Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 58.djvu/489

Rh students and teachers of several of the colleges for men and women in the United States. This comparison seems to me altogether desirable, not only that we may learn something of the physical characteristics of the Cubans, in order to help them in their efforts to attain a national independence, but in order that we may learn something of our own strength and weakness, and be able to govern ourselves accordingly.

The ages of the American students measured, which we present for comparison, ranged from 16 to 30, while the ages of the Cuban teachers ranged from 16 to 60. As the growth in stature is usually completed about the twenty-second year, the number beyond this age who were measured would have little influence in raising the average height. The weight, however, may increase up to the fiftieth or sixtieth year, and if any considerable number of persons beyond the age of 30 or 40 are included in this observation, the average weight would be considerably increased. In the factor of weight, therefore, the Americans and Cubans were hardly comparable, because there were so many of the Cubans who were older than the Americans, and consequently might be expected to weigh more. The effect of this increased weight due to age shows itself in a peculiar way, as will be observed by reference to Chart 2.

After the cards were collected from the Cubans they were tabulated according to the percentile grade method advocated by Francis Galton. By this method the medium weight and height which 50 per cent, surpassed and 50 per cent, failed to reach, were determined, also the values which smaller and larger per cents, exceeded or fell short of.

In referring to Table No. 1 it will be observed that there were 973 Cuban teachers measured. Four hundred and seventy-nine of these were men and 494 women. The youngest man was 16 years of age, and the oldest 64, while the youngest woman was 13, and the oldest 59. The medium age, i. e., the age which 50 per cent, surpassed and 50 per cent, fell short of, was 27 years for the men and 24 years for the women. Ten per cent, of the men were more than 44 years of age, and 10 per cent, of the women were 38 years and over. The table of American college students with whom the Cuban teachers were compared was made up from the measurements of about 3,000 men and 2,000 women, taken more than fifteen years ago. It is only fair to state that the average height and weight in several of these institutions for both sexes has increased somewhat since then. Of this number comprising the American table, the youngest man was 16, and the oldest 45, while the youngest woman was 15, and the oldest 40. The medium age of the male student was 20 years, and the medium age of the female student was 18.8 years. Ninety-five per cent, of the American male students were under 26 years of age, which was the age surpassed by