Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1909-12-29
THE CENSUS OF 1910.
A Description of the Methods En-
ployed i'm Selecting Enumer-
ators, and Other Matters
of Interest.


Any person who may desire to
become census enumerator in the
Fourth Congressional district must
file their applications with Super
visor Barth at Cresco so that he may
forward them in time to be in the
office of the director of the census
in Washington on Jan. %.
The director of census then sends
direct to each applicant a sample
form of examinations to be held
testing his qualifications to officiate
as an enumerator. This eXamina-
ton will be held on Feb. at the
county seat in each county in the
district and will be conducted by the
local board of civil service examin-
ers if there be one located there,
otherwise the examination will be
conducted by the postmaster.
All appointments as enumerators
will be made on the credit marks re-
ceived according to the examination.
Prospective applicants for enuiner-
ator are advised not to be fright
ened because of the fact they must
take an examination, as the exam
ination will not be civil service
examination, but be entirely 20 test
the applicants ability of understand
and filling out the schedules. The
city enumerators will be required
only to fill out population schedules
while enumerators in the rural dis
tricts will be required to fill out both
the population and farming sched-
ules., Assessors and members of
committees of political parties are
not eligible as enumerators.
The compensation to be paid emu
merators depends on the classifica-
tion to which the director of census
rates the supervisor district. For
instance, if the Fourth district is
rated as Glass d, which is probable,
the enumerators will receive 3k
cents for each inhabitant enumerat-
ed, 27R cents for each farm and 10
cents for each barn and enclosure
containing livestock not on farms.
The enumerator receives no more for
barn containing five or more ami
mails than one containing a single
animal. There is per diem rate
for special enumerators for each day
of eight hours work The census
will commence on April Is and must
be completed within fifteen days.
However, an enumerator is not limit
ed to the number of hours he ray
work in day. If he puts in fifteen
hours a day and completes his dis
trict in half the allotted time his COM
pensation is the same as if he takes
the fifteen days in doing the work.
The following are the questions
to be asked by the enumerators for
the population schedule:
Name of each person whose place
of abode on April Is, 1910, was in
his family.
Personal description-Se color or
race age; last birthday; whether
single, married, widowed or divorc-
ed; number of years of present mar
riage; mother of how many children,
number born, number now living.
Nativity-Place of birth of this
person; place of birth of father;
place of birth of mother. If born in
the United States, give the slate or
territory. If of foreign birth, give
the country.
Citizenship-Year of immigration
to the United States; whether natur-
allied or alien.
Whether able to speak English; or
if not, give language spoken.
Occupation-Trade or profession
of, or particular kind of work done
by this person. as spinner, salesman,
laborer. etc.: general nature of in
dustry, business or establishment in
which this person works, as cotton
mill, dry goods store, farm. etc. /;
whether an employer. employe or
working on own account. If an en-
ploye-whether out of work on Ap-
ril 10, 1910; number of weeks out
of work during the year 1909.
Observation-Disclosures able to
read; whether able to write; attend
ed school any time since September
4, 1909.
Ownership or home-Owned or
rented; owned free or mortgaged; !;
farm or home; number Of farm
schedule.
Whether a survivor of the union
or confederate army or navy.
Whether blind (both eyes).
Whether deaf and dumb.