Eugenics Record Office

After her husband died (who was also into eugenics) she gave a funding pledge ($15,000 a year) to the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory to start the Eugenics Record Office. She bought 80 acres close to the Cold Springs Harbor Lab.

Andrew Carnegie on behalf of the Carnegie Institution doubles the funding of the Eugenics Record Office by 10 Million Dollars.

Proposed Wording: “When a man and woman contemplate marriage, if a visual defect exists in one or both of the contracting parties, or in the family of either, so apparent that any taxpayer fears that the children of such a union are liable to become public charges, for which that taxpayer would probably be assessed, then such taxpayer, on guaranteeing the legal costs, may apply to the County Judge for an injunction against such a marriage. Thereupon the County Judge shall appoint at least two experts to advise him concerning the probabilities of the further transmission of the eye defect. One of the experts shall be a person especially well versed in distinguishing family traits which are apt to reappear from those which are apt to disappear, and the other expert shall be a legally qualified Doctor of Medicine especially versed in ophthalmology. The fee to each expert paid by the complainant shall not exceed five dollars. If these two agree that children of the proposed union would probably have vision so defective as to make them liable to become public charges, then the Judge may prohibit the proposed marriage, until the contracting parties file satisfactory bonds with the county clerk for an amount sufficient to provide for the support and education of at least one child who might have more or less imperfect vision and, therefore, require support as a public charge.”