The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-16
But Vital StatisticianS
 Not Alarmed.
MONTGOMERY PEOPLE HONEST
Census Was Completed in All
 Counties Yesterday.
Runaor that a Second Enumeration of Montgomery Has Been Ordered, Seeing that Children are
 Fewer Than Before.

If the County Superintendents of Education received promptly the re- ports of school enumerators yesterday as the law requires of them. it will be but few days now before the State Department of Education will be able 10 determine the exact number of chil- dren of school age in Alabama. Yes- ferday was the last day on which the enumeration in the school districts could transmit to the County Superin- tendents the census for their respec- tive communities.
 It is expected that the State Depart ment will have the total figures for the State before Sept. I. The county authorities must make their additions, get the census in shape and then send the results of their labors to the State Superintendent. The census figures from all counties are then added to- gether, giving the basis for apportion- ing the large general educational fund for common schools.
 County Superintendent George W. Covington said yesterday that the sev- eral district trustees had made tn cir reports in accordance with law, and that he could give out the totals in 8 few days. It is believed that the aggregate school rolls for the County of Montgomery will show a good in- crease over tn e numbers which formed the basis for apportionment of funds during the past two years.
 While the County of Montgomery made a healthy showing in the cen sus, there is persistent talk that the city of Montgomery is going to fall short of the census taken two years ago. The gossip also is that the city Fathers" are uneasy about the re- suits of the enumeration. If it be true that the figures are short. 1t means the city will get less money from the State than 1t has received during the last two years
 Accurate EnumeratIon.
 The guardians Of the vital statistics should not be alarmed, however, about the apparent decrease of sch ool chill dren. Our health is the same or bet ter. but the enumerateFs have confined themselves to actual count. The law compels the enumerators to give accu- rate figures on pain of Imprisonment ana a fine of s100 or more. The act of the last Legislature providing this penalty for fraudulent census-taking s is said to have cut down the padding considerably. a practice that is known to have existed for several years.
 There was some talk yesterday that so dissatisfied has the City Board oi Education become with the census re- suits this year, that another enumera. tlon may be ordered. if. indeed. 1t ha. not already been ordered. This fl said to have been done or is in con temptation with view of verifying thu results of the first enumerations. Ex treme doubt was expressed as tt whether a second census in any cit, or school district would be valid. Int opinion of lawyers was that the first figures are the official count and upon these the State Department must rely fin making out the apportionment.
 It is said that the census of Mont gomery is in the hands of the proper authorities. It is the result of emu meration done in the month of July As the law makes it mandatory on al district and city authorities to take the census during the month of July 1t is contended that they are final anC all enumerations after the expiration of that month are void. It is posst' ble, however, that if the State Super I antendent of Education Is convinced of the inaccuracy of figures in any portion of the State, he might order z new enumeration before apportionins