The scientific movement in educational research began in the late 19th century and has expanded exponentially in the 20th century. The origins of the movement are commonly associated with the expansion of measurement and survey methods in clinical psychology and the social sciences. This paper argues that the medical sciences also served as a model that shaped educational research in the inter-war period. The child guidance and scientific child study movements are examined in conjunction with the promotion of research by large scale 20th century U.S. philanthropy represented by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Commonwealth Fund during the inter-war years. (Author)