First marriages now ending in death, would, for the most part have been contracted in the late Fifties or early Sixties and woud scacely reflect current trends.

In the same way, total fertility rates, based on women now in the 45-55 age range prove a poor basis for future projections.

Inevitably, some compromise is necessary and a ten-year cut-off point is not unreasonable.

Staying married for 10 years is not the same thing as staying married.

Marriage must be for life. How many and what type are these? That is the question.

Maybe their self-image as “career homemakers” is directly linked to their lack of diploma?

Perhaps some girls don’t finish high school because being a wife is more important to them. If her fiancee is one or two years older, and joins the military or otherwise goes away, an either-or choice might be involved. She might even need to work to help him pay college expenses.

Or the wife might have dropped out of high school because of an unintended pregnancy, and became committed to making the relationship work out of economic necessity.