The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-04-12
TIE SCHOOL POPULATION.

In all the schools OF the Unlteo
States, public and private, elementary,
secondary, and higher, there were en-
oiled in the year 1894 about hlteen
Ind one half millions of pupils. Ihls
lumber includes all who attended at
anytime in the year for any period,
however short. But the actual aver
age attendance for each pupil did not
exceed ninety days, although the
average length of the school session
vas 1877. Sixty nine pupils were en-
rolled out of each 100 of the popula.
ton between the ages OF FIVE and
eighteen years. AT this rate of attend
ance the entire population is receiving
on an average a little less than four
and one-half years schooling of 200
days each. In some States this aver.
age falls as low as two years, and In
Others it rises to nearly seven years
Gas in Massachusetts,.
Out of this entire number deduct
the private and parochial schools OF
all kinds, elementary, secondary,
higher, and schools for art, industry,
and business, for defective classes and
Indians, and there remain over thir-
teen and one half, millions for the
public school enrolment, or nearly So
per cent. of the whole. In the TWEEN
ty-four years since 1870 the attend
ance on the public schools has increas
ed from less than seven millions to
thirteen and one half millions. The
expenditures have increased some
what more, namely, from sixty-three
millions to one hundred and sixty
three millions of dollars per annum
an increase from SI.o4 per capita tc
$2.47. To account for this pro rata
increase of so per cent. in the cost o
the common schools one must allow
for a slight increase in the average
length of the school term, and for tn,
increase of enrolment from less thar
II to more than 20 per cent. of tn,
population. But the chief items o
increase are to be found in teachers
wages and the cost of expert super
vision. These account for more thai
two thirds of the 50 per cent, Will
the remaining one-sixth is due t,
better apparatus and more commodi
Gus school buildings.
The transformation of an iliterat
population into a population tina
reads the daily newspaper, and pc
force thinks on national and interni
tional interests, is the great good az
complished by the free public-schoC
system thus far. 1t must be borne
mind that the enrolment in school (
one person in every five of the entil
population of the country means tn
same result for the South as for II
North, the Gulf States, in fact, enrol
ing nearly 22 per cent. Of their tot
population colored and white, ar
the South Atlantic 2o.7o, while Il
North Atlantic and the Wester
Mountain, and Pacific divisions enrC
I8 per cent, having much SMALL
ratio of children of school age. In
reading population one section unde
stands the motives of the other, al
this prevents political differenc
from becoming too wide for party s
luton. When one section cannot al
longer accredit the other with hone
and patriotic motives, war is only
question of time. That this genei
prevalence of elementary education
accompanied by comparative negle
of the secondary and higher courses
study is evident from the fact that c
of the number of pupils enrolled me
than ninety-six in every hundred ;
pursuing elementary studies less tn
three in hundred are in seconds
studies in high schools, academi
and other institutions only one ii
hundred is in college or school
higher studies. 1t is poor comfort
know that the proportion of pupils
grades above elementary, as compa
with the whole population, is no lar
in the nations of Europe, although
some particulars the instruction n
ne superior to our own.-From {"
cent Progress in the Public Schoo
w. T. HARRIS, United States G.
missioner of Education. in Harp
M00dzi3le for April.