Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 77.djvu/179

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SMOKING AND COLLEGE STUDENTS
173

Percentage of Smokers

115 smokers or 52 per cent.
108 non-smokers or 48 per cent.

Age when Smokers acquired the Habit

Age 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Number 1 0 0 2 0 2 0 11 11 18 30 23 16 0 1

Average Measurements of 145 College Students at the Beginning of Freshman Year and End of Sophomore Year

Age Weight Height Lung
Capacity
Total
Strength
68 Smokers, 1st. 18.8 59.1 171.8 4.02 5.82
68 Smokers, 2d. 20.1 62.5 173.0 4.10 685
Difference. 1.5 3.4 1.2 .08 103
77 Non-smokers, 1st. 18.0 59.0 170.4 4.08 570
77 Non-smokers, 2d. 19.6 61.6 172.5 4.28 671
Difference. 1.6 2.6 1.1 .20 101

The smaller number of observations in the physical measurements is due to two causes: first, the physical examinations are optional for students entering with advanced standing in physical education; these students usually take only the first examination; second, a number of students in this group had not yet taken their second physical examination when this study was made. The selection is therefore purely accidental.

It appears from these tables that there is no appreciable difference between the measurements of the smokers and of the non-smokers except in the matter of age. The slight advantage in the average measurements of the smokers at the first examination is undoubtedly due to the fact that they are 8 months older. The slightly larger gain made by the smokers in weight, height, and total strength during the first two years in college is really too small to have any significance.

Scholarship Records of the 223 Students

Average Marks
at Entrance
Marks during
first 2 years
Failures during
first 2 years
223 students 90 per cent. 66 per cent.  7 per cent.
115 smokers 89 per cent. 62 per cent. 10 per cent.
108 non-smokers 91 per cent. 69 per cent.  4 per cent.

The differences in scholarship standing between the smokers and non-smokers are distinctly in favor of the non-smokers.

If the only difference between these two groups of students is that the members of one group use tobacco and the members of the other group abstain from it, then it would appear that there is a direct relation between smoking tobacco and scholarship. A further study of these two groups brings out differences between smokers and nonsmokers in athletic and social activities.