Religion, occupation, school attendence and literacy in Newfoundland, 1901-1921

Boyd, Vaughan Herbert (1978) Religion, occupation, school attendence and literacy in Newfoundland, 1901-1921. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

There were two main purposes of this study. First, the study tried to determine if religion and occupation had affected school attendance in Newfoundland from 1901 to 1921. Second, the study attempted to show if religion, occupation and school attendance had affected literacy during the same period. -- Arguments were presented providing a rationale for the conceptual model used in the study. These arguments indicated a positive association between the percent Protestant in a community and the percent of school attendance and literacy, and a positive association between the percent of school attendance and the percent of literacy. In addition, it was argued that there was a negative association between the percent fishermen in a community and the percent of school attendance and literacy. -- The sample consisted of 404 communities selected at random from the census return of Newfoundland for 1901. The same 404 communities were also selected in 1911 and 1921. Labrador District and the city of St. John’s were excluded from the sample. -- The findings of the study are presented under five main headings: (1) religious composition and school attendance; (2) occupational composition and school attendance; (3) religious composition and literacy; (4) occupational composition and literacy; and, (5) school attendance and literacy. -- The hypothesized positive associations between the percent Protestant and school attendance and literacy were not supported. Indeed, in communities over 200 in population, there was a consistent negative association between percent Protestant and school attendance. -- Only in communities without teachers was there a consistent negative association between the percent fishermen and school attendance. When teachers were available, there appeared to be little relationship between occupation and school attendance. -- The findings of the study supported both the hypothesis of a negative association between the percent fishermen and literacy, and the hypothesis of a positive association between school attendance and literacy.

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