The leader., 1903-12-05
VHITFIELDS REPORT
FULL OF VALUABLE AND INTER.
EsTlNo STATISTICS.
COnpARlSONSlRE OSTINSTRUCTIvE
The Most Striking Feature is the III.
crease In the Number Of School
Days Of the Rural Schools
Other Matters of Interest
to Mississippi People.

ne report Oh state superintendent
OF Education Whitfield, just completed,
will doubtless be received with more
interest than that of any other de-
partment in view of the prominence
OF the educational question In the
State campaign.
Mr.. Whitfield's report Is full Of the
most valuable and interesting statistics
and affords opportunity for COMPARE
sons that will prove not only entertain
ing but highly Instructive
The statistics showing the enroll
ment of pupils In the State for the past
two years show that the white enroll
ment has increased over 5000 pupils
while the colored has increased less
than ole thousand, and further, that
while the enrolment of the negro
children is now about $4,000 more
than that of the white, in average at
tendance they show hardly more than
three thousand children. It has been
the general impression that there was
a large preponderance of negro chill
dren attending the public schools. The
principal fall in average attendance
among the negroes being in the separ-
ate districts where the white children
is double that of the negroes and there
is also much larger percentage of
attendance among the whites in the
rural districts.
In the matter of salaries, the aver.
age salary paid two years ago to the
white teachers was $30.64; this year
the average is 1885, an increase of
more than So, while the negroes are
receiving an average OF only/30 cents
more this year
Probably the most striking feature
of the report this year is the large in
crease in the number of school days
of the rural schools. The average for
the State two years ago was 902 days,
while the average for the last scholas-
tic year, as shown by the report, is
ITO days, or an average increase of
one entire scholastic month. This in
crease was largely due to the energetic
canvass of the State superintendent
in the interest of local taxation for
longer terms. Two years ago the
average length of term for the separate
school districts was 1888, this year it
is 166 days, showing very healthy in
crease.
The total receipts for schools two
years ago, for the counties, exclusive
of separate school districts, was ST.
286,24173. This year the receipts from
same sources was $3.50, 1850, show
ing an increase of receipts in the rural
districts of $394,15696. During the
past scholastic year $1,355, 48709 was
expended on the rural schools, while
two years ago only $1089, 40972 was
expended. In other words, there was
expended during the last year about
100000 more money than the year
previous, on the rural schools.
The separate school districts also
show large increase in receipts and
disbursements. The receipts being
1891 900 last year as against $412, 900
previously. The disbursements in
creasing from $3S3,000 to $4,000.
The total amount of money disbursed
by separate school districts and the
counties is over 100000 more than it
was for the period covered by the pre-
vious report.
Following is a synopsis Of statistics
taken from the report:
SYNOPSIS OF STATISTICS, 1902-1903.
Number of pupils enrolled exclusive