Evening journal., 1910-06-08
PROF. HEARINGS
EXPLANATION
Says He Had No AnimuS in
Holding Up Eleventh Ward
Conditions

Professor Scott Nearing, of the Uni
versity Of Pennsylvanoa, in a communica-
ton to-day explains his remarks about
health conditions in the Eleventh ward.
made in the course OF an address to the
Teachers Association several weeks ago
on social conditions. William NJ. Con-
nelly. Of the Eleventh ward, objected to
the statement OF Professor Nearing as ap-
piled 10 that ward. Professor Nearings
communication on the subject is as fol-
lows:
Editor OF THE EVENING JOUR
NAL.-During the past few days
have noticed some comment on a speech
which ] recently made before the Ele-
mentary Teachers Association of Will
mington The comment referred partic-
ularly to some remarks OF mine relative
topconditons in the Eleventh ward.
I WAS speaking Of the value Of Social
Adjustment and was endeavoring to show
the teachers that there might be a prob
lem in Wilmington as well as elsewhere.
know no one who lives in the Eleventh
ward and can, therefore, have no per-
sonal animus in marking out that ward,
I used It as an illustration because IL APP
pesred from the tabulated figures TO have
the worst social conditions.
Statistics Of births and deaths are the
best index of social conditions in any
city. A high birth rate. a high death
rate. and high disease rates usually ac-
company bad housing, insanitation and
mal-nutriuon. Before discussing the VII
mington problem I took the statistics
from the latest report OF tho Wilmington
Bureau Of Health for tho year ending
December 81, 1905, compared them will
the Census figures and some computation
which ] made from the Census and en-
deavored to show what sections Of VIII
mington we're suffering from bad socia
conditions
The Census Of 1900 gives the population
for the various wards In Wilmington.
took these figures and found the per
centage OF population which lived in oacl
ward in 1900, and then figured tho sam
percentage for each ward on the presen
estimated population OF the city, 9l.50
(Board Of Health Report page i6) Thu
J was able to secure an approximation q
the present population in tho various
wards. Had 7 known Of more sccurst
way to secure these ward statistics,
should certainly have employed It.
Using this method. computed IN
death rates, birth rates and disease rate
b for tho various wards Of the city an
found that IN Wilmington. as in all othe
cities. there is a wide variation in vits
e statistics from ward 10 ward The deaf
3 rate for the city Of Wilmington Is 14i
per thousand OF population. Board
Health Report, Page 16) This hgur
however. is an average. and the ward
, show considerable deviatons from tn
! average. Thus in the Fourth ward n
death rate Is i1-if. in tho Eighth war
i149. IN the Tenth ward 1884. IN n
q Twelfth, 1928. and Eleventh. with ra
= Of 1928 exceeds that for any Of tho 9TH
wards and Is twice as high as the deai
rate in two Of the wards.
The birth rate for. Wilmington is a.
per thousand Of population. Board
Health Report Page 10 Here also the
is considerable variation. In the Ten
ward, the birth rate is 1t5, in the Eigh
F., ward. 151. in the Fourth ward. 1875,
= the First ward. IS. I'm the Twelfth war
q. and in the Eleventh ward. 3s.s lie
again the Eleventh ward has = high
birth rate than any OF the other war,
in Wilmington. and nearly three tim
as great as the Tenth
Computations for the diptherla. col
sumption and typhoid fever rates. CBoai
OF Health Report, Pages 30. ~. 42l. sho
a death rate per thousand population
e the Eleventh ward OF a.55 for diphtheri
y 2.66 for consumption and 266 for typho
fever. ono ward the Ninth. has q hiel
er diphtheria rate. Cs.Ss), but no wal
has so high a rate for consumption
typhoid fever. Tho rates for the city
4 large are for diptherls. 1.47: consumpti1
: i.e9 and typhoid, LIZ. The Eleventh wal
o. thus exceeds the city rates In vei
4 marked degree
z The Eleventh ward thus has a hiEhi
= death rate, birth rate and disease raj
than any other ward in the city. Observ
however that I made no charge again,
tho Eleventh ward I merely said. ''Thei
Is ono ward here. the Eleventh. IN whic
the death rate is higher than in an
y other ward, and twice as high as in IN
Fourth and Eighth. In this same Elevent
ward the death rate from typhoid an
consumption Is higher than IN any oths
81 ward Of this city. DO YOU know what cor
y dtions in this Eleventh ward help 10 ri,
r such result? II might be worth Will
to investigate"
have no personal feeling against an
man or any ward I'm Wilmington
used these illustrations merely TO brin
home TO the audience the fact that
, Wilmington, as in every other city, 81
! cial conditions vary to a marked degree
In some sections poverty causes malsc
: justment In other sections. suficienc
! OF tn income guarantees good social cor
? dtions. it is a matter Of indifference
mo whether the ward which shows th
highest death rate is the Eleventh. q
+ the Seventh. or the First or the Mint
The point which I wish 10 emphasize
. that there arc social conditions In wi
: mington which are worthy OF invcstigs
ing and remedying
Yours truly
Scott Nearing.
Philadelphia, Pa, June z. 1910.