CHAPTER VI. SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS. Literacy-Conjugal condition-Visits abroad-Age classification of employees and members of their households-[Text Tables 64 to 78 and General Tables 35 to 44]. LITERACY. The general literacy of the employees of the shoe manufacturing industry is set forth in the two tables which follow. The first table presented shows, by sex and general nativity and race, the per cent of employees for whom information was secured who were able to read and per cent who were able both to read and to write. TABLE 64.-Per cent of employees who read and per cent who read and write, by sex and general nativity and race. (STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.) [This table includes only races with 80 or more persons reporting. The totals, however, are for all races.] Number reporting Per cent who read. Per cent who read and write. General nativity and race. Native-born of native father, Male. Female. Total. Male. Female. Total. Male. Female. Total. 5,358 3,575 8,933 99.8 99.6 99.7 99.8 99.5 99.7 Ireland. 829 Grand total... 12,717 From information secured from 19,280 employees in th manufacturing industry, 98.5 per cent can read and 98.1 per both read and write. Of 12,717 males and 6,563 females cons the totals, a slightly lower percentage of the males can read a read and write than the females. Comparing the nativity it is seen that but a very slight difference exists in the prop of males and females who can read and both read and writ native-born of native father or native-born of foreign fathe both of these classes show considerably higher proportions the male and female groups than the foreign-born. Am different foreign-born races it is seen that all races except th sians and Lithuanians show proportions higher. than 90 p who can read, and all races except those above mentioned, Polish and South Italian, show more than 90 per cent who ca read and write. The most marked differences in the proportio can read and both read and write shown by males and femal in the case of the following races: Greek, Lithuanian, and and in each instance the males show the higher proportions. The following table shows, by sex, general nativity, and individual, the percentage of persons 10 years of age or over, households studied, who read, and the per cent who both re write. TABLE 65.-Per cent of persons 10 years of age or over who read and per cent 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 The above table is concerned with the conditions of literacy a 2,664 persons over 6 years of age. The notable point which the brings out is the advance in education made by the second gener over the foreign-born. Thus, while practically all the second foreign-born men and 71.6 per cent of the foreign-born women studied are literate. Slightly higher proportions of each sex among the foreign-born can read but not write. Among the races the Lithuanians show the highest degree of illiteracy, only 61.5 per cent of the men and 36.8 per cent of the women being able to read and write. The Hebrews show a notably high proportion of each sex who can both read and write. The table next presented shows the percentage of employees who read, by sex, by general nativity and race, and by locality. TABLE 66.-Per cent of employees who read, by locality, by sex, and by general nativity and race. (STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.) [This table includes only races with 80 or more persons reporting in each locality. The totals, however, are for all races.] Over 95 per cent of the total number reporting in each locality in the preceding table can read. The native-born females whose fathers were born abroad (in England, Germany, or Ireland) show 100 per cent who read, while the native-born males whose fathers were born in Ireland show 100 per cent, and those whose fathers were born in Germany and England 99.8 per cent and 99.5 per cent, respectively. 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 who read and the percentage who both read and write. TABLE 67.-Per cent of foreign-born persons 10 years of age or over who read a who read and write, by years in the United States and race of individua (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.) [By years in the United States is meant years since first arrival in the United States. This ta only races with 40 or more persons reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign-bo Of 1,892 foreign-born persons who are 10 years of age or ov per cent of those who have been in the United States und years, 80.1 per cent of those with a residence of from five years, and 90.7 per cent of those who have been in this coun years or over are able to read. Of those who have been in the States under five years, 73.2 per cent can read and write, and with a residence of from five to nine years 74.2 per cent and sons that have been in this country ten years or over 86.6 p can both read and write. It will be observed that the per who are able both to read and write in each period is smaller th percentage who can read in each corresponding period. The show 100 per cent in each period which has been computed w read and who can both read and write. After the Engli Hebrews report the highest percentage and the Lithuania lowest percentage who can read in the group of persons wh been in the United States under five years. In the group residence of from five to nine years the French Canadians sho greatest proportion, which is 95 per cent, and the Lithuania smallest proportion, which is 72.3 per cent, who can read. the persons with a residence of ten years or over, the English, C and Syrians show 100 per cent and the South Italians only 70 cent who can read. In the group showing persons with a res of under five years, next to the English the Armenians sho highest per cent and the Lithuanians the lowest per cent wh both read and write. Among those with a residence of from nine years the French Canadians report the highest perce and the Lithuanians the lowest percentage who can both read write. Among persons who have been in the United States ten or over, the English and Greeks show 100 per cent and the Italians only 70.2 per cent. It will be further noted that the proportion of the Armenians, the English, and the Greeks in corresponding period of residence who can read can also read write. The persons of other specified races in most cases show smaller proportions who are able to both read and write than the proportion with the ability to read. The literacy of the 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 10 years of age or over, in the households studied, who could read and the percentage who could both read and write, by race of individual and age of individual at the time of coming to the United States. TABLE 68.-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.] The above table shows that of the 1,892 individuals included in this inquiry 94.6 per cent of those who were 14 years of age or under at the time of coming to this country could both read and write. Of those who were over that age when they came, 74.7 per cent were literate and 81 per cent of this age group were partially literate. The Lithuanians show the smallest degree of literacy and the English the highest. The figures indicate that the younger immigrants are more apt to learn to read and write than the older ones; also that a considerable number learn to read, but do not learn to write. CONJUGAL CONDITION. The conjugal condition of the employees of the shoe-manufacturing industry is studied in the series of tables next submitted. The table first presented shows, by sex and general nativity and race, the percentage of employees 20 years of age or over, for whom information was secured, who were in each conjugal condition. |