HEIGHT AMD WEIGHT OF CUBAN TEACHERS. 481 



students and teachers of several of the colleges for men and women 

 in the United States. This comparison seems to me altogether desir- 

 able, not only that we may learn something of the physical characteris- 

 tics 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 ac- 

 cordingly. 



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 six- 

 tieth 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 conse- 

 quently 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, sur- 

 passed 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 



VOL. J,VIIT.— 31 



