Pocahontas star herald., 1910-01-14

weeks remain before the date for
closing the consideration of appli-
cations. 1t will be impossible
generally to extend the application
time limit, as to examine the 'test"
papers, with the necessary care to
insure the designation of qualified
persons, will consume every moment
of the tine allowed for this phase
of the work of selecting the enumera-
tors, leaving nothing for an extern
sion of the date for shutting down
on applications.
The Director therefore urges all
persons desiring places as enumera-
tors to make applications as quickly
as possible, and he hopes that, in
order to help get perfect census,
public-spirited and energetic people
throughout the country will offer
themselves for these positions, even
though they may not care for them
the standpoint of the pay involved.
He also trusts that employers will
deem it their duty to give leave of
absence to their employees who may
desire to act as enumerators. Some
slight sacrifice of this sort will be
amply repaid by the improved quail
ty of the census returns. Continu-
ing, the Director said:
although the actual work of
taking the census will not begin un-
til April 10, it is essential that those
who wish to act as enumerators
should apply Immediately. Except
under unusual circumstances, no
application received after January
25 will be considered. About 6e,-
900 enumerators will be required.
Each will work in his own locality.
Any competent person is entitled
to apply for this position, and will
be fairly considered for appoint
ment.
"Politlcal recommendation are
not necessary. The supervisors, to
whom application must be made,
have been instructed to consider all
candidates and to select solely on
the basis of efficiency. For the pur-
pose Of aiding the supervisors in
determining the competence of the
candidates, written test will be
prescribed, and any person between
the ages of ls and 10 who is a eiti.
zen of the United States will be per-
mitted to take it.
"The test will be Of a strictly
! practical character, substantially
, the same as was used in 1900. 1t
will consist of filling out sample
schedule of population, and in the
case of rural districts, filing out
also sample schedule of agricul-
! ture, these schedule being precisely
the same as will actually be used by
the enumerators in their work later
on. In ord er to assist candidates
in preparing for the test, copies of
the blank schedules and general in
structions regarding the manner of
filling them will be furnished to
each candidate in advance. ANY
person of ordinary common-school
education and good judgment
should have no difficulty in passing.
"This test is not civil-service
examination. 1t will be conducted
uncer the direction of the superyi-
sors of the census, and the papers
will be examined only by super
visors and by the Census Bureau.
In order that convenient examina-
tion places may be provided for all
candidates, local civil.service ex-
aiming boards and postmasters
will be called upon to preside at the
actual taking of the test in certain
cases, but in this respect they will
act merely as the representatives of
the supervisors of the census.
alt is impossible to exaggerate
the Importance of obtaining a cor
rect census of the population and
agriculture of the country. The
correctness of the returns depends
wholly upon the competence of the
enumerators."
The enumerators will earn about
$50 each. Those in the rural dis.
tricts must complete their work
within thirty days, and those in
cities of 5000 and more popula-
tion at the preceding census within
two weeks, from April Is, 1910.