Better Baby Contests - The Scientific Quest for Childhood Perfection in the Early Twentieth Century (Hardcover, illustrated edition)

A unique campaign of "scientific" baby judging spread across the United States in the early years of this century. Beginning at state fairs, it spread to towns and cities of all sizes. By the movements peak in 1913 and 1914, scientific baby contests were held at 40 state fairs and several hundred county fairs and city contests. The baby health contest identified the healthiest infants in a region, while teaching parents how breeding and environment could produce a "superior crop." Then, quietly, the contests slipped into obscurity. This work traces the development of the baby health contests from their rural beginnings at agricultural fairs. Details are provided about the early instruments used for assessing infant development, the organizations and individuals behind the better babies movement, and the methods of promoting prize babies. The controversy generated by the competition for prizes is explored, as are the role of the Childrens Bureau in the contests, the business aspect of the contests, and the spin-offs of the health contest idea.