The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-09-27
THE SCHOLASTIC CENSUS.
A Decrease 10 the Number of School
Children Reported.
WIND KNOCKED OUT or FIGURES.
The Practical Working of the New
Law shown NJ Ginnce-Ef-
feet of the Count.

Austin. Texas, September 26.--The scho-
laYiic census for 1SDS-0e, which Is pracu-
cally completed. Will attract more atten-
ton than Is generally the case because 1t Is
the first count OF school children made I'M
der the act passed by the Twenty fifth leg
islature at the suggestion OF State Super
intendent Carlisle TO prevent Inaccuracies
which were Of frequent occurrence under
the loose system OF enumerating children
OF scholastic age in vogue during previous
years. Under the old law, parents no.
being required TO make cath TO the age OF
their children, frequently returned them
wnere they were slightly under or over the
SCHOLASTIC age. swelling the census consid-
erdbiy But few checks we're provided for
upon tho work of census takers and the Of
ilcials whose duty 1t Is to lnok after The
reporting or the census were not required
to be overly careful in the performance OF
sali duty. No one was vested with au-
thority to 80 behind the returns so that
even where discrepancies were more than
apparent tDere was ns way to authorjta-
lively ascertain the cause thereof with a
view to getting rid OF them. Under the
new act all this Is changed. Oath to the
correctness OF the census is required all
along the line, from the parents up and
It must be prepared on blanks furnished by
the educational department. which are
aitorward filed with said department
showing the name. age. residence and
pdrentage of every child of scholastic age
IN Texas, properly authenticated Fur
thermore the superintendent of public in
struction is empowered TO 20 behind the
returns whenever he has good reason to
hat Inv
under these restrictions, this years census
shows decrease in scholastic population
OF about $4,000 in comparison with last
years count. This, taken in connection
with the 10000 increase which the 1898 80
census would undoubtedly have shown,
Judging from the experience OF former
years. indicates that there has been
shrinkase OF about 900 occasioned by the
making OF provisions for the taking of a
strictly accurate count. The falling off
has occurred mostly in some of the larger
counties which contain cities OF import
ance where 1t has been the practice here
totoro not to inquire too closely into the
age of the children in order TO make a big
showing The effect OF this has been to
divert money to town and city schools
which should have gone TO rural communi-
Ties, where more care was taken In re-
turning none but children OF scholastic
age. Therefore, while the amount OF avail
able school funds to be distributed this
year VIII not in the aggregate much ex-
ceei that distributed lasi year, the appor-
tionment thereof will necessarily be made
along changed lines. the smaller commune
ties getting a larger share thereof owing
to the ncrease in the per capita appor-
uonment made possible. Last year the per
capita apportonment was 81; this year ii
Is $3.50. The aggregate amount which
each city, town and county viii receive can
be ascertalned by multiplying by $3.50. The
number of children credted to them in the
Following table which gives the corrected
census for the current year: