Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol3, 1919.djvu/152

 The Czechoslovaks in this colony have taken up land in many instances long neglected and regarded as “worn-out land” and have turned the places into valuable producing farms. They follow practically the same crop scheme as practiced by the native farmers, their principal crops being peanuts, corn, and tobacco. Over 90 per cent are proprietors and operate their own farms. Although they compose less than 3 per cent of the total rural population of the south-side counties, and not more than 15 per cent of that of Prince George county, their presence is easily noted.

In Prince George county, which alone has about 1,200 Czechoslovaks, the largest foreign population of any of the counties in the group, is found the highest per centage of improved land. This is true in face of the fact that no more than 69 per cent of the total land area of the county is in farm lands. For instance, the improved farm lands compose just a little over 48 per cent of the county’s total farm area, while in none of the other south-side counties does the proportion exceed 38 per cent. It is also interesting to note in this connection that the population per square mile is only 27, the total population in 1910 being less than 8,000, of which 58 per cent were negroes.

In this same county more than half of the Slav males of voting age are fully naturalized, while a large percentage of the other half hold first papers. No record of a criminal prosecution having been brought against a Slav exists in Prince George county, and only one or two minor judgments have been docketed against members of the colony.

Illiteracy among males of voting age in the county was reported by the thirteenth Census of the United States to be higher among the native-born whites than among the Slav foreign born, the percentage being 7.1 for the former and only 5 for the foreign-born Slavs. This is significant in view of the predominancy of Slovaks in the county. Illiteracy among the negroes was reported at higher than 46 per cent.

This same report shows that of the total number of children in the county 6 to 14 years old, inclusive, only about 65 per cent attend school. Of the Slav children, however, 74 per cent attend the public schools as compared with 73 per cent of the native white children of native parentage. Only 60 per cent of the negro children are in school. In addition to this, the public school teachers in the county report that the Slav children exhibit a more marked tendency to advance than any other group of children in the schools.

Another unusual feature found among the Slavs in Prince George county is the predominancy of Protestantism. Considering the large number of Slovaks this is extremely interesting. There are three Protestant congregations in the county and only one Roman Catholic. The latter has possibly no more than 250 adherents, while the combined Protestant congregations include about 800 persons. Among the Protestants, the Congregational Church has a following of about 500 and is the largest Congregational pastorate in the State of Virginia. There is also a large Presbyterian congregation of about 200, and a Lutheran Church with about half this number. Here and there are also found a few families of Slavs who are Methodists.

Recently the people of Petersburg and vicinity were suddenly made aware of the maturity of the south-side Virginia colony by a prompt and publicly expressed resentment of a possibly unintentional slur cast at the Slavs by a visiting speaker who was understood to class the Slavs as undesirable immigrants for the South. This incident, with almost lightning rapidity, solidified the several Czechoslovak elements in the colony, and their leaders immediately demanded recognition of their1 fitness as agricultural settlers. The response to this demand was highly flattering to the Slavs and remarkable for the promptness and forcefulness with which it was made.

The Index-Appeal, the leading daily newspaper at Petersburg, said in part as follows:

“What a pity it is that the speaker had not talked with one or two of the business men of Petersburg regarding the Slavs. He would not have expressed the views to which he gave utterance regarding the character of these people had he obtained first the opinions of our business men regarding their character and general desirability as citizens.

“It would be impossible to find a better class of people to bring into America from Europe than the Bohemians. Almost with out exception they are hardworking, honest, thrifty, and fine farmers. They have made sections of Prince George blossom like a rose. The farm of the average