Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-01-01
THE 18Th CENSUS.
Required Test for Emu
merators Is Very Easy.
Census Director Durand Gives
Many Points About Work.
Director Spofford Of Names I'd
District Adds Other Points.

orators in the 18th Decennial United
| States Census must be filed with the
supervisors of census for the super
visors' districts in which the appli-
cants reside. Between that date and
| Feb the supervisors will send out
cards to applicants informing them
where they are to report for the test
| to be held in every one of the 800 SUI
pervisors' districts on Feb. only.
Census Director Durand emphatical-
| ly states that persons desiring to hold
such positions should not stand in
| fear of the test to be made Any per-
son of average public school education
who can write plainly and reasonably
| fast will go through the test" with
| "colors flying" In fact, the test is
| intended simply to help the super
visors pick suitable persons and to
enable the director Of the census to
exercise intelligently his power of ap-
prevail of those whom the supervisors
designate for appointment.
1t will involve the filling in of either
a sample population schedule. by those
who will make the count in the cities.
| or of both a sample population and
agricultural schedule, by candidates
VINO will enumerate the country.
To prepare the way and to insure
every applicant being given fair
chance the supervisors will send in
advance to each and every candidate
q set of printed instructions for filling
in these sample schedules.
I'VE consider that a very important
point" said Acting Census Director
Willoughby, mot only in treating these
candidates fairly and giving them
chance to answer the questions prop
crly, but also as a means of education
of the candidates who are afterwards
to be appointed.
"They will study more thoroughly
the instructions for filling in these
schedules if they realize their chances
of appointment depend upon that
study than if they We're appointed first
and had to do the studying after
wards. You will see, therefore, that
this test is not an appalling thing. 1t
is not for the purpose of keeping peo-
pie out of the places. 1t is applied SIM
ply to enable the. director to eliminate
those who are plainly incompetent.
Any person Of good judgment and or
binary common school education-for
The work requires some little think
ing power-can easily pass the test"
Between Feb. and Feb p the su-
pervsors viii so through the test"
papers, satisfy themselves as the
qualifications of those who have pass
ed, and make their designations or rec
concentrations TO the census director.
The next step WIZ be the directors APP
proval, and then the supervisors will
+lo fn
tors.
Director Durand expects to have the
army of 81, 900 or more enumerators
picked, tested, designated and commits
stoned by the middle or latter part of
March, From then on until April Is
the supervisors will send the enumera-
tors circulars and books of instructions
concerning the meaning of the Sched-
ule questions and the way the enumer-
ators should write in the answers OBJ
tanned from the people of the country.
1t is very probable that census special
agents may be assigned to certain SUI
rervisors' districts for the purpose of
meeting the enumerators personally
and giving them additional information
concerning the character of their du
ties.
Application forms, with complete d.
rections concerning the method of pre-
pairing them, can be secured by writing
at once to the supervisor named in the
list appended whose district embraces
the place of residence of the applicant.
"The simple test which candidates
for enumerators' places will undergo
Feb. 5 does not take away the super
visors' right under the census law to
designate suitable persons for such po-
sitone," said Supervisor of Census T..
p. Spofford of the I'd Maine Census
district
1T is designed to aid the supervi
sors in the exercise of that discretion
and to enable the census director intelli
gently to use the power of approval of
the supervisors designations conferred
upon him by law.
ut is well understood that Presi-
dent Taft, Secretary Nagel, and Cen
sus Director Durand all hold the SUI
pervisors responsible for the enumer-
alton. There is no doubt, therefore, that
our first and most important duty is
the selection of honest, capable and ac-
tive persons to make the count.
.'The census will be taken, not by
the Census Bureau officers or the SUI
pervisors, but by the enumerators.
They are the ones who come in con-
tact with the people and get the facts.
Unless every single enumerator does
his whole and proper duty there can
not be a correct census. There can not
be anything of greater scientific value
to this country than accurate statis-
tics as the basis of study of the exist
ing conditions regarding our popula-
ton, agriculture, manufactures, and
mines and quarries
"All persons unless specifically dis
qualified, are entitled to apply to take
the test. Only those under IS years Of
age and over 10, and those who have
not become citizens of the United
States, are barred. Otherwise, all per-
sons, regardless of sex and political
affiliations, are eligible. 1t is left to my
judgment whether it is wise to appoint
women in my district. They can do the
work, I have no doubt, especially in
certain parts of the district. There were
a good many employed all over the
country in the 18th census.