Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-12-23

IN scientific manner by the COMPARE
son of measurements of the bodies of
such immigrants and their descendants
at different ages and under differing
circumstances. The matter was placed
in the hands of a committee composed
of members of the commission, and
Professor Frank Boas of Columbia
university was engaged as expert. The
inquiry was confined to New York city
and so far as the present report shows
was restricted to Sicilians and east
European Hebrews. A later report
will give the details of investigation
among Bohemians. Hungarians and
Scotch.
The report indicates that the de-
scendantS of the European immigrant
changes his type even in the first gen.
Grafton almost entirely. Children born
even a few years after the arrival of
the parents develop in such a way that
they differ essentially from the latter
These differences seem to develop dur
ing the earliest childhood and persist
throughout life. Every part Of the
body is influenced in this way. Even
the form of the head, which always
has been considered one Of the most
permanent hereditary features, under
goes considerable changes.
An official synopsis of the report
says:
This would indicate the conclusion
that racial physical characteristics do
not survive under the new social and
climatic environment of America. The
adaptability of the various races COM
inv Jonathan 1hnFQ9 IN
these indications shall be fully borne
out in later study. to be much greater
than had been anticipated. If the
American environment can bring about
an assimilation of the head forms in
the first generation, may it not be that
other characteristics may be as easily
modified. and that there may be
rapid assimilation of widely varying
nationalities and races to something
that could well be called an American
type?
The investigation is by no means
complete, and, moreover, considering
the Importance of the subject, it !
should clearly be conducted on larger
scale and in different surroundings |
in various parts of the country, and |
perhaps also be checked up by GER |
tain investigations made upon the |
same races elsewhere"
1t is shown that the American born |
children of the long headed Sicilians |
and those of the round headed east |
European Hebrews have very nearly |
the same intermediate head form. The |
children Of the long headed Sicilians
are more round headed, and the chill
dren of the round headed Hebrews
are more long headed than their par
ents. Similar changes are traced in
the development of the faces. Among
individuals born a long time after the
arrival Of the parents in America the
difference is increased. but only slight
ly as compared with the great differ
ence that develops at once.
The commission also has made the
discovery that. as a rule. there is
falling off in the size of families after
arrival in the United States, and coin
cident with this discovery has come
the more important revelation that as
the number of children decreases the
size of the individuals increases, this
among the children of the well to do
as well as the poor.
Another result of the investigation is
the development Of the fact that, while
removal from Europe to New York has
had a beneficial effect upon the ply
sique of east European Hebrews, the
result has been the opposite upon the
Sicilians, the conclusion being that the
III New York are better
for the Jews than in their city homes
IN the old world. while the cramped
quarters which the Sicilians occupy in
New York are not so desirable as their
rural surroundings in southern Italy.