The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-28
OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

The commissioner of education in his
annual statement presents some inter
esting data and statistics of education
in the United States.
The total number of pupils in schools,
elementary, secondary, and higher, pub
lie and private, during the year ended
June 30. 1901 was Il ,299 230, an increase
of 27s,520 over the previous year. Of
this number the enrolment of pupils in
institutions supported by general and
local taxes furnished by states and
municipalities was 15,71O,9 1894, as against
15,443,462 for the previous year.
In addition to the enrolment in
schools and colleges furnishing a gen
eral education. there were certain spec
ial institutions of various degrees of ed
ucational character including city ev-
ening schools. business schools, schools
for Indians, reform schools. schools con-
nected with asylums. schools for cook
cry and other special trades and voca-
tons. enrolling nearly half million pu-
pills. The enrolment in the special
schools and those for general education
aggregate something over seventeen and
three-quarter millions of the persons re-
ceiving education for a longer or short
er period during 1901
ne NdluE u property uSeu LOT pubic
school purposes for the scholastic year
1901 has arisen to $685. 690S9 from $780,
3s0.00S in 1870, and the expenditures for
the common schools Gncluding elemen-
tary and secondary schools. but excIud-
ing all institutions for higher edueation)
amounted to s226 O4S, 236, as against s63,
396 666 in 1870. In the latter year the ex :
penditure for schools per capita of the
population was S1.64: in 1901 it was 81 90
per capita. the highest rate ever reached
and an increase of 10 cents to each man,
woman, and child over the year prevf-
GUS
The amount expended for education
per capita necessary varies much in diff
ferent states: that in the mining
regins being much larger than
in the agricultural regions, and that in
the states having the most urban pop
ulation greater than in the states hav-
ing the larger rural population. For in
stance. the amount expended per capita
amounted to $4.65 in California $3.50 IL
Nevada. s5.1S in Colorado, 81 SO in Mas
sachusetts. and $3.50 for the state OF
New York. The rural populations ex-
pend generally less per capita and two
states. with an almost exclusively rural
population. expended the one only 90
cents and the other only 81 cents per
capita Cor education.
With the increase of wealth and the
growth of villages and cities the schools
continue in session a longer term and
the system becomes more complete by
the addition of high schools to the eIe-
mentary schools. The number of high
schools supported by public taxes has
reached the number of 6,S1S, an increase
of 313 over the previous wear. The in
crease of these schools which give sec
ondary education is noteworthy in the
southern states: the south Atlantic
states had only lis high schools in 1890
whereas in 1901 the number had increas-
ed to 4ee; the south central states had
15S high schools in 1890. and the num-
Der in 1901 had increased 10 TAG.
With the growth of villages and cities
better buildings are furnished. more
professional teachers are employed. and
higher wages are paid. In the items OF