting that the diminution in families arising from birth control has run its course among these distinguished men, and that they are returning to a normal situation wherein they will have enough children to replace themselves and to provide for a small increase from generation to generation. Under the impact of the movement for the restriction of families during the last century the ideal family canme to be looked upon as having only two children. This ideal is reflected in the size of the families of the men born before 1870. But the pendulum has swung too far. Now it is moving back. That the backward swing should begin among the most distinguished men is natural, for all new movements begin among the more thoughtful and far-sighted members of society. The original movement in the opposite direction toward the reduction of the unduly large families of a century or more ago also began with the leaders. But what the leaders are doing in the present generation, the rank and file will probably do later.