Productive Energies and Spirit of Massachusetts [pp. 459-474]

4 PRODUCTIVE ENERGIES AND SPIRIT OF MASSACHUSETTS.
The volume of extracts from School Reports for 1844 contains
340 pages. That some idea may be formed of the immense labor
expended upon it, the following extract is introduced:
On the 1st of May last, therefore, I found myself in possession of the School
Committees' Reports for two years. Each set of these was more voluminous than
for any former year. Together, they were equal to fifty-five hundred closely written letter-paper pages. Every one of these I have carefllly read. Taken as a
whole, they are documents of extraordinary interest and value. From them, the
present volume of the Abstracts, more select than any of its predecessors, has been
compiled. I earnestly recommend its perusal to every friend of popular education in Massachusetts-especially to all school committee men and teachers.
5. Registration of Births, Marriages, and Deaths.-These are
volumes published annually. We have four of them before us-the
one of 1842 being the first published under the State law. These
cannot be too highly commended when properly kept. They present
at all times an index to the actual condition of a people. The systemn of Massachusetts is deserving of universal imitation in other
States, and we hope to see something of the kind before long.
The volume for 1845 contains an admirable letter to the Secretary,
by that able statistician, Lemuel Shattuck, Esq., of Boston. We
make no apologies for presenting to our readers some of the striking
results which it unfolds:
PRODUCTIVE CLASSES.
From this statement it appears that, while the whole United States had 52.35
per cent. of the population of the productive class, between 15 and 60, Massachusetts had 59.65 per cent. and England 56.70; showing this State to be better situated, in this respect, than either. In the aged class it appears, however, that England had 7.20 per cent. while this State had but 6.74-a result in favor of the
longevity of that country. Some counties compare better than others or the whole
State. Boston has 64.65 per cent.-the greatest proportion of the productive class;
,rnd only 2.93 per cent.-the least of the aged.
PROPORTION OF BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, AND DEATHS, IN EUROPE.
STATES.
England.......
France.........
Austria........
Prussia........
Russia.........
Period of
Observation.
1839-1842
1840-1842
1839-1811
1839-1841
1842
Annual number of Marriages, Births,
and Deaths, to 100 persons living,
or per ceeit.
Marriages. Births. Deaths.
per cent. per cent. per cent.
.770 3.200 2.209
.825 2.837 2.397
.807 3.874 2.995
.887 3.767 2.658
1.013 4.284 3.590
Number o pers,,ns t ving to
annual Marriage, Birth, and
Death.
Marriages. Births. Death,.
One in One in One in
130 31 45
121 35 42
124 26 33
113 27 38
99 23 28
MARRIAGES IN MASSACHUSETTS 1845-BELGIU,M 1841.
Number of persons marrie
Massachusetts. Belgi,
Ml. ales. Females. Males.
53 690 757
1,308 1,422 4,530
952 446 9,420
247 79 5,497
81 17 2.488
17 14 1,000
8 2 340
5 1 137
*.... 56
*. -.. 72
2,671 2,671 24-,297
'Fo 10,000 married, there were in
urn. Massachusetts. Belgium.
Females. I,les. Females. Males. Females.
2,685 198 2,583 312 1,105
6,966 4,897 5,32,1 1,864 2.867
8,067 3,564 1,670 3,877 3,320
3,841 925 296 2,2(;2 1.581
1,719 303 64 1,024 707
653 64 52 412 269
225 30 7 140) 93
76 19 4 5(; 31
27.... 23 11
38.... 30 16
24,297 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000
.__
AGE.
U'nder 20....
20 to 25....
25 to 30....
30 to 35....
35 to 40....
40 to 45....
45 to 50....
50 to 55....
55 to 60....!
AOver 60....
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