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longer and the process of assimilation much more complete than that of the Poles or Italians. The same condition is found in the case of the English-speaking immigrants, whose houses are the equal of the natives in the same grade of employment. One effect of length of residence upon housing is that it tends to make permanent residents of immigrants. They purchase a house and they and their children become permanent residents of the city. Length of residence also works a modifying influence upon all races with the exception of the Slavic. The Slavic races change very little in their habits or associations, and in the majority of cases keep closely to themselves. With the Italian and French Canadian, however, length of residence is an indication of permanence of residence. It means that all ties with their country of origin are severed, and that the family which has purchased its house is being assimilated and holds to the same aims and ideas as do the natives in like circumstances. After the house has been purchased more pride is shown in it than when it was only rented, and consequently it receives better care.

The Polish, French Canadian, and Italian children usually live with their parents, and when they marry live in the same locality if employment is to be obtained. When employment can not be obtained the children usually go to neighboring cities, but children of immigrant families usually remain in the same locality with their parents. No regulations relative to housing exist in Community B. The tenant of a house is permitted to quarter as many families there as the house will accommodate. The tenant may, if he cares to, sublet rooms or parts of a tenement. The usual tenement house occupied by immigrants has three families, although in some cases the basement is used, and four families are lodged. There are tenements where six and even more families are housed, but this situation is uncommon. In defense of this system, which permits the landlord or tenant to overcrowd the houses, the claim is made that no bad results to the community have resulted and that the community has no need of such regulations. That the health of the community has not suffered by such a system is due largely to the fact that the health laws are strictly enforced by the town and city health officers. The customary way for the immigrant to board in this community is to buy food for himself and have the wife or boarding-house mistress cook it for him. In this way he gets such food as he wants and can live more cheaply than he would in a regular boarding place. He pays, however, a lump sum for lodging, cooking, and washing. The native boarding house is of a much higher type. In the native boarding house more meat is used, higher prices are paid for articles for the table, and the whole standard is very much higher than that of the immigrant.

In immigrant houses the food costs the immigrant from $1.50 a week up to $3 and $3.50, according to what he buys. His diet is of low grade. The Italian, it is claimed, spends for food as little as $1.50 a week and the Slavic races somewhat more. In a large measure the amount spent on food depends on whether the immigrant is going to return to the old country or whether he intends settling here. In some instances, where close economy is practiced, the amount spent for food is less than the amount previously shown. In native boarding houses, on the other hand, the usual price for board runs from $4 to $5 per week.

CHAPTER VII.

SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS.

Literacy-Conjugal condition-Age classification of households studied-General effect of immigration on the community-Charity-Diseases peculiar to immigrantsVital statistics-Criminality-[Text Tables 137 to 144 and General Tables 120 to 124].

LITERACY.

The general literacy of the persons in the households studied is set forth in the following table, which shows, by sex, general nativity, and race of individual, the percentage of persons 10 years of age or over who read and the percentage who both read and write:

TABLE 137.-Per cent of persons 10 years of age or over who read and per cent who read and write, by sex and general nativity and race of individual.

(STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.)

¡This table includes only races with 40 or more persons reporting. The totals, however, are for all races.]

General nativity and race of individual.

Native-born of native father,

Number reporting
complete data.

Per cent who read.

Per cent who read and write.

Male. Female. Total. Male. Female. Total. Male. Female. Total.

White.

55

51

106 100.0

100.0 100.0 100.0

100.0 100.0

Native-born of foreign father, by race of father:

German..

Canadian, French.

Irish..

Polish.

Swedish..

Foreign-born:

Canadian, French.

German..

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The foregoing table shows 91.6 per cent of persons who read as compared with 90.3 per cent who can both read and write. In each instance the proportion of males who can read and who can both. read and write is somewhat larger than that of the females. The group native-born of native father show all persons reporting can

both read and write; native-born of foreign father follow with a slightly smaller percentage, while foreign-born show considerably smaller proportions than native-born of foreign father who can read and who can both read and write. Of the native-born of foreign father each race shows 100 per cent of males who can both read and write. French Canadians and Poles show a somewhat smaller proportion of females who have this ability than of males. Of the foreign-born races Swedish alone show 100 per cent of both males and females who can read and write, while French Canadians show a slightly higher percentage of females than of males who can read and also read and write. The greatest illiteracy is noted among the Poles, slightly over 60 per cent of the males and less than 40 per cent of the females being able to read and to read and write.

The degree of literacy which prevails among persons of foreign birth after designated periods of residence in this country may be seen from the next table presented. This table shows, by years in the United States and race of individual, the percentage of foreignborn persons 10 years of age or over in the households studied who read and the percentage who both read and write.

TABLE 138.—Per cent of foreign-born persons 10 years of age or over who read and per cent who read and write, by years in the United States and race of individual.

(STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.)

[By years in the United States is meant years since first arrival in the United States. This table includes only races with 40 or more persons reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign-born.J

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From the data presented in the above table it appears that the proportion of all foreign-born persons for whom information was secured who are able both to read and to read and write increases with length of residence in the United States. In the case of the Germans, South Italians, and Poles, however, a larger proportion of individuals who have been in the United States from five to nine years than of those who have been here ten years or over are able both to read and write, and in the case of the Germans and South Italians a larger proportion of individuals who have been here from five to nine years than of individuals who have been here ten years or over are able to read only. The proportion of French Canadians who read and read and write is largest for individuals who have been in the United States under five years, second largest for individuals who have been here from five to nine years, and smallest for individuals who have been here ten years or over.

The literacy of foreign-born persons, according to their ages at the time of arrival in this country, is set forth in the table next presented. This table shows the percentage of foreign-born persons ten years of age or over, in the households studied, who could read and the percentage who could both read and write, by race and age of individual at the time of coming to the United States.

TABLE 139.-Per cent of foreign-born persons 10 years of age or over who read and per cent who read and write, by age at time of coming to the United States and race of individual.

(STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.)

[This table includes only races with 40 or more persons reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign

born.]

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The above table shows that 96.9 per cent of the persons reporting who were under 14 years of age at the time of coming to the United States can read as compared with 82.3 per cent who have this ability and who were 14 years of age or over at the time of arrival in this country. Of those who can both read and write 96.2 per cent were under 14 years of age at the time of coming to the United States and 79.7 per cent were 14 years of age or over. Germans, Poles, and Swedes report that all persons who were under 14 years of age at the time of arrival in this country can read, a slightly smaller percentage of French Canadians have this ability, while only 88 per cent of South Italians who were under the above specified age can read. Only one race, the Swedish, reports that all members who were 14 years of age or over at the time of coming to the United States can read, while the South Italians show only 43.4 per cent of persons who were of the above specified age at the time of arrival can read. The table further shows about the same proportions as those given above of persons who can both read and write. In each instance the percentage of persons who were under 14 years of age at the time of arrival in this country is considerably higher than the percentage of those who were 14 years of age or over and who can both read and write. The Swedes are the only exception to this rule, 100 per cent of persons of each specified age being able both to read and write.

CONJUGAL CONDITION.

The table next submitted shows, by sex, age groups, and by general nativity and race of individual, the percentage of persons in the households studied who were in each conjugal condition.

TABLE 140.-Per cent of persons in each conjugal condition, by sex, age groups, and by general nativity and race of individual.

(STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.)

[This table includes only races with 80 or more persons reporting. The totals, however, are for all races.]

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