From information secured from 19,280 employees in the shoemanufacturing industry, 98.5 per cent can read and 98.1 per cent can both read and write. Of 12,717 males and 6,563 females constituting the totals, a slightly lower percentage of the males can read and both read and write than the females. Comparing the nativity groups, it is seen that but a very slight difference exists in the proportions of males and females who can read and both read and write of the native-born of native father or native-born of foreign father, while both of these classes show considerably higher proportions in both the male and female groups than the foreign-born. Among the different foreign-born races it is seen that all races except the Russians and Lithuanians show proportions higher than 90 per cent who can read, and all races except those above mentioned, and the Polish and South Italian, show more than 90 per cent who can both read and write. The most marked differences in the proportions who can read and both read and write shown by males and females exist in the case of the following races: Greek, Lithuanian, and Slovak, and in each instance the males show the higher proportions. The following table shows, by sex, general nativity, and race of individual, the percentage of persons 10 years of age or over, in the households studied, who read, and the per cent who both read and write. TABLE 65.-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.] The above table is concerned with the conditions of literacy among 2,664 persons over 6 years of age. The notable point which the table brings out is the advance in education made by the second generation over the foreign-born. Thus, while practically all the second generation of each sex can both read and write, only 83.4 per cent of the 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 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.] Of 1,892 foreign-born persons who are 10 years of age or over, 79.6 per cent of those who have been in the United States under five years, 80.1 per cent of those with a residence of from five to nine years, and 90.7 per cent of those who have been in this country ten years or over are able to read. Of those who have been in the United States under five years, 73.2 per cent can read and write, and of those with a residence of from five to nine years 74.2 per cent and of persons that have been in this country ten years or over 86.6 per cent can both read and write. It will be observed that the percentage who are able both to read and write in each period is smaller than the percentage who can read in each corresponding period. The English show 100 per cent in each period which has been computed who can read and who can both read and write. After the English the Hebrews report the highest percentage and the Lithuanians the lowest percentage who can read in the group of persons who have been in the United States under five years. In the group with a residence of from five to nine years the French Canadians show the greatest proportion, which is 95 per cent, and the Lithuanians the smallest proportion, which is 72.3 per cent, who can read. Among the persons with a residence of ten years or over, the English, Greeks, and Syrians show 100 per cent and the South Italians only 70.2 per cent who can read. In the group showing persons with a residence of under five years, next to the English the Armenians show the highest per cent and the Lithuanians the lowest per cent who can both read and write. Among those with a residence of from five to nine years the French Canadians report the highest percentage and the Lithuanians the lowest percentage who can both read and write. Among persons who have been in the United States ten years or over, the English and Greeks show 100 per cent and the South Italians only 70.2 per cent. It will be further noted that the same proportion of the Armenians, the English, and the Greeks in each corresponding period of residence who can read can also read and 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. |