The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1921-11-05
Census Men Seek Light on the
Effect Of Marriage and Gel
ibaCy on Longevity.
10 NO LONGER AGE LIMIT
Persons Of Advanced Age Becoming
More Active as ciass-statisticlan
Look Asi<anes at Claims Of
Ages Over 100.

washington. ID. C.--Afore than $500
men and women who are more than
100 years old win engage the attention
OF expert examiners OF the census
bureau, who are preparing report on
ages OF persons living In the United
States.
New light on how to I've to be 100
and more will be developed by. the
census examiners. Many circum-
stances surrounding the lives Of GEN.
tenarIans will be available to the CEN
sus officials, including place as well as
date Of birth. number Of times mar
ried, occupation and general habits.
This data Is included In the regular
census report for each resident Of the
United States. But In the cases Of
aome persons who are reputed to be
more than 100 years Of age special
Information viii be- collected If the
examination is conducted as In the
past
Longevity Increasing.
The question Of whether women or
men live LONGER is one on which the
census officials will be able to speak
authoritatively when their examination
OF the age statistics Is complete. They
will also be 10 a position to make an
analysis Of the effect Of marriage and
celibacy on longevity.
The average length Of HE throughout
the United States is increasing daily,
official reports show. In some sections
the death rate is the lowest In the
world. Twenty-Five was the average
length Of life some decades ago. The
average now is well above 80.
Persons Of advanced age are becom-
ing more and more active as group
than ever before. according to official
and semi-official reports received by
several branches Of the government.
Their activity Is especially noticed in
connection with the reports on mar
Rage and divorce which reach Wash
ington.
One New York laan Of SO recently
obtained a divorce. although he had
merely been separated from his wife
for years. because, he explained, he
I. had decided to remarry. He denied he
had sIected the woman to whom he
wished to extend this honor, but said
he was certain that sooner or later he
would wish I'd remarry He already
has three marriages to his credit.
Government officials are interested
IN slxty-six-y ear-old resident Of De
Funiak Springs, Fla. who recently took
out license TO wed a thirteen-year-
old girl with ne, consent of the girls
! parents.
From Atlantic, Iowa, came the re-
port OF farmer Of 90 who engaged q
| few days ago in his seventh march to
the altar. the bride being IS. The first
six wives Of the farmer died. all Of
them being sisters. The present wife
Is the sister OF the farmers first sir
I. wives. She was twice married before
/ taking her farmer husband.
Marriages at so or More.
Records OF the Census Bureau indi
cate that marriages Of persons heyont
90 years are becoming increasingly
frequent Although 50 per cent Of mer
and women who reach the age Of A
are married. 10 per cent. do not TAKE
the matrimonial leap until after tina
age Less than 10 per cent Of all per
sons who live to be more than As re
main unmarried.
Divorces are becoming more ant
1 more frequent between - AMI