Evening star., 1923-11-16
Natives of the District.

Another state society comes into
being in Washington. This is the So
city Of Virginians, composed Of ma
tives of the Old Dominion residents
Of the District Of Columbia and
adjacent sections of Virginia and
Maryland" 1t was recently organized
and its objects are ITO bring in
close personal and social intercourse
all VirGinians in this section; to per-
petuate the memories and traditions
Of the commonwealth, its ideals, his
tory. patriotism, hospitalities, and
the promotion Of III the civic. edu-
cational and other interests looking
TO the advancement of the people Of
the state"
In general these are the objects
Of the various state societies in
"ashingto The list OF such socie-
ties is long and their influence for
sood is manifest. The home folk"
come together on meeting nights and
pleasant memories are kept fresh.
Two or three years ago a society of
natives of Maryland living in Wash
ington was organized. and there is
also Society of Natives of the Dis
1rict. Our own native society is
large and fiourishing, but if all Dis
trict natives should join it there
would be only one place in the Dis
trtct large enough for their meetings.
That would be Potomac Park.
Cfsf fn IN, y-o
ington call to mind that some persons
have said that it is hard to meet
a native Washingtonian. The ratio of
persons born in Washington to the
whole population is probably greater
than in most American cities and is
certainly much greater than in those
conspicuous for large and rapid pop
ulation increase. Cities do not grow
fast because of the birth.rate in them.
They grow fast because they draw
to themselves people born elsewhere,
and generally Il city makes its
strongest population pull on the state
in which it is and on nearby states.
Some cities make much of their pop
ulation gains by attracting foreign
immigrants. Washington Is not in
that class and it's ratio. of foreign
born to native-bOrn is small. Wash
inSton has drawn a large part of its
population from the adjoining states
Of Maryland and Virginia.
Some very interesting conclusions
are reached in this connection if one
analyZes the census statistics Of 1920
and compares the figures with those of
earlier censuses. In 1920 the population
of the District was 437,571, compared
with 27s,716 in 1900. In 1920 the
white population was 326,S6O, while
it was 1882 in 1900. The negro
population in 1920 was 10s,966 and in
1900 it was s6,702. In 1920 the colored
population was 25.1 per cent Of the
whole. while in 1900 it was 3l.1 per
cent. Of the 326.SG0 whites in the Dis
trict in 1920 29s,312 were native Amer
leans and 239, ,48S were born Of native
American parents.
The District has drawn the larger
part Of its population from the south
Atlantic division Of states-Delaware,
Maryland, Virginia. West Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia and Florida. This is the geo
graphic division which includes the
District. District residents born in
those states numbered 134,634 in 1920,
while the number born in the mid
die Atlantic division-New York, New
Jersey and Pennsylvania-numbe
43,389. district residents born in New
Lngland-Maine. New Hampshire, Yer
mont, Massachusetts,, Rhode Island
and Cennecticut-numbered 12,90S.
OF the whole population Of Wash.
ington 16O,1os were born in the Dis
trict. That is a high percentage of
natives to be found in a fast-growing
city. The number of our citizens born
in Virginia was $4,000, and the mum.
Der born in Maryland 4S,936. The next
state in line was Pennsylvania with
2o,319 and New York with 1919.
North Carolina gave US S,025, West
Virginia 4,331, South Carolina t4,25s
and Georgia 1884.
OF the 160,109 Washington natives
very large number were born Of
parents born in Maryland and vir.
ginia,