The Mena weekly star., 1912-01-25
SCHOOL PROGRESS
in ARKANSAS
H. S. Bureau Of Education Sends
Out Interesting Report-Value
of School Property Amounts
TO IS Per Person.


child. white or colored, in the state |
of Arkansas, has S. interest in the
grounds, buildings and equipment
given over to common school edu-
cation, is the deduction from the
most recent state school statistics.
The figures covering the school
wear ending June 30, 1911, have
been compiled by the United States
Bureau of Education with the Co
operation of George B. Cook, state
superintendent of public schools
of Arkansas, and will be published
by the government in report form
| in few weeks.
The extent of the mutual part
nership which the population OF
Arkansas has in its public school
system is reached in this way: The
Icensus of 1910 is authority for plac-
ing the population of the state at
II 400 inhabitants, while the sta
Itistics compiled by the Bureau Of
Education show that the 6,306 pub
lie school houses in the state are
valued, with their grounds. at So
IS42. 37i. Add the cost of school
Ieduipment, which comes to $780,
1875, divide by the total population,
land the Arkansan's average invest
lment in the common school plant
lof his state is determined.
To maintain this great common
Ischool system, Arkansas has a state
lschool fund of Si,t34,500, from
which last year she derived an in
Icome of $57,007, which a three mill
general property tax and receipts
from other sources. swelled further
to the sum Of $i,30i ,48l. In addi-
Ition, a seven mill maximum levy
Iby district and municipal taxation
realized S2,i78856, more, so that all
told the state received for educa-
ton of her youngest citizens a
grand total of s3.676,676. OF this
amount the greatest part, S2966,i77
: went to pay teachers salaries
More than a quarter of a million
was spentein new equipment and a
tidy balance Of sSi,fll,367 was car
ried forward into next year.
While in the aggregate the sum
: devoted to the payment of teachi
ers' salaries appears to be large
: when it is divided among the $780,
i, educators in the.-common schools
, of the state, it is found that the
average salary received amounts tC
, hut $30i.63, in earning which. each
7 teacher had to hold school on ar
: average of ia days.
= The pupils who received instruc-
tion numbered 40a,760, out of a. to-
tai population Of school age
amounting to 585, TO. These figure:
lseem to indicate that some. sc, 0ot
e lchildren in Arkansas are not re-
ceiving any schooling, but it is ex-
: planned by the Bureau Of Educa-
/ tion that for the purpose of thu
:. statistics the population OF schoo
e Iage" includes everyone between Z
Q and a, with sthesresult that mans
wage earners and. married womer
Iwho have long since left school arr
: eounted in. As a matter Of fact, il
lis noted by the bureau. the Arkan-
: sas legislature Of 1911 brought II
additional counties under The pro-
visions of the Compulsory Schoo
Attendance law.
!. These figures include the ex-
{ lpenditures. for the education oil
both the white and colored popula-
Ition.
Considered separately, the whites
: of school age numbered, 2l6, oil
! Whom. 295,i42 went to school, at
tending on an average of ia days
They received their instruction
: from 1913 teachers.
1.-THE educational progress made
= by Arkansas in thesyear just closed
has been truly remarkable" said
James &C. Boykin, editor OF the
United States Burea of Education
at Washington. ''At its last session
the legislature created a state
board. Of education, permitted the
consolidation Of. weak schools into
: stronger units, and granted state
aid to high schools. Aside from
these important additions to the
statute law, the legislature extend
led the compulsory law. remedied
the act Of 1909 permitting special
school districts in rural cemmuni-
tiles, allowed county superintend-
tents the fees of their Office, thus
increasing their salary, added an
assistant deputy to the State De-
Ipartment of Education, and APP
Ipropflated nearly 100000 to the
educational institutions of the
Istate
@1n alF the negotiations leading to
these remarkable achievements,
Mr.. George B. Cook, the able and
energetic State Superintendent of
Education, was the Achilles of his.
cause."