University of Wisconsin—Madison

LABORATORY OF GENETICS .

406 Genetics Building O. Smithies

Madison, Wisconsin 53706 Office: (608) 262-2976
Laboratory: (608) 262-1047

 

January 26, 1976

Dear Members:

Please read the attached letter from Tibby Russell and the final version
of the Genetics/IQ document (dated January 1976) which is attached to it.
Most of you know the history of the document. Briefly, its preparation was set
in motion at our business meeting at Berkeley in 1973. An Ad Hoc Committee,
appointed by Mel Green, prepared the first version which was sent to you for
consideration early in 1975. Many replies and letters were received commenting
on this 1975 version. The nature of the comments suggested that we ought to
prepare a revised version before publication. Our business meeting at Chapel Hill
in August 1975 authorized preparing such a revision. The enclosed statement is
the revised and now final document. It is the result of many days of diligent
work by the original Ad Hoc Committee, under Tibby Russell's chairmanship, with
the later inclusion of Jim Crow, to fill a resignation, and with the help of
Doug Futuyma and Sewall Wright. All comments offered by our members and by
others were considered in its preparation.

Your response to the effort made by the people who have worked most
valiantly on this task is now requested. Please, RETURN THE ENCLOSED RESPONSE
CARD. On it you will see spaces to indicate whether 1) you wish to be associated
with the Genetics/IQ document, 2) you do not wish to be associated with the
document or 3) to say you think no statement should be made. You should sign
and print your name on one line. The two page document will be published in
Genetics and released to the media with a tabulation of the responses: total

sent out ; % wishing to be associated with the document; %
not wishing to be associated with the document; % preferring to see no
statement made; % not responding. The names of the responders will be filed

and open to inspection by anyone on request, but they will not be published.

Personally I have found this whole experience very educational - it has
shown me the need for meticulous and scientifically rigorous work in preparing
for lay persons a document attempting a fair presentation of a socially sensitive
and scientifically difficult topic. It has also been worthwhile because we do
now have a statement which is both likely to be helpful in informing the public,
and should also be able to stand valid criticisms from all sides.

Let me end by wishing you all the best for 1976.
Sincerely yours,
Phase wusttag Q
Oliver Smithies

President GSA, 1975
OS: fm

Enclosure