Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-25
Common Schools in N. G.

We have received the General Superinten-
dant's Report for 1859, and examined it with
much pleasure. 1t shows a gradual, but
marked improvement in the educational IA
cilities of our State. The Superintendent,
Rev. G. II. Wiley, has labored very jealous
ly, and although the work is very laborious,
yet he has the satisfaction of seeing his labor
crowned with success.
We learn there are reports, more or less
full of the whole number of white persons in
the State between the ages of 6 and 81 years
from IA counties The sum of these is as
follows, to w.t. males, 93,494; Females
S6,S76, and of those whose sexes are not dis
tinguished, 1873; making in all 1876, l74.
There are reports, not generally full of the
number ofchildren attending school during
the year 1859 in n counties, the sum of
which is: Males, 81, 496, Females, 47,442 in all
10S,938.
Seventy-eight counties report the number
of school districts which they contain to be
three thousand three hundred and seventy
three
There are reports from seventy-nine coun-
ties, of the number of schools taught, the sum
of which is two thousand and seven hundred
and fifty
There are lists, very often imperfect of the
names and grades of teachers licensed in sew
enty-one counties, and the following is state
ment of the number: Males, 1,84S Fe-
males 156 of those whose sex is not diStin-
guished, 81; in all 2,066.
| The average length of the school was about
! four months.
The average salary of teachers was at least
twenty-eight dollars per month, material
advance on former prices.
Il a1,~4. &c al hxy
the Chairman of Board of County Superin-
tendants of 70 counties, were $l79, 943, Ga
+. The reported expenditures in the same
countios were 1896, ,41O,561, and the bal.
ance in the hands of charimen was Sl45, 133,
1O4.
To make these sums balance or prove each
other, it must be remembered that the expen.
ditures in Bertie, Cleaveland and Wilkes
amounted to S7OO,95 over the receipts, and
that the amount must be added to the .ota
receipts or subtracted from the sum of dis
bIrsements and balances.
The whole amount of taxes reported il
SO counties is S73, 3,160, 1sa, being an aver
age of about $1,239 to the county which
would make the school tax of the whole Stat'
about $105, 900.
According to the returns for the year 1859
the average number of children attending
school during the year was ,4l4, to the coun
ty; and this would give 100, 100 as the mum
Der attending school in all the counties Q
the State during the year.
The average reported attendance to tn
county in the year 1859, was 1926, and tn
whole attendance, according to this was Il
no; increase from 1857 to 1865, 9, 145 frou
1858 to 1859, 1885.
There are in the State from two hundre
and twenty to two hundred and thirty thor
sand children between the ages of 9 and 2
years and that of these at least one hundre
and fifty-fve thousand attend the Commo
Schools.
The whole white population Of the State
, possibly from Eve hundred and seventy -hv
to five hundred and eighty-ive thousand
though it is hoped this calculation may tur
out to be considerably under the mark
Greensboro Times