Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-01-01
MUST Be FILED
BY JANUARY 25
Enumerators Test Is Easy and Appli.
cants Should Be Plentiful For
The Positions.

Washington, D. c., Dec. 29.-By
January rs all applications for the
positions of enumerators in the Th.r-
teenth Decennial United States Gen.
sus must be filed with the supervisors
of census for the supervisor districts
in which the applicants reside. Be-
tween that date and February ) the
supervisors will send out cards to APP
plicants informing them where they
are to report for the test" to be held
in every one Of the $50 supervisors
districts on February 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
person Of average public-school educa-
ton who can write plainly and reason
ably fast will go through the test
with "colors flying" In fact, the
test" is intended simply to help the
supervisors pick suitable persons and
to enable the Director of the Census
to exercise intelligently his power of
approval of those whom the supervis-
ors 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 o. both a sample population
and agricultural schedule, by candi-
dates who will enumerate the country.
To prepare the way and to insure
chance. the supervisors will send in
advance to each and every candidate
a set of printed instructions for fill
ing in these sample schedules.
We consider that very important
| point" said Acting Census Director
Willoughby today. mot only in treat
| ing these candidates fairly and giving
them a chance to answer the ques-
tions properly, but also as means of
education of the candidates who are
| afterwards to be appointed.
They will study more thoroughly
the instructions for filing in these
schedules if they realize their chances
of appointment depend upon that
study than If they were appoined first
and had to do the studying ter
wards. You will see, therefore, that
this test is not an appalling thing.
1t is not for the purpose Of keeping
people out o. the places. 1t is appli-
ed simply to enable the Director to
| eliminate those who are plainly in
competent. Any person of good judg-
ment and ordinary common-sclicol ed.
ucation-for the work requires some
little thinking power-can easily pass
the test
Between February and February
p the supervisors will go through the
"test" papers, satisfy themselves as
| the qualifications of those who have
passed, and make their designations
| or recommendation to the Census Di-
rector. The next step will be the Di-
rectors approval, and then the SUI
pervisors will issue the commissions
! to the enumerators.
Director Durand expects to have the
army of $1,000 or more enumerators
picked, tested, designated. and c9n-
missioned by the middle or latter part
| of March, From then on until April
Is the supervisors will send the enum-
orators circulars and books of instruc-
/ lions concerning the meaning of the
schedule questions and the way the
enumerators should write in the an
/ swers obtained from the people of the
! country.
1t is very probable that census spe-
cial agents may be assigned to GER
tain supervisors districts for the pur-
pose of meeting the enumerators per
sonally and giving them additional in
formation concerning the character OF
their duties.
Application forms, with complete di.
rections concerning the method of
preparing them, concerning the
method Of preparing them, can be Sc
cured by writing at once TO supervisor
named in the list appended whose dis
trict embraces the place Of residence
o. the applicant.
West Virginia--First district, Har.
vey W. Harmer. Clarksburg, Harrison
county; Second district. George II.
Child, Harpers Ferry, jefferson coun-
ty; Third district, Colonel e. Rudesill
Charleston, Kanawha county; Fourth