Big-City Dropouts and Illiterates

IN THE: TWITED STATES, such credentials of schooling as diplomas and number of years completed have long been important for job and income prospects. Since World Kar II, the symbols of eclucatioii hare become crucial. In 1959, adult, workers with eighth-grade diplomas earned $3,600 a year on the average. Those who went on to high school but withdrew before graduating earned about $4,300. High sc~hool graduates earned about $4,800 on the average that year. The great gap between the income of college graduates and that, of all others suggests that soon not, even the high school diplom:~ will offer much work and income security. Now it is clear that, unemployment, underemployment, unstable prospects in the job market, and ineff’ectual drifting across jobs, are all strongly correlated with withdrawal from high school or junior high scl~ool. Though low educational attainment is linked with mlemployment and nnderen~ployme~lt gen-