SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. The following table shows, by general nativity and race of father of pupil, the number and percentage of total pupils in school in Scranton, Pa. TABLE 315.-Number and per cent of total pupils in school in Community E, by general nativity and race of father of pupil. In this locality information was secured as to general nativity and race of father of 16,157 pupils in public and 3,382 pupils in parochial schools. The proportion of pupils of foreign parentage is 52.5 per cent in public and 39 per cent in parochial schools, and the proportion of children of native whites is 47.1 per cent in public and 60.9 per cent in parochial schools. In the public schools the foreign races having the largest representation are the Irish, German, Welsh, English, and Lithuanian, while in the parochial schools the Polish, German, and Irish, in the order mentioned, are the principal races. CITIZENSHIP. The extent to which foreign-born males, in the households studied in the community, have acquired or manifested an interest in attaining citizenship is exhibited by the table next presented. It shows, by race, the present political condition of foreign-born males who have been in the United States five years or over and who were 21 years of age or over at time of arrival in this country. TABLE 316-Present political condition of foreign-born males who have been in the United States 5 years or over and who were 21 years of age or over at time of coming, by race of individual. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.) [By years in the United States is meant years since first arrival in the United States.] Of the foreign-born males for whom information was secured, 43.9 per cent are fully naturalized and 8.9 per cent have first papers only. All of the Welsh and 95.5 per cent of the Swedes are fully naturalized, as compared with 28.8 per cent of the South Italians and 26.6 per cent of the Magyars. The proportion of persons having first papers only is larger for the Magyars and South Italians than for the persons of any other race for which the percentages have been computed. ABILITY TO SPEAK ENGLISH. The extent to which foreign-born persons of non-English-speaking races, in the households studied, are able to speak English is set forth in the following series of tables. The first table presented shows, by sex and general nativity and race of individual, the percentage of persons 6 years of age or over who speak English. TABLE 317.-Per cent of persons 6 years of age or over who speak English, by sex and general nativity and race of individual. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.) [This table includes only non-English-speaking races with 40 or more persons reporting. The totals, however, are for all non-English-speaking races.] It appears from the above table that of the persons for whom information was secured, 66.7 per cent of the males and 64 per cent of the females can speak English. The proportion of males and females who speak English is much larger for native-born of foreign father than for the foreign-born. Of the foreign-born males, all of the Swedes, 67.9 per cent of the Slovaks, and between 50 and 60 per cent of the Magyars and South Italians can speak English. The proportion of foreign-born females who can speak English is largest for the Swedes and smallest for the South Italians. The following table makes possible a comparison of the relative proportion of the younger and older immigrants able to speak English. The table shows, by age at time of coming to the United States, and race of individual, the percentage of foreign-born persons 6 years. of age or over, in the households studied, who speak English. TABLE 318.-Per cent of foreign-born persons 6 years of age or over who speak English, by age at time of coming to the United States and race of individual. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.) [This table includes only non-English-speaking races with 40 or more persons reporting. The total, how ever, fs for all non-English-speaking races.] From the preceding table it appears that a considerably larger proportion of foreign-born persons who came to the United States when under 14 years of age than of those who came here when 14 or over are able to speak English. Of the persons who came here when under 14, all of the Swedes and a larger proportion of the South Italians than of the Magyars and Slovaks can speak English. The proportion of persons who came here when 14 or over who speak English is largest for the Swedes, second largest for the Slovaks, and smallest for the South Italians. The progress shown by persons of non-English-speaking races in acquiring an ability to speak English after stated periods of residence in this country is exhibited by the following table, which shows, by years in the United States, and race of individual, the per cent of foreign-born persons 6 years of age or over, in the households studied, who speak English. TABLE 319.—Per cent of foreign-born persons 6 years of age or over who speak English, 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 non-English-speaking races with 40 or more persons reporting. The total, however, is for all nonEnglish-speaking races.] It appears from the above table that 26.4 per cent of the foreignborn persons who have been in the United States under five years can speak English as compared with 65.7 per cent of those who have been here from five to nine years and 86.3 per cent of those who have been here ten years or over. In other words, there is an increase in the proportion of persons who speak English with years of residence in the United States. This increase appears in the case of the different races for which the percentages are given, as well as in the case of all employees. All of the Swedes who have been in this country ten years or over, as compared with 87.5 per cent of those who have been here under five years, can speak English. |