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V. Mobility of Population as a Factor in Social and Personal Disorgani

zation

Bibliography

ILLUSTRATIONS

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Fig. 1. Mobility as Measured by Inter-school Transfer Rates.
Fig. 2. Movement of Denny School Children.....

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INTRODUCTION

"The whole department of migrations has never yet undergone systematic observation. Even a rational classification of migrations in accord with the demands of social science is at the present moment lacking."-Bucher. This opinion, expressed many years ago, remains essentially true. European municipalities have at least recognized the existence of the problem and have sought to gather a mass of accurate data upon the movements of their denizens. American municipalities, on the other hand, have been singularly apathetic to the subject and only a modicum of information is provided through the United States Census.

A few American students have given special attention to certain aspects of the problem of mobility. Carleton Parker, Sollenberger, and Anderson have directed attention to the migratory worker and the homeless man. The works of F. J. Turner on the Westward Movement, L. K. Mathews on the Expansion of New England, and J. M. Gillette, Ernest Groves, F. S. Chapin and others on the rural-urban migrations are valuable contributions. The immigration problem has received consideration from a host of American students. In each instance, the study has covered a specific type of population movement without reference to the wider problem of mobility as a whole. The wider concept of mobility and evidence as to the extent and social significance of local movement is introduced in a study by R. D. McKenzie, The Neighborhood, A Study of Local Life.

The purpose of the present study, first planned as a research project for an advanced degree, is to picture the various types and social conditions related to mobility within a particular portion of a particular city; an inductive study of the general problem of mobility in the setting of a modern municipality is sought. Exigencies attending publication have compelled the reduction of the study to one half of its original size.

Since no official data with regard to local mobility have been gathered, it was found necessary to make some sort of original investigation to obtain this information. It developed that the public schools offered the best channel through which to secure the desired facts. Arrangements were made with the principals of seven of the public schools in the central area and two additional public schools in other parts of the city, whereby the children in the upper four grades were to write autobiographies, including information as to age, place of birth, changes of residence, and the reasons for these changes. The children were urged to supplement their own knowledge of the facts by securing the assistance of their parents; and they were encouraged by the teachers to express themselves as naturally and completely as possible. Since the writing of the autobiography was regarded as an exercise in language, the complete cooperation of the teacher, was in most cases secured. These life stories fur

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