Educational and Demographic Factors in the Urban Geography of Washington, D.C.

Abstract

Social patterns in the nations capital are explored through the factor analysis of a set of demographic data and a set of educational data for elementary schools. The demographic factors highlight racial division and ghetto expansion along the fringe of Rock Creek Park and indicate additional class polarization within the Negro population. These broad trends are counterpointed by the presence of blight of centers of higher education and of areas with rapid population increase. The educational factors similarly reflect the racial divisions in the citys schools and the preference of all well-trained teachers-including Negro teachers-for positions elsewhere than in the core. Finally the relationships between the demographic and educational factors are explored and their interaction discussed. (authors)