CHAPTER IX 
ILLITERACY AND SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AS AFFECTED BY 
THE ORIGINS OF THE POPULATION 
A comprehensive monograph by Mr. M. C. MacLean, M.A, Chief of the Education 
Statistics Branch of the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, has been issued by the Bureau, 
dealing with the many-sided problem of illiteracy and school attendance in Canada. 
Certain conclusions reached are vitally related to a general survey of ‘the Canadian popula- 
tion from the point of view of birthplace and origin, and this chapter does little more than 
recapitulate such parts of that report as are considered pertinent to the main thesis of the 
present monograph. Certain rearrangements of tables have been made, also minor chdnges 
in the method of analysis and presentation, for the purpose of preserving unity in the 
present report. Virtually all the material incorporated in this chapter, however, may be 
obtained in greater detail in the report on illiteracy. } 
ILLITERACY AMONG THE FOREIGN BORN OF NON-BRITISH AND 
NON-FRENCH ORIGINS 
Table 105 shows the percentage illiterate of the immigrants of non-British and non- 
French stock in Canada as at the date of the census, 1921. The percentages are arranged 
in order of magnitude and the rank of each origin is indicated. That there is considerable 
variation between the immigrants of different origins in respect of illiteracy, is obvious at 
a glance. The foreign born Ukrainians, showing nearly 40 p.c. (10 years of age and over) 
illiterate, stand at the top of the table, while the Norwegians, with only 1-40 p.c. illiterate, 
are at the bottom. That such great variation as is indicated by the spread of approxi- 
mately 38 p.c. should exist in the proportions unable to read or write in any language cannot 
but be a matter of grave concern for those who are interested in the development of an 
enlightened Canadian people. } 
The bearing of these figures on immigration is obvious. Of the ten most illiterate 
peoples coming to Canada, nine are from South, Eastern and Central Europe, and the tenth, 
pamely, the Chinese, from the Orient. On the other hand, among the ten least illiterate 
of the foreign stocks coming to Canada are included all the Scandinavian and Germanic 
peoples. 
TABLE 105.—PERCENTAGES ILLITERATE AMONG THE I'OREIGN-BORN OF THE PRINCIPAL NON- 
BRITISH AND NON-FRENCH ORIGINS IN CANADA, 1921. 
Rank 
Origin 
Percentage 
illiterate of 
10 years of 
age and over 
 —————-————— 
AIBEEION A: 44 £0 0800 BEERCE RST RAS Sn SmI SRNR $0 ERE 
TRINBBE. 1c vos wna ko 5 4HEH PPBERY FHEE EY PAGERS BY SY 
LOUTRATIAN. hss ssa ssnnsvns ervsnas svarrbves vs sus 
DUB eras worms mcs 2aowionn.e SSHHES 33 FEAR CHEERED © S00 
AUSBIBN. veins canaries #3 4 ERNE 0 5 
Athuanian..... 4 ne 
sallan......... Cen 
julgarian........ vee 
‘erbo-Croatian..... .. w vwsra wu 
yrian.. co... SR 
APANEEG. tvs rvervanrnonnon a ——— 
[UNZATIAI. + vv evernraaneverrannraasnsnasnaearnanns 
AFTOUS.cevaive viene amres car recaimssasaiens 
HONIBhL. cies ities 
zech.... [—— er ens 
‘reek.... + nn mea Sn NT 
‘ebrew.... foo wasn a wuts wo pay 
elit. ciiiieiiiiniaraarieenan we WERNER WD THIER 
BOTTI. « + ons vo 500 0% £3 Faw" £3 SHES 43 SRRAVER 8 4HES 
COIBNAIOr ese ve vvah son inside vusnsne vaenusnes annie 
WOAIBR. 4 vases ener reise eerie reas 
IENISH. Leverett eerie 
WABB opr vein SATERos PRR NCR WEIR FRR 
‘orwegian... Ca 
v4 
45-08 
31-15 
27:03 
24-46 
23-92 
23-74 
3-68 
2.56 
2 
np 
0-4f 
15-7? 
13.9% 
‘2-59 
04 
1.50 
nee 
a. 50 
0) 
1A 
iE 
1" 
1.0 
i-l 
1.4