Essentials of Family Statistics [Discussion]

One of the encouraging signs of progress in the field of statistics of late is the increasing number of studies of sources and methods for particular subjects, as distinguished from treatises on statistical sources and methods in general. Progress toward more adequate statistical material, better methods of handling it, and more effective presentation of results, is bound to be aided, and is in the long run largely dependent upon such specialized studies. As an example of such a study, Mr. Kopf's paper on the Essentials of Family Statistics is, therefore, to be welcomed. Furthermore, this paper has additional interest from the fact set forth in a footnote to the title that the paper is an excerpt from a manual which the author has in preparation on Essentials of Social Statistics, a title of sufficiently broad implication to indicate a very ambitious undertaking, involving, it would seem, a whole series of studies of individual subjects like this one of family statistics which is before us.