Manuscripts Collection
C. F. Dight was born in Mercer, Pennsylvania in 1856. He graduated with a medical degree from the University of Michigan in 1879. After serving as a health officer in Holton, Michigan, from 1879 to 1881 he returned to the university to assist pathology professor Alonzo B. Palmer. From 1883 to 1889 he was professor of anatomy and physiology at the American University of Beirut, Syria (now Lebanon). From about 1890 to 1892 Dight served as resident physician and teacher of physiology and hygiene at Shattuck School, Faribault, Minnesota.
Dight married Dr. Mary A. Crawford in 1892, but was divorced in 1899 without children. During this period he practiced medicine for a year in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; taught for two years as professor at the medical school of New Orleans University; and spent four years in travel and study in New York, Chicago, Ann Arbor, and the University of Pennsylvania.
In 1899 Dight returned to Minnesota and began teaching at Hamline University's medical school. In 1901 he also became medical director of the Ministers Casualty Union, a Minneapolis insurance company. When the University of Minnesota assimilated Hamline's medical school program in 1907 Dight stayed on, lecturing on pharmacology at the university until 1913.
From 1914 to 1918 Dight served as Minneapolis alderman from the 12th ward. He was a staunch socialist.
In the early 1920s Dight launched a crusade to bring the eugenics movement to
Minnesota. He believed that many of society's evils could be eliminated through
selective breeding. His main lines of approach included eugenics education, changes
in marriage laws, and the segregation and sterilization of "defectives." He
organized the Minnesota Eugenics Council in 1923 and began campaigning for a
sterilization law. In 1925 the Minnesota legislature passed a law allowing the
sterilization of the "feeble-minded" and insane who were resident in the state's
institutions. For the next several legislative sessions Dight fought unsuccessfully
for expansion of the law to include sterilization of the unfit outside of
institutions. The Minnesota Eugenics Society became moribund by the early 1930s, but
Dight continued his legislative efforts as late as 1935 and also continued to speak
and write on the subject of eugenics. In 1935 he published
Dight died in Minneapolis in 1938. One biographer has noted that "Although he never made much more than $1500 a year, his spartan habits, astute investments, and calculated failure to file income tax returns helped him build a $200,000 estate" (Medelman, p. 12, full citation below). He left the estate to the University of Minnesota to found what became the Dight Institute for the Promotion of Human Genetics.
This sketch was taken from the Dight Papers and from Gary Phelps, "The Eugenics
Crusade of Charles Fremont Dight,"
Topics include Dight's teaching in Beirut, Lebanon and a number of American medical schools; his writings on socialism and his public service as Minneapolis alderman (1914-1918); and his writings on eugenics and his leadership in the Minnesota movement to pass legislation regarding eugenic sterilization.
These documents are organized into the following sections:
Accession number: 5363A; 5411; 14,828
Processed by: John M. Wickre, March 1988; Frank P. Hennessy, 1994
Catalog ID number: 09-00038054
This material includes copies of the 1984 Phelps article on Dight and material by Evadine Burris Swanson cited above, autobiographical information written by Dight, and genealogical information on the Dight family (1921 and 1928).
Most of this group of papers consists of Dight family correspondence, 1927-1936. It includes letters related to Dight family reunions, and correspondence with Dight's nieces: Lizzie Emma Dight Whipple in Natick, Massachusetts (1927-1936); Isabella Dight Hover (and her husband Galen Hover) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1925-1928), Sherman, New York (1929-1934), and Grand Junction, Colorado (1934-1935); Frances Dight Francis in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania (1928-1936); and Georgia May Dight Gilkey in Brooklyn (1928-1934) and St. Petersburg, Florida (1935).
There is also material related to C. F. Dight's brother, George W. Dight, in Seattle, Washington including a patent document and drawings ([ca.1890?]) related to a "pumping apparatus" invented by George; a note from George (May 2, 1928) and reply by C. F. (May 16, 1928) regarding the Dight family reunion; and correspondence regarding George's illness (Jan.-Feb. 1925) and death (May 1930).
Other items include an essay on "How and What the Turks Eat" ([1890?]); a printed sheet ([ca.1898?]) advertising "The Dight Thermal Inspirator and Animal Heat Conserver" invented by C. F. Dight, Brooklyn, N.Y.; a set of letters answering Dight's newspaper inquiry for a room in a private home (June-July 1932); correspondence with Arthur Hurtt (Aug.-Oct. 1933) in California, mostly regarding the health of Arthur and Mrs. Hurtt; and letters relating to Dight's search for a nursing home (1934-1936), including an information sheet on the Jones-Harrison Home for aged Protestant men and women, Minneapolis ([ca.1936]).
Photographs of Dight (ca.1900-1930s); of the families of the same four nieces whose letters comprise the bulk of the series above: Lewis and Lizzie Emma Dight Whipple, Galen and Isabella Dight Hover, Joseph and Frances Dight Francis, and Waldo and Georgia May Dight Gilkey (undated and 1896, 1928); his "tree" house; and his medical school class (1879).
This folder includes a copy of the club's 1927 printed history (which includes references to Dight), a list of members (undated), some correspondence, and printed matter.
The first two folders contain notes and two small record books pertaining to Dight's personal investments. The last two folders contain investment newsletters, printed items, and correspondence related to specific bonds issued by the Minneapolis Gas Light Company, the Minneapolis Theatre Company, Northern States Power Company (Minneapolis), Otter Tail Power Company (Fergus Falls, Minn.), Swedish Hospital (Minneapolis), and Tri-State Telephone and Telegraph Company (St. Paul). Non-Minnesota investments held by Dight vary from Randolph County (N.C.) road and bridge bonds to Seattle municipal light and power bonds, and from Republic of Chile bonds to the bonds of the Sisters of Charity of Providence of Montana (Columbus Hospital, Great Falls, Montana).
This folder contains U.S. and some Minnesota income tax returns, and correspondence related to U.S. Internal Revenue Service audits of Dight's returns.
This folder includes physiology class notes (undated), an 1883 clipping related to Dr. Mary A. G. Dight [Dight's ex-wife], a letter of recommendation for Dight from the University of Michigan medical school (1883), and a printed flyer advertising a plan for Dight's prepaid medical service at Portsmouth, New Hampshire (ca.1893).
From 1883 to 1889 Dight was professor of anatomy and physiology at this school. The folder includes Dight's license to practice medicine in the Ottoman Empire (1883), a paper by Dight entitled "Sanitary Progress" (1886), a request for contributions to the Near East College Association (1935), a Christmas letter from the university president (1936), and a list of former members of the faculty and staff (1936).
Dight was a professor and dean at the university's medical school during this period. The folder includes a clipping from the university's newspaper listing Dight as a professor of anatomy and chemistry in the medical department (undated); a copy of a letter from Dight regarding standards for medical education, and noting that the New Orleans University medical school "admits men and women students of all races" (July 28, 1895); and a 40-page typescript for a talk given by Dight to a New Orleans women's club on the subject of heredity, sterilization of criminals, and the need for sex education for young women (undated). There are also two undated photographs of an unidentified woman, taken by a New Orleans photographer.
This folder contains notes on the study of hygiene (1896), and a letter of inquiry regarding teaching positions and listing Dight's educational and medical experience (ca.1896).
Dight taught at the Hamline University medical school during this period. These folders consist of lecture notes, two pamphlets Dight wrote (undated and 1902), and copies of pages from the university catalogs for 1899-1900 (listing Dight as professor of physiology in the Hamline University College of Medicine) and 1906-1907 (listing Dight as professor of physiology and embryology at the "Minneapolis College of Physicians and Surgeons/The Medical Department of Hamline University").
The University of Minnesota assimilated Hamline's medical school program in 1907. Dight remained on the staff as an instructor in pharmacology until 1913. There are only a few items in this folder, including three that have information on his educational and medical experience.
This folder includes a letter relating to nursing education (1919); correspondence with the Minnesota State Board of Examiners in the Basic Sciences regarding the necessity of Dight registering under the state basic science act (1927); and personal correspondence with fellow doctors including Harry M. Guildford in Madison, Wisconsin (ca.1918-1936).
From 1901 until his retirement in 1933 Dight was medical director of the Ministers Casualty Union, a Minneapolis firm providing "life, accident and sick benefit insurance at cost for clergymen only." This folder includes Dight's reports to the company's board of directors (1922-1933, incomplete), scattered copies of form letters issued by the company (1915-1936), and four small notebooks kept by Dight when investigating claims against the company (1920s). Dight used the backs of company form letters when making notes on a variety of subjects, and Ministers Casualty Union form letters are therefore scattered throughout the collection. About 1936 the name of the company was changed to Ministers Life and Casualty Union.
The walkathon was a walking endurance contest that took place July 11-September 6, 1932 in the Minneapolis auditorium. Materials in this folder include two flyers advertising the contest, with contest rules; a typewritten copy of Dight's report, "The Walking Endurance Contest Considered from a Physician's Point of View"; and letters related to Dight's efforts to end the contest in Minneapolis and prevent such contests in other cities. There is also a small booklet with Dight's notes about the contest, about an eye operation performed on him in January 1933, and about other subjects.
This folder contains a few printed leaflets and flyers related to such pseudo-medical subjects as phrenology, character analysis, and personal development.
Manuscript for "Medical Superstition and Graft, the Physician and Socialism"; and miscellaneous medical essays.
This folder includes a mimeographed flyer from the Public Ownership Party, Minneapolis (Aug. 25, 1906) regarding help for Dight as party "organizer"; and miscellaneous items related to socialism and politics.
An essay with some chapters typewritten and some in the form of annotated
copies of printed articles written by Dight for socialist journals such
as
A folder of miscellaneous material includes a campaign flyer (Oct. 31, 1914); mimeographed copies of correspondence between Theodore Roosevelt and Ernest Lundeen (Oct.-Nov. 1917) regarding Lundeen's patriotism and his views on the war in Europe; a report to the city council on Dight's study of public health in Milwaukee, Detroit, and Toronto, and on his attendance at the American Public Health Association in Rochester, N.Y. (Sept. 1915); and items related to socialism and to specific issues such as prohibition.
Another folder on municipal markets includes information on T. B. Walker's privately owned Central City Market and on the Mayor's Commission on Municipal Markets (undated and ca.1915-1918). There are also items related to food costs, including a study submitted to the council's committee on commerce and markets by the Minneapolis Civic and Commerce Association bureau of municipal research (Nov. 21, 1916).
A folder on feeding city garbage to hogs (undated and ca.1917-1918) includes items related to Dight's promotion of the concept, as well as a printed pamphlet on "Garbage Utilization" published by the U.S. Food Administration (1918) and a letter from the North Hennepin Stock Feeder's Association to the city council (ca.1918) regarding the possibility of purchasing city garbage for use as livestock feed.
The folder contains petitions presented to President Franklin D. Roosevelt asking for a more equitable sharing of wealth, the abolition of private profit, and public ownership of resources and industries.
A few items related to efforts promoting the use of artesian wells, rather than the Mississippi River, as a supply source for Minneapolis city water.
Correspondence and small printed items related to the colony and to Dight's investment in the Llano Co-operative Oil Corporation of Newllano.
Typed essays by Dight, small printed leaflets, and other items related to the north central division of the Continental Committee on Technocracy, an organization advocating "a scientific reconstruction of our economic systems"; and to the general subject of a new industrial order.
Typed pages of a manuscript (undated) for a book published in 1936, along with a few items (mostly 1936) related to the printing of the book by Argus Publishing Company, Minneapolis and its distribution to various libraries by Dight.
Minutes, correspondence, form letters, financial materials, and other items related to the society (2 folders); and typed field notes and a few letters of A. F. Lockhart (Sept. 7-Dec. 3, 1926, one folder). Lockhart visited potential donors and members (especially physicians) and wrote letters soliciting memberships, money, and other support. The Lockhart folder also contains two letters (Nov. 15 and 30) regarding his work.
This group consists principally of Dight's correspondence as president of the Minnesota Eugenics Society, along with other material related to the subject of eugenics. It includes copies of various versions of sterilization bills presented to the Minnesota legislature; correspondence with legislators, supporters, members of the state advisory council of the Minnesota Eugenics Society, the State Board of Health, and the State Board of Control; requests for donations; scattered copies of articles and pamphlets published by Dight; and materials related to items written by him on the subjects of eugenics and sterilization, including pamphlets, booklets, and letters to the editors of local newspapers. The Phelps article, cited above, provides a good summary of the issues and activities prominent in this part of the collection.
Noteworthy items include three small books containing Dight's notes on his legislative efforts (undated and ca.1920s-1931); his booklet entitled "Human Thoroughbreds - Why Not," and correspondence regarding its publication (1922); correspondence related to proposed "Fitter Family" competitions at the Minnesota State Fair (1923-1924, 1926); correspondence with Lotus D. Coffman, president of the University of Minnesota, regarding the proposed office of "State Eugenist [sic]" (Oct. 4, 5, 19, 1926) and Dight's bequest for the formation of a eugenics program at the University (Feb. 27, 1927); correspondence and a photograph related to the presentation of a plaque to Charles Lindbergh "in recognition of his superior hereditary endowment" (Aug.-Sept. 1927); a copy of a letter from A. A. Wood to John Burke regarding Wood's will (Jan. 5, 1928; possibly the source of some of the money for the Dight Institute?); a request from Roy L. Garis (Vanderbilt University) for information on Mexican labor (Aug. 24, 1929); three printed bulletins of the American Equity Association (Washington, D.C.) opposing sterilization and the unjust imprisonment of insane persons (1929); a copy of the printed booklet, "Increase of the Unfit a Social Menace; Facts Which Call for Enactment of an Adequate Eugenics Law for Human Betterment; Opposition to It by the Minnesota State Board of Control" (1930), and correspondence related to the ensuing controversy (1930-1931); a letter and two printed leaflets from Edward C. Baumann of the Christian Brotherhood of America, Bagley, Minnesota (March 20, 1930); correspondence with governor-elect Floyd B. Olson regarding the possibilities for eugenics and sterilization legislation in the coming session (Dec. 13, 1930); correspondence regarding Dight's radio talks on radio station WRHM (1933-1934); correspondence with the Minnesota Historical Society regarding Dight's history of the eugenics movement and the possibility of Dight's leaving money to the historical society for the promotion of eugenics (1935).
Correspondents in the papers include the following members of the
advisory council of the Minnesota Eugenics Society:
Other authors include:
Correspondence (bulk 1926-1931) and printed items related to the work of the society nationally, and to Dight's work in Minnesota, including correspondence between Dight and Leon F. Whitney, society field secretary. The printed items include a form letter and membership list.
Mostly semi-print items related to the National Committee on Federal Legislation for Birth Control, and to the Minnesota Birth Control League, Inc. The National Committee materials include correspondence, semi-print newsletters (April and June 1932), and form letters signed by Margaret Sanger, president. The Minnesota League items include a printed membership leaflet (1931), an annual report (May 1933), minutes of meetings (Jan., Sept., Oct. 1934; Jan. 1935), and a newsletter (Sept. 1935), as well as correspondence with Genevieve Steefel, chairman of the publicity committee.
Harry H. Laughlin was assistant director of the Eugenics Record Office and secretary of the Eugenics Research Association. Letterheads of the Eugenics Record Office state that it was a subdivision of the department of genetics of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, while the Eugenics Research Association seems to have had some sort of affiliation with the American Museum of Natural History in New York. This folder contains printed items related to the two organizations, as well as Dight's correspondence with Laughlin regarding eugenics, sterilization, and eugenics conferences.
Printed items published by the foundation on the subject of eugenic sterilization, and correspondence of Dight with E. S. Gosney (foundation president) and Paul Popenoe (secretary).
Typed drafts of essays on the subject of eugenics.
Typed letters to the editors of the
Typed copies of talks on heredity and eugenics presented over various radio stations.
Includes closed originals from the eugenics scrapbook: a
Most of the clippings relate to eugenics.
A few partial copies of the newspaper of the Llano Co-operative Colony, Newllano, Louisiana.
Clippings principally related to Dight's service as Minneapolis 12th ward alderman and his promotion of municipal ownership of profit-making industries, especially municipal markets (1916) and the feeding of municipal garbage to hogs (1917-1918), but also including items related to a municipal electrical plant, ice plant, and ice harvesting operations. Other clippings include information on Dight's campaign for alderman (1914), his treehouse, the ward council/citizen's advisory committee he created to advise him, the Minneapolis Union [railroad] Station, saloons, the pasteurization of milk sold in the city, and the utilization of electric power from the Ford dam.
This scrapbook deals mostly with eugenics, including copies of Dight's letters to the editors of various newspapers. There also are clippings related to the Minneapolis Walkathon (1932) and to technocracy (1935). Photocopies of Dight's 1933 correspondence with Adolf Hitler are included.