The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-12
Ienry Hall, in Pittsburg Times.

Henry Hall, in Pittsburg Times.
In the last bulletin of the department.
of labor Prof. w. T.. Il. Du Bois prints
an interesting social study bearing
upon the real condition of the negro
in the south. 1t is the first of st~
of investigations of small well-detined
groups of negroes in various parts OF
the country, for the purpose of thor
oughly studying their economic con-
dtion.
This investigation was made at Farm
VILE, Prince Edward county, Virginia.
1t is located in Middle Virginia, be-
tween the Piedmont region and tide
water, about 81 miles southwest OF
Richmond, and midway between Pet
ersburg and Lynchburg. Prince Ed
ward county is in the centre of dis
nGict producing seven-eights OF Nlr-
jas tobacco crop. FarmNllle TOWN
500, is the county seat. A century
this county had 5000 population,
w divided between whites and
es. Now it has over 14,000 but the
UlSease is almost entirely among the
blacks, the relative numbers being.
whites, i,770; blacks, 1924. Less than
one-third of the people live in towns
of 25 and over making the mass of the
population rural and agricultural Be
fore the war 5S2 Shareholders held 1,3il
slaves. and over 10 per cent of the
farms were 100 acres and over, worked
by from 10 to so slaves. Now 81 per
cent of the farms are under 80 acres.
The number of tenants decreased be-
tween 1880 and 1890, and over 40 per
cent of the farms are cultivated by
their owners. Corn, wheat, oats, pota-
toes and diary products and poultry
are produced, but tobacco is the lead
ing product
Farmville is a typical Virginia coun-
try town, the trading centre of SIX
counties, where a large proportion of
their tobacco is marketed, and some
of it manufactured into strips. In 1890
it had population of 2,4O4, of whom
961 were whites and 1,443 blacks. The
assessed real estate valuation in 1895
was 576,445. of which the whites owned
1926, POS and the blacks $51,240. In five
years the whites had gained in Valua-
ton 1866 per cent and the blacks 3.6S.
1t was with the colored population
that the investigation dealt and Prof.
Du Bois spent two months of last year
living with them, visiting their homes
and joining in their social life. with
regard to their coniugal relations 1t
was ascertained that of 351 males over
Is years old, 5O.7 per cent were married.
4 per cent widowed, "a per cent,
while in no case reguls ely divorced
were permanently separated from their
wives, and 41.9 per cent were single.
OF S92 women asa per cent were mar
,ried, 1914 per cent widowed, 81 per cent
permanently separated, and 81 per
cent single. This shows a remarkable
,.it c1 n among
the first generation of freedom, mar
riase was entered upon very early. The
second generation, however, is post
poning marriage largely for economic
reasons, and is migrating to better its
condition. Consequently, in race
young in civilization, the percentage OF
single men over Is would seem to be
greater than in Great Britain, France,
Germany, Hungary or Italy, and the
number of single women is larger than
might be expected. This" says Prof.
Du Bois, leads to two evils-illicit
sexual intercourse and restricted in
iluence of family life."
BIRTH RATE FALLING.
The birth rate, while large, is appar"
emily decreasing. The rate of illegitl-
mate births is about Is per cent, II
great improvement on past conditions.
About 25 per cent. of these illegitimare
births were the results of miscegena-
ton, this being a decrease. Curiously
enough, there are two cases or mar
riages between colored men and white
women, which are undisturbed, despite
the law against such unions. From
one-third to one-half of all the negroes
in town are of mixed blood. The death
rate, while exceeding that of the whites,
is not high, although there is large
infant mortality.
There Is one colored school, with two
male and three female teachers, and a
six months school term. The teachers
salaries do not average over $50 per
month. OF 266 males between 5 and
2c-years, 121 attended school last year,
with 11S out of 246 females. After the
age of 10 the boys drop out of school
and go to work. OF POS children be-
tween and 10. only 80 per cent. attend
ed the full term of six months, 33 per
cent. half the term, and IL per cent
less than three months, The result of
education since the war is seen in the
investigation as to illiteracy. OF 9OS
people reporting 42.5 per cent. could
read and write, 17,5 per cent. could
only read, and 40 per cent. We're totally
illterate. Dividing the population into
four classes-those reared in slavery,
those reared in war times and recon-
struction, those reared since 1867, and
the present youth-the decreasing
amount Of illiteracy can be traced.
Nevertheless 23 per cent. of the youths
from 10 to 20 are illiterate, the notice.
able change in later generations be-
ing that the excess of illteracy which
was formerly among women is now
among men.
OCCUPATIONS.
Following the social conditions fur