Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-12-23
NEW AMERICANS
NODDED QUICKLY
Descendants of Immigrants
Change in Form As Well
As Habits.

Washington, Dec. l6.-That the physical
form as well as the habits Of living and
ways OF thinking Of the descendants of
foreigners who immigrate TO America j"
different from that Of their ancestors is
the conclusion the immigration commits
sion as embodied in the preliminary re-
port of that body which to-day was
presented to Congress. The discovery Is
regarded as Of Importance In anthropo-
logical science as indicating the develop
ment Of a distinct American physical type
in persons of European descent.
The investigation, which has brought
this fact 10 the surface was undertaken
soon after the appointment the com
mission and 1t was conducted in d
scientific manner by the comparison OF
measurements Of the bodies Of such
immigrants and their descendants at
different ages and under differing circum-
stances.
The investigation WAS placed In the
hands Of a committee composed of MEM
bers Of the commission and Prof. FRANK
Boaz of Columbia University was engaged
as expert.
The inquiry was confined 10 New York
| city and 50 far as the present report
shows was restricted to Siclians and east
/
give the details of the investigation among
Bohemians, Hungarians and Scotch.
The report indicates that the descendant
| Of the European immigrant changes his
type, even in the first generation, almost
| entirely Children born even few years
after the arrival Of the Immigrant parents
| in America develop In such way that
| they differ in type essentially from their
foreign horn parents. These differences
seem to develop during the earliest child
| hood and persist throughout life. Every
part OF the body 10 Influenced In this way
and even the form of the head. which
| has always been considered as one OF the
most permanent hereditary features
| undergoes considerable changes.
QUICK RACIAL CHANGES.
In an Official synopsis of the commits
son's report attention is called to the
fact that even the most stable racial
characteristics seem 10 have changed un-
der the new environment and this fact
is commented upon AS follows:
This would indicate the conclusion
that racial physical Characteristics do
not survive under the new social and
climatic environment Of America. The
lndaptability Of the various races coming
together on our shores seems, IL these
indications shall he fully borne out IN
later study. 10 be much greater than
had been anticipated. II the American
environment can bring about an assinli-
lIaticn Of the head forms In the first
generation may it not be that other
characteristics may he as easily modi-
fed and that there may he rapid as
simila don of widely varying nationalties
and races to something tina, may well
be called an American type"
, The commission feels that it is toe
, early to pronounce absolutely Upon thi:
question.
"The investigation is by no means
complete. and moreover. considering th'
: importance Of the subject. il snoulc
clearly he conducted on larger scal'
! and in different surroundings IN varlou!
parts Of the country and perhaps alsc
I be checked up by certain investigation.
q made upon the same races elsewhere. ,
] NEW SHAPES To HEADS.
;. Among other results noted. ii is showr
that the American born children OF tn,
o long headed Sclians and those of tn,
d round-headed east European Hebrews
J. have very nearly the same ntermediat,
:. head form. The children of the long
l. headed Sicilians are more round headed
the children ,f the round headed Heb
J. rews are moro long headed. than ,hei
parents. Similar changes are traced II
the development of the faces of thes
types
The amalgamation Is most rapi
during tho period Immediately follow
ing tie arrival OF the immiRrants
Ihe difference In type between par
ents and children manifests itself al
most immediately after their arriva
mere Among individuals born a lonI
time after the arrival OF the parent
IN America, the difference In increased
S bul only slightly as compared TO IN
: great difference that develops at once
v I'D to this time the investigate"
n nav" not been carried so far as 10 'uo
tsrmina What hAnnenA IN the sScpp