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The proportion of the foreign-born rapidly with years in the United St under five years, 22.7 per cent spe reported by those here five to nine 64 and 82.1, respectively. The p Italians who speak English is rela residence for which data are given. smaller proportion of South Italians over speak English than of those who five to nine years.

SCHOOL

Immigrant children in all parts of the native white schools, with the ex settlement, where that race mainta school is Greek Catholic in denominat the year and five days in the week, an that denomination among the Slovaks practically in every detail to that of with the addition of a certain perio instruction. As stated in other secti public schools are maintained partly ments and partly by employees thro course, does not apply to the larger tow the isolated communities surrounding ties are thus afforded partly at the exp he patronizes the schools or not. children are sent to school with a consi that no additional cost, or less cost, is

CHURCHES

With the exception of the Jewish synag other Hebrews in Birmingham proper, churches in the district. One of these church at Ensley, and the other is a Gre Slovaks at Brookside. No work is don the religious organizations of the nat attend native churches to any extent, Scotch, English, Irish, and Welsh, who us nation after settling in any locality.

In every community, however, regard are either afforded by the companies, ex Birmingham, and Bessemer, Ensley, and F are supported by their own members. services to the employees is discussed in g tion of this report.

IMMIGRANTS IN BUSINESS AND

The fact that there are very few im Birmingham district which have existed of time is the chief reason for the smalln

ed in business.

An exception to this statement must be made in the case of Greeks, Russian Hebrews, and Italians. In the city of Birmingham and the surrounding towns, notably Ensley and Bessemer, the Greeks have almost an absolute monopoly of the restaurants, fruit stands, and peanut, candy, and popcorn carts, and similar trades. In Birmingham alone, as stated elsewhere in these notes, there are about 800 Greeks. Very few of these engage in occupations in the coal, iron, or steel industries, and these few only when forced by circumstances. On the other hand, almost every prominent corner of the city streets is marked by a small fruit stand, and between fifteen and twenty small restaurants are operated, in addition to the numerous candy carts. The Russian Hebrews are engaged almost altogether in operating clothing stores, some of the largest establishments being owned by individuals of the first generation of this race. Italians, chiefly from the north of Italy, operate small groceries, shoe-repair shops, and the like.

In the foreign settlements near the steel plants and in the collieries immigrants do not exhibit much business tendency, for the reason that they depend largely for customers upon negroes, who patronize chiefly the company commissaries. In the largest foreign settlement at Ensley there are the following establishments, by races:

Greeks: Three restaurants, 8 fruit stands, 1 grocery. Italians: One wholesale grocery (formerly an Italian saloon), 1 barber shop, 1 meat shop, 8 groceries, 1 restaurant, 1 newspaper (weekly), 1 shoe-repair shop. Bulgarians: One restaurant.

At Brookside, where there is the largest Slovak settlement in the district, or in fact in Alabama, there are 3 Slovak groceries and 1 Slovak soft-drink establishment. At Bessemer there is a very small settlement of Italians, and 2 groceries are operated, but are patronized largely by negroes. The same is true, as has been stated, of all of the other towns in the district, i. e., the tendency on the part of Italians to operate small grocery stores for negro patronage, and on the part of Greeks to operate fruit stands, restaurants, etc.

No immigrants are engaged in the professions, if we except an occasional Scotch, Welsh, or English minister, doctor, or civil engineer. With the exception of these, and of the Russian Hebrews and a few of the well-established Greeks, the immigrants have not entered into the business life of the localities in the district to an appreciable extent. They are not identified with natives in any way in aims, methods, or in association.

It is interesting to note, as throwing light on the nature of association of immigrants with natives, that while Italian stores and shops are patronized largely by negroes, the Greek restaurants, and to a less extent their stands, are patronized altogether by native whites. This is noticeable not only in the industrial towns, but also in Birmingham proper.

48296°-VOL 9-11-18

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