Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-19
The Bureau Ahead of the Record BY
Many Months.
COULD BEGIN WORK FIRST OF MAY
Efforts to Obtain Employees Of High
intelligence.
WORK DONE BY WOMAN

Intelligence is what Governor Merriam Is
insisting upon in every detail of the work
which promises to be of so much value to
the country. Throughout his administra-
ton he has insisted, in the filling Of every
office, upon degree of intelligence which
would insure competency in the work of
taking the census. His examinations-con-
dftions precedent to appointments as clerks
met with some opposition at first, but
when 1t was learned that the object was
50 commendable there was little protest,
and the result has been the selection of a
corps of clerks absolutely capable to do
the work that is expected.
The preliminary details incident to the
taking of the census have been SO sys
tematically planned and carried out that
Director Merriam could be ready the LIST
of May to start in to take the census.
This is many months in advance of any
previous census.
Nearly All Enumerators Chosen.
Even the enumerators have nearly all
been selected. Here, too. the director has
insisted upon intelligence as a necessary
condition to appointment, for he has
learned. through his able chief of the SUI
pervisors correspondence division. Mr..
Stfnson. how necessary it is that the
enumerators shall be well qualified Here
tofore it has been the practice to appoint
cational attachments, and the result has
been very disastrous from every stand
point. During the last census thousands
of enumerators' sheets were thrown aside
and valuable statistics lost because of the
illegibility of the returns.
So when the question of appointing
enumerators came Up Chief Stinson was
called in for consultation and a plan was
devised whereby intelligent enumerators
could be secured The test which they are
required to pass call first for personal APP
plication made in the handwriting of the
applicant, giving his Christian name, his
citizenship, his residence, educational ad-
Vantages, and such other questions
would tend to give the officials insight
into his availability. Upon this application
the mans rating is largely made, for unless
he writes a clear. iegibie hand the census
office doesn't want him.
AS a further test and a practical one.
since it gives the man thorough idea of
what he has to do, a test schedule is sub
mitted for him to fill out. This schedule
is rated for twenty-one names and along
with it is sent a narrative giving the prin-
cipal points to be included in the return
sheet, and the applicant is required to
transfer the glSt of this to the blank form.
Applications for Places.
There are to be 5000 enumerators ap-
pointed. Applications have been received
from 29s,6O4 for these places. Up to the
present time Al JAG nominations from SUI
pervisors have been received. OF this num-
Der $50 have been rejected and thirty-seven
have withdrawn. There have been 81 1856
appointments of enumerators, and there
still PSI applications to be considered.
There still remains IL 1888 nominations to
come in and how many of these will be ap-
pointed no one Is able to state, although
it is believer that not more than ? per cent
OF them will be rejected for incompentency.
1t is believed a larger percentage would
have been turned down had it not been for
the fact that the supervisors were in
structed in the appointment of these emu
merators to use great care in obtaining only
competent persons.
The Part Taken by Women.
One Of the features of the twelfth census
will be the part woman takes in it's prac-
teal compilation. Aside from the fact that
large majority of the clerks to be en-
ployed in the office here at Washington will
be women, there will be large number of
them employed in the actual taking Of the
census.
Already the list shows a total of 800 ap-
pointments as enumerators, which is al
most double the number engaged in simt-
lar work during the last census. There are
several states yet to be heard from in the
matter of appointments. and it is believed
the number will foot up about 1900.
NO women Will be appointed as enumer-
ators in Alaska, Arizona, the District OF
Columbia, Indian territory or Oregon. Yer
mont, Montana, Maryland, Massachusetts,
North Dakota and Hawaii have not as yet
sent in any enumerators.
Illinois leads the list of all the states in
the appointment of women supervisors the
aggregate showing total of POI female
enumerators. the first district Of Illinois
alone furnishing 153