The first Boston table is based upon about equal numbers of boys and girls, and children of Irish and American parentage greatly predominate; there are 21 Germans, and 19 are divided between 8 other nationalities. 14 per cent. of all examined did not know their age; 6 per cent. were four, 37 per cent. were five, 25 per cent. were six, 12 per cent. were seven, and 2 per cent. were eight years old. The returns were carefully tabulated to determine the influence of age, which seems surprisingly unpronounced, indicating, so far as the small numbers go, a slight value of age per se as an index of ripeness for school.

In the second table, which is based on Boston children, only columns 2 and 3 are based upon larger numbers and upon less carefully restricted selections from the aggregate returns. In