Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 August 1903 — FEWER CHILDREN BORN NOW. [ARTICLE]

FEWER CHILDREN BORN NOW.

■■Mil but Stesdr Decrease la the Slse o t American Families. Not the old-fashioned board, at tha bead of which rat the father and at the foot of which sat the mother, with the sugar bowl In her lap to prevent incursions from childish fingers, flanked on either side by a row of children with shining faces and eager appetites; not the family table from which the children took turns In “waiting” when the grandparents came to occupy seats temporarily at the board or when other “company” came; not the table at which “a blessing” was asked three times dally for 865 days In each year, at which children were taught to mind their manners and wait until their elders were served. The family table, popular at thla time, is one of figures compiled by the careful statistician. It concerns the alleged decreasing size of families and la spread In this wise: Average size of family 1880. 1900. New England 4.8 4.0 New York 4.9 4.4 Pennsylvania 5.1 4.8 South Atlantic States 5.2 5.0 Ohio 5.0 4.4 Indiana 5.1 4.4 Illinois 5.2 4.7 Michigan i 4.9 4.4 Wisconsin 5.2 4.9 Minnesota 5.2 5.1 fowa 5.2 4.8 Missouri 5.4 4.7 North Dakota 4.8 4.9 South Dakota 4.3 4.8 Nebraska 5.1 4.8 Kansas 5.0 4.6 There Is a scanting of average In this, it is true, but it Is not very serious. Not so serious, indeed, but that anyone holding this table in his band and watching the children pour out of any one of a number of schoolhouses In any city In the laud la able to subdue his apprehension that the race, from lack of recruiting agencies, Is likely to run out. According to thla table, New England does not, show either the largest decrease in ten years nor the smallest average size of families. In point of fact, this decrease In New England Is but two-thirds of 1 per cent —a decrease In quantity that, If It is not made up in quality, much educational effort has been wasted in the past decade. In New York the decrease Is five-tenths of 1 per cent; In Pennsylvania, tenths; In Ohio, six-tenths; in Indiana, seven-tenths; In Michigan, fivetenths; in Wisconsin, three-tenths; in lowa, six-tenths; In Missouri, seventenths; in Kansas, four-tenths. That is to say, the average size of families In New England Is larger than in New York, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, and equal to that in lowa and Kansas. Tills reckoning represents a labored process, but It is relatively valueless. It Includes all rac:s and conditions, and has no bearing upon the relative size of families of long establishment in the country, and those of later immigration. It is a modern family table, nothing more. Anyone good at figures and diligent In delving into census returns can spread it, and all who are curious or apprehensive in the matter can come to It and go away satisfied that the American family is not rapidly dying out.— Portland Oregonian.