Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-06-01

,,onrlatiop in 1870 of IL. 33S in Shelby county
o,,tside of the city. The scholastic popula-
ton of Shelby county, outside the city, ac-
cordipg to the returns in the county trustees
Office for 1878, was 13, 037 against q scholas-
tic population for the same year for the city |
Of 9O9I. The Federal census of 1870 gave |
the city of Memphis 40,226 inhabitants |
while If gave the balance of the county Of |
Shelby only 1852. It will be remembered |
in this connection, that the county census
only included persons from to 10 years.
while the city census included all persons
from 6 to 20 years Taking the population
of the city for 1878 to have been as given in
Sholes's Directory, 4S,068, and by applying
the statistical rule to it, we get scholastic
population Of 16 ,4o5 for the city of Memphis
in 1873. BY exam;eirg the statistical tables,
we will find that tde population OF any
State, county or city, divided by three, will
give approximately the scholastic population;
and any material departure from this stand
ard of calculation in any organized and set
fled community, demonstrates that there is
an error in the calculation. Statistics Is
law unto itself, and the way of the transgress-
or of this law is hard, for his errors become
known and read by all intelligent men. Let
as examine this question from an entirely
distinct point of view. All male persons be-
| tween the ages of twenty one and fifty years,
are required to pay po!l-tax. The number
of persons liable to pay poll tax according
to the returns in the county trustees othce
for the year 1879, is 10.125 for the city and
SAG for the balance Of the county, and yet
the county has a scholastic population OF
about 5000 more than the city, and this, too,
on q census based on ages from to lS
wears, while the city census Is based on
ages from o to 20 years. Again, let as
take double the polls for the city, and we get
a total population, male and female, for the
city, between the ages of twenty and
Hfty years, of 20,250, and estimating those
over fifty years at 4500 and those under SIX
years at $500, we get a total of 28,25O,
which represents all the population of the
city except those of scholastic age. Subtract
this from the total population of 43,497 and
we have Is, 247 rs our scholastic population
for 1879. The State and county assessments
for the whole of Shelby county for school
purposes amounts in round numbers
Exclusive of the poll-tax) to about
$45, 900; the State and county
poll-tax to $4,000; total, $81 ,000
This levy amounts to nearly four dollars pei
head for our scholastic population. very
small portion of the poll-tax is ever collected
and a portion of the other tax is never col
lected. From the best calculation we car
make, we lose annually from 81 70 to 81 OF
every person of scholastic age whom we fai
to enroll on our census returns. From thesC
calculations, it seems That the Memphis cit
schools are losing from $4,000 to SIS ,00I
per year of their lawful share in the Stat
and county school fund, by reason of incom
plete city census returns, and that thes'
errors run over period of about ten years
The city scholastic census, on the basis of
to 20 years, as appears from the record
in the Office of the secretary of the board
according to his statement, are as follows
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