The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1909-12-02
Census Director Durand Is
sues Instructions to Cen
sus Supervisors.


/ United States Census Director Du
, rand. They embrace the scope o
the census, the period OF enumera
ton, the duties of the supervisors, tn,
formation of enumeration districts
the appointment of enumerators, tn,
employment of Interpreters, the com
pensation and allowances of super
visors, the penalties for nonperform.
ance of duties, and conclude with {
personal paragraph intended to pro.
mote prompt and wholehearted co.
operation.
The Instructions point out thai
there is nothing in the census nc,
making women or persons under 81
years of age ineligible for appoint.
ment as enumerators. 1t is stated
that considerable number of womer
were employed in both the Eleventh
and Twelfth censuses. 1t is suggested
that it is undesirable to employ enum-
orators who are too immature, either
in experience or appearance. The
supervisors are cautioned to exercise
their judgment in each Individual
case.
1t is suggested, as they are partic-
ularly likely to be good enumerators,
that the supervisors employ crop re-
porters of the U. S. Department OF
Agriculture; officers and leading
workers in farmers organizations.
livestock associations, cooperative
creameries, etc; progressive farmers
and their sons and daughters, and
especially young men and women
who have attended agricultural col
leges or agricultural experiment sta
tons; physicians; former enumera-
tors; school teachers and substitute
teachers; college and high-school stu
dents; persons who have passed fed
eral, state. or municipal civil-service
examinations for clerical positions or
for mail carriers; substitute letter
carriers; local, state, and municipal
officers; and particularly town and
village clerks and 'ecordcrs.
The supervisors are cautioned that
in no case should any person who is
directly or Indirectly concerned in the
assessment of property for taxation
or in the collection of taxes be desig-
mated as an enumerator.
The instructions call attention to
section 10 of the Census Act and
state 1t provides that all appointments
shall be made so'ely with reference
to the fitness OF the appointees and
without reference to political party af-
filiations.
The supervisors are Informed that
after proper enumeratixi districts
have been established 1t will be their
duty to designate a suitable person
in each district 20 perform the actual
work of enumeration.
The director is emphatic upon this
point and says it is their most i'm
portant duty. They must .xercse the
greatest possible care to secure COM
petent persons. Their success as su-
pervisors and the success and value
of the census as n whole are. he
states, absolutely dependent upon the
thoroughness, accuracy. and prompt
ness with which the enumerators
perform their duties.
The Instructions state that the
enumcrators should be active, ener-
getic persons of good address They
must be thoroughly trustworthy,
honest. and of good habits They
must have at least ordinary educa-
ton. be able to write plainly and with
reasonable rapidly. In general. pref
erence should be given former emu
merators, If they are at present phys
ically able to perform the duties.
1t is hoped, the director states,
that in many cases they will be able
to secure the services of persons who
do not care or the positions on ac-
count of the pay involved. but who
are willing to do the work in the
public interest.
While not required by law, the
enumerator should live in the district
he is to canvass. Only in case COM
potent resident can not be found
should selection be made OF per-
son living elsewhere.
The instructions state that in order
F, to determine the fitness of .enumera-
tors the director will at later date
provide for an examination, the form
of which will be prescribed by hip,
and the examination papers them
selves will be passed upon by the
Census Bureau. This examination
will be OF a practical character, con-
sisting chiefly Or wholly of the filling
out of sample schedule of popula-
ton from data furnished, and, in the
case of enumerators whose work will
be in rural districts, the filling out OF
a sample schedule of agriculture. APP
plicants who are ,InsIble to pass this
examinati@ will be rejected. and 1,
will he necessary. for the supervisors
to designate others. The utmost pre-.
cautions will he adopted by the d.
rector to obtain an examination
which will actually reflect the indi.
4 yidual fitness Of the applicants. and
which. also. viii be surrounded by
every possible safeguard to prevent