Acknowledgments
To my wife, Mary, I am indebted for all the assistance, constructive criticism and encouragement that she provided throughout the course of this study. My daughters, Angela and Brenda, provided pleasant distractions and cheerful understanding. I was fortunate to have as my advisor Professor Ivan Steen, who assisted me in gaining access to research materials, suggested ways to improve both style and content, and provided steady support.
I am grateful for the cooperation received at the Abruzzese Society, the Albany Diocese Archives, the First Presbyterian Church, the Schenectady County Historical Society, the Schenectady Police Department, and the Schenectady Public Schools. It is a pleasure to acknowledge the aid generously provided by Mrs. Frances Chlopecki, Rev. Dominic Ingemie of St. Anthony's Church, Mrs. Theresa Lapinski, Mrs. Amelia Ottaviano, and Rev. Carl Urban of St. Adalbert's Church.
Special thanks to Professors Robert Dykstra, Arthur Ekirch and Joseph Zacek for interrupting their busy schedules to read the manuscript.
Table of Contents
| Chapter | (Page) | |
|---|---|---|
| Abbreviations | (iv) | |
| List of Maps | (v) | |
| List of Tables | (vi) | |
| 1 | Settlement | (1) |
| 2 | Fraternal Societies and Churches | (52) |
| 3 | Crime | (99) |
| 4 | Protestant Evangelism | (129) |
| 5 | Labor and Politics | (185) |
| 6 | Education | (218) |
| 6 | Parochial Schools | (218) |
| 6 | Public Schools | (239) |
| Conclusion | (299) | |
| Bibliography | (302) |
Abbreviations
- ADA — Albany Diocese Archives
- CMR — Conte Monthly Report
- DiGMR — DiGiacomo Monthly Report
- FMR — Frasca Monthly Report
- MIMB — Minutes of Italian Mission Board
- NYSA — New York State Archives
- NYSMC — New York State Manuscript Census
- PCC — Proceedings of the Common Council (Schenectady, NY)
- SPSA — Schenectady Public Schools Archives
- USFMC — United States Federal Manuscript Census
List of Maps
- Schenectady, 1899 (18) [197K, enlarged from low-quality copy]
- Schenectady, 1910 (28) [297K, enlarged from low-quality copy]
- Poland (circa, 1910) (36) [50K, enlarged from low-quality copy]
- Italy — Regions and Provinces (38) [100K, enlarged from low-quality copy]
List of Tables
- 1.1: Italian and Polish Population in Schenectady (7)
- 1.2: Percentage of Adults and Children in Italian Population — 1892-1897 (10)
- 1.3: Percentage Increase of Italian and Polish Foreign Born in Schenectady Population 1890-1930 (11)
- 1.4: Cities in New York State with the Largest Polish-Born Populations, 1920 (12)
- 1.5: Italian and Polish Population in Schenectady 1890-1930 (13)
- 1.6: Immigrant Groups in Schenectady 1920 (14)
- 1.7: Largest Italian Communities in New York State 1930 (16)
- 1.8: Italian and Polish Population by Ward in 1892 and 1900 (20)
- 1.9: Percent of Males in Capital District 1910 (25)
- 1.10: Population Density of Schenectady 1906 (27)
- 1.11: Italian and Polish Settlement by Ward 1910 (31)
- 1.12: Polish Immigrants in Schenectady 1900, 1910 (34)
- 1.13: Immigrants from Congress Poland (35)
- 1.14: Region of Origin of Schenectady Italians (39)
- 1.15: Province of Origin of Schenectady Italians from Campania (39)
- 1.16: Italian and Polish Couples in Schenectady 1900, 1910 (42)
- 1.17: Foreign-Born Italians and Poles by Ward, 1910-1920 (46)
- 3.1: Police Protection in Selected Cities (104)
- 3.2: Ratio of Arrests Per Thousand of Population (105)
- 3.3: Distribution of Total City Crime (106)
- 3.4: Percent of Foreign Born in Schenectady (108)
- 3.5: Foreign Born Arrests 1880 (109)
- 3.6: Foreign Born in Schenectady 1900 (112)
- 3.7: Comparison of Arrests by Nativity 1900 & 1910 (113)
- 3.8: Percentage Distribution of Crimes by Nationality 1910 (116)
- 3.9: Felony Crimes Against Person, 1908-1910 (118)
- 5.1: Albany and Schenectady — 1909 Industries and Workers (183)
- 5.2: Italian and Polish Workers 1910 (187)
- 5.3: Italian and Polish Unskilled Laborers at General Electric and American Locomotive 1910 (188)
- 5.4: General Electric and American Locomotive Work Force (190)
- 5.5: Nativity of General Electric Foremen 1924 (193)
- 5.6: Employed Italian and Polish Married Women (205)
- 5.7: Employed Italian and Polish Unmarried Women (207)
- 6.1: St. Adalbert's School 1914-15 Lesson Schedule — Hours Per Week of Instruction (230)
- 6.2: Distribution of Students by Grades 1913-14 (232)
- 6.3: Grade Transferred into the Public Schools by Students from St. Adalbert's and St. Mary's (238)
- 6.4: Parochial School Enrollment in Schenectady 1911 (239)
- 6.5: Nativity of Parents of Public School Students 1921 (240)
- 6.6: Enrollment Increase in Schenectady Public Schools by Five Year Period, 1890-1910 (248)
- 6.7: Percent of Students Above Normal Age and Percent of Beginning Students Reaching Eighth Grade (252)
- 6.8: Number of Classes and Enrollment by Grades 1906 (253)
- 6.9: Average Age of Boys by Grade 1908 (254)
- 6.10: Ages by Grade 1910 (256)
- 6.11: Percentage of Over-Age Students and Over-Age by Grades 1910 (257)
- 6.12: Enrollment of Children of Italian and Polish Born Parents — 1900 and 1910 (259)
- 6.13: Percentage of First and Second Generation Italian and Polish Students 1913 (261)
- 6.14: Percentage of Students Six to Fourteen Enrolled 1910 (261)
- 6.15: Nationality of Students 1913 (267)
- 6.16: Percentage of Students in Individual Schools According to Birthplace of Parents 1924 (269)
- 6.17: Kindergarten Enrollment at Hamilton School 1916-1917 (270)
- 6.18: Grade 1B Failures Fall 1979 — Hamilton School (271)
- 6.19: Percent of Over-Aged Students 1910, 1914 (273)
- 6.20: Percentages of Retentions in Selected Schools (275)
- 6.21: Over-Age and Survival Rates in 1911 and 1920 (281)
- 6.22: Percentage Completing Eighth Grade Italian and Polish Students Born 1900-1910 (282)
- 6.23: Ethnic Composition of High School (284)
- 6.24: Italian and Polish High School Graduates (284)
- 6.25: Percent of Eighth Graders Who Finished High School — 1922-1925 McKinley Intermediate School (287)