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438   Life and Letters of Francis Galton


as may be necessary to ensure the continuance without interruption and the extension of the work in connection with Eugenics initiated by me and now carried on on my behalf at University College and that during any subsequent vacancy in the Professorship the Senate shall out of and by means of the said income make such arrangements as may be necessary to ensure the continuance without interruption of the work being carried on for the time being at the Eugenics Laboratory of the said University AND I HEREBY DECLARE it to be my wish but I do not impose it as an obligation that on the appointment of the first Professor the post shall be offered to Professor Karl Pearson and on such conditions as will give him liberty to continue his Biometric Laboratory now established at University College AND in all other respects I confirm my said Will IN WITNESS whereof I have hereunto set my hand this twenty fifth day of May One thousand nine hundred and nine,


FRANCIS GALTON.

APPENDIX II.

Scheme by Sir Francis Galton for a Eugenics Discussion Committee.

I have several times in the course of this work pointed out Galton's belief in Committees. In particular I have noted that in 1905 he set up an Advisory Committee for his Eugenics Record Office. The Minute Book of this Committee indicates how little could be achieved in this manner. It really only hampered the Research Fellow (see p. 233 above). When the Eugenics Record Office was reorganised as the Eugenics Laboratory, there was again an "Advisory Committee," but it was not to be and never was summoned ; it consisted of experts in various fields, who were individually consulted when our work led us in the direction of one or another branch of science. These experts were of much service, and we were very grateful for their aid ; but there were no periodic meetings designed to discuss what the future work of the Laboratory ought to be; or any excuse for much talk by those who were ignorant of the difficulty of collecting data, or what it was possible to deduce from them when obtained.

Advisory Meetings at the Eugenics Record Office, 88, Gower Street, W. C.

Mr Galton would be glad to utilise the room of the Eugenics Record Office, after office hours, for the occasional meeting of a few invited persons who seriously desire to promote Inductive Research in matters connected with Eugenics.

In Mr Galton's absence, Mr Schuster would act as host.

Under these conditions, Mr.Schuster would arrange the day of each meeting, in conference with Mr Branford and Dr Slaughter, and the hour of opening and closing it.

He would similarly arrange as to the persons to whom invitations should be sent on each occasion, bearing in mind that exigencies of space make it inconvenient for more than eight persons to be present at the same time.

He would also draw up the Agenda, a copy of which will accompany each invitation.

The meetings will be somewhat informal, but its members may proceed to elect a chairman for the evening if any two of those present desire it. Whenever the votes including that of the chairman are equal, the host shall have a second and casting vote.

Minutes of each meeting shall be kept by Mr Schuster, who shall cause them to be typed in duplicate, one copy to be retained by the Office.

The Secretary, Miss Elderton, will do all necessary typewriting and posting.

The primary purpose of the meeting will be to propose and thoroughly discuss suitable subjects for eugenic_ research, including time, cost, the persons who might undertake them, and the value of the expected results. Definite proposals of this kind should take precedence in the Agenda.

Other topics connected with Eugenics might afterwards be discussed, preference being given to those that bear on the future work of the Office.

(signed) FRANCIS GALTON, October, 1905.


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