The Better Babies Bureau
The Better Baby Bureau was created by Woman’s Home Companion in 1913. Children were scored according to mental and physical criteria:
Organizers of Better Babies shows varied in their aims and purposes. Some wanted a simple beauty contest. Others sought to promote the new practice of pediatrics. For many it was part of a process of presenting science-based facts to reinforce notions of racial superiority.
“These initiatives relied on standards for normal child development, as well as input from healthcare professionals and public health officials,” notes the Eugenics Archive. “Better Babies Contests addressed this concern for child welfare and physical development, becoming the first eugenic competitions held at state fairs.”
Eugenics And Making The American Master Race One Better Baby At A Time
Posted: 16th, February 2021 | In: Strange But True Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
