CHAPTER VI.

SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS.

Literacy-Conjugal condition-Age classification of households studied-General effect of immigration upon the community-Diseases peculiar to immigrantsCriminality—Charity-[Text Tables 199 to 205 and General Tables 157 to 161].

LITERACY.

The general literacy of 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 199.-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.]

Of 2,632 persons included in the foregoing table 85 per cent read and 80.8 per cent read and write. The proportion of males who read, as well as of those who both read and write, is larger than the proportion of females. All of the persons native-born of native father and the native-born of foreign father, both male and femael, as comparep with 83.8 per cent of the foreign-born males and 74.1 per cent of the foreign-born females, read, while all of the native-born of native father and native-born of foreign father and 81.2 per cent of the foreign-born males, all of the native-born of native father, 99.6 per

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cent of the native-born of foreign father, and 64.2 per cent of the foreign-born females both read and write,"

Of the several foreign races it is seen that the proportions of males of each race who read is larger than the proportion of females with the exception of the German. This is true in each race group of those who both read and write. The Germans and Swedes, both males and females, show the highest degree of literacy, the Ruthenians showing the lowest as regards the males, and the Russian the lowest as regards the females.

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

TABLE 200.-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.]

For 1,963 foreign-born persons 10 years of age or over the preceding table shows that 73.2 per cent of those with a period of residence in the United States under five years, 76.2 per cent of those with a period of residence of from five to nine years, and 89.2 per cent of those with a period of residence of ten years or over, read. The proportion who both read and write is smaller in each instance. Of the several races the Swedish and German show the highest degree of literacy, less than 1 per cent not having ability to both read and write, regardless of length of residence in the United States. The Ruthenian shows the lowest degree of literacy, only slightly over 50 per cent of their number with a period of residence of less than ten years and 33.3 per cent of those with a period of residence of ten years or over having ability to both read and write.

The literacy of foreign-born persons, according to their ages at the time of arrival in this country, is set forth in the following table. The table shows, by age at time of coming to the United States and race of individual, the percentage of foreign-born persons 10 years of age or over, in the households studied, who read and the percentage who both read and write.

TABLE 201.-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.]

Of a total of 1,963 foreign-born persons 10 years of age or over, shown in the above table, 95.2 per cent of those who were under 14 years of age at time of coming to the United States can read and 93.6 per cent can read and write. Of those who were 14 years of age or over at the time of coming to this country, 78.3 per cent can read and 72.3 per cent can read and write. Of the Germans who were under 14 years of age at the time of coming, 100 per cent can read and read and write; of those who were 14 years of age or over at time of coming, 100 per cent can read and 99.3 per cent can both read and write. The Swedes who were under 14 years of age at the time of their arrival show 100 per cent who can read and read and write; of those who were 14 years of age or over, 99.5 per cent can read, the same proportion being able to read and write. The Poles, Slovaks, South Italians, and Lithuanians show over 90 per cent and the Ruthenians 84.6 per cent of those who were under 14 at the time of coming to this country who can read. A considerably smaller proportion of the Poles and Slovaks who were under 14 can both read and write than can read; the Lithuanians, South Italians, and Ruthenians show equal proportions who can read and who can both read and write. The Slovaks and the Poles show over 80 per cent, the Lithuanians 75.4 per cent, the South Italians and Russians over 60 per cent, and the Ruthenians only 48 per cent of those who were 14 years of age or over at the time of coming to this country who can read. The South Italians, Lithuanians, Poles, Germans, Russians, and Slovaks show a higher percentage of those who were 14 years of age or over at the time of landing who can read than the percentage of those who can both read and write.

CONJUGAL CONDITION.

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

TABLE 202.-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.]

Of 2,021 persons shown in the preceding table who are 20 years of age or over 74.3 per cent are married and 2.4 per cent are widowed. Of those who are 20 to 29 years of age 56.3 per cent are married and 0.5 per cent are widowed. In the group including persons from 30 to 44 years of age 90.2 per cent are married and 1.4 per cent are widowed. Of those who are 45 years of age or over 87.5 per cent are married and 11.2 per cent are widowed. In the group including persons from 20 to 29 years of age those of foreign birth report the highest percentage married, followed by persons who are native whites born of native father and those who are native-born of foreign father which follows in the order named. No persons in the two nativity groups last mentioned and less than 1 per cent of those of foreign birth are widowed. Of persons who are from 30 to 44 years of age those who are native whites born of native father report the highest percentage married, followed by the native-born of foreign father and those of foreign birth. A small proportion of persons in the lastnamed group and no persons in the two groups first mentioned are widowed. In the group including persons 45 years of age or over those who are native-born of foreign father show 100 per cent married, followed by the native whites born of native father and persons of foreign birth in somewhat smaller proportions. In this group the persons of foreign birth show a considerably higher percentage widowed than do those who are native whites born of native father. Of persons 20 years of age or over, those who are native whites born of native father show the highest percentage married, followed by the foreign-born and those who are native-born of foreign father. In this group the foreign-born and the persons who are native-born whites of native father show 2.7 per cent and 2.1 per cent, respectively, who are widowed as contrasted with no persons who are nativeborn of foreign father who are widowed.

In the group including persons from 20 to 29 years of age the Slovaks report the highest and the Germans the lowest percentage married. In the group including persons from 30 to 44 years of age the Swedes show the highest percentage and the Poles the lowest percentage who are married. In the group including persons 45 years of age or over the Lithuanians and Poles show the highest and the Germans the lowest percentage who are married. Of persons 20 years of age or over the Swedes show the highest and the Poles the lowest percentage who are married.

In each age group the Germans show the highest percentage who are widowed. Of persons from 20 to 29 years of age from 30 to 44 years of age and 20 years of age or over the females show a higher percentage married than do the males, while in the group including those 45 years of age or over a higher percentage of males than of females are married. In each age group a higher percentage of the females than of the males are widowed.

AGE CLASSIFICATION OF HOUSEHOLDS STUDIED.

The table next presented shows, by sex and by general nativity and race of head of household, the percentage of persons in the house-. holds studied within each age group.