Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-16
BIG BLUNDERS.

eQuCaUlOn Tor 1851 IS JUST OUT. IL is
bulky volume of several hundred pages
crowded with statistics. It contains some
things nearly akin to plumbers, which seen
to demand some explanation. In the pre-
face there is a general statement by the
commissioner, as an Introduction to the
statistical tables. On page II he gives
the total attendance at school in
Indian Territory as 61,154. This is
made by taking estimates of the
number of the Chickasaws from the esti-
mates and returns for 1879 of the Chloe
taws, and from estimates from the Semi
noles. In the body of the work, on p. 272,
which gives the average daily attendance,
it is stated that only four of the five ma
lions reported, and the total is given at
2,801. There is to be added to this, for the
tribal Indians, 4,142, making a total of
6,843. Comparing the figures given in the
predatory letter, and the total in the table
of summaries, there is difference, it will
be observed, of 54,211. Gen. Eaton GER
tainly does not mean to be understood that
this balance of 54,217 represents the aver
age daily attendance of Indian children
belonging to the single nation not reported.
On page % of the predatory letter it is
stated that, for 1880, the expenditures for
the education of the Indian children among
the Cherokees, Chickasaws, Creeks, Choc-
Jaws, Seminoles, ETC., were $186,359. On
page 373, under Education of Indians in
Indian Territory in $780, the total is put
at $604,375. There is foot note explain
i,7cr tbo+f h5, SC in ~
ligious societies. There is a difference
however, in the amounts, of $418,O16. Does
Gen. Eaton mean that, for the year 1880,
the religious societies expended for educa
tional purposes in Indian territory the sum
of over $418,OOO? It would seem not The
discrepancy can probably be explained, but
no explanation is to be found.
IN THE REPORTS.
In the various tables of summaries the
totals are given at the bottom without call
ing attention to the fact that number of
states have failed to report under the vari-
Gus heads. Of what value totals with
numerous commissions of the various parts
of which they purport to be an aggregate
can be as groundwork for the mptitation
of averages and percentages is difficult to
understand. AS an illustration of this
kind of defciency,tak the schools in cities
Of a population of $4,000 and over. The
total number of sittings provided
is given as grand aggregate of
a long table, wherein all the cities
of the class mentioned are named.
No attention is called to the fact that, in
this list of cities, no less than 81 do not re-
port the number of sittings. The difficulty
of obtaining true average of sittings to
population with such an omission is OBJ
vious. Take the cases of teachers salaries,
which is a more important item than the
other, as affecting deductions with refer
ence to salaries paid here and abroad.
Surprising these deductions were based
upon the totals, as Gen. Eaton presents
them in this case, as in the one cited
above, there are scores upon scores of
omissions in the reports, so that, when the
totals are given at the bottom, they are
nothing but fragments in reality, although
presented as the grand aggregate. Pass
ing to the summary of tables by states for
all public schools, the value of school
property is based at $S,933,67d in grand
total, without regard to the fact that
NO REPORT HAS BEEN MADE
from Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Geor-
gia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Vermont, Ari
IONA, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Wyo-
ming and Indian territory. This fact is
only discovered by an examination of the
detailed statement for each state and ter
ritory. Under the head of salaries for
uperintendents, the grand total is put
down at $924,791. 1t is left an open
question whether the term superintendent
applies to state or county uperintendents,
or to both. Upon examination of the
tables it is found that there is no report
of expenditure for this purpose from
Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa. Louisiana, Michi-
gan, Missouri, Nevada, Ari-
IONA, Dakota, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico
and Wyoming. If the total given above
does indeed represent the cost of school
superintendent in the United States, as it
processes to, then, in these states and ter
ritories enumerated, there must either be
no superintendent or else their services
are gratuitous. In fact it is known that,
with the exception of New Mexico, neither
of these suppositionS is correct. When
compared with the statistics given in the
compendium with the census just issued,
Gen. Eaton's statements are somewhat sur
prising. The compendium gives the total
number of teachers for 1880 as 236,019.
Gen. Eaton for tie same year puts them
at 280,034-a difference of 50,015. The
number of colored schools, according to
then census in 1880, was 1880; according
to Gen. Eaton it is 1901; of these, the
census puts 1929 in the Southern states,
while Gen. Eaton's report distributes
throughout the same states 1860; in the
Northern states the census put GIL; Gen.
Eaton has 412; the total enrolment of
school children in the United States, &C.
cording to the census,is 1916, 16O, excluding
the children in Indian territory; the en-
rollment according to Gen. Eaton was
9,781,521, including Indian territory;
the enrolment of colored children in the
United States for 1880, according to the
census, was 855,912; according to Gen. Ea-
ton, sS6,557; the average daily attendance
of school children in the United States in
1880, excluding Indian territory, was $685.
1913; according to Gen. Eaton, including
Indian territory, it was 5,805, 342; the total
value of school property in the United
States for 1880, according to the census,
was $211, All $40; according to Gen. Ea-
ton the same property was worth
$19O,O69,427, difference of $31,342, lib;
the receipts for school purposes,
.voI-5;,, Tod;.1 -