Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-07-24
PUPILS INTEREST IN THE SCHOOLS
EVERY SCHOOL CHILD IN ARkAN- SAS OWNS A FIVE DOLLAR
 INTEREST IN THEM.
School Houses Number 6,3O6 and the Value of the Buildings is
 $6,S42,37i.

That every man, woman and child, white or colored, in the State of Ar kansas has $5 interest ill the grounds, buildings and equipment giv- en over to common school education is the deduction from the most recent state school statistics. The figures covering the school year ending June 30, 1911, have been compiled by the United Staates bureau of education with the cooperation of George B. Cook, state superintendent of public schools in Arkansas.
 The extent of the mutual partner ship which the population of Arkansas has in it's public school system is reached in this way: The Census of 1910 is authority for placing the pop ulation of the state at 1,574,440 in- habitants, while the statistics compil- ed by the bureau of education show that the 6,306 public school houses in the State are valued, with their grounds at $6,S42,371. Add the cost of school equipment, which comes to $1,03O,4S5, divide by the federal popu- lation, and the Arkansan's average interest in the common school plant of his state is determined.
 To maintain this great common school system, Arkansas has state school fund of $1,134,5O0, from which last year she derived an income of $57,OO7, which three mill general property tax and receipts from other sources swelled further to the sum of $1, 1,501, ASA. In addition a seven mill maximum levy by district and munich pal taxation realized $2,17S,S56 more so that all told the state received for the education of her youngest citizens a grand total of $3,676,676. Of this amount the greatest part, $96,177, went to pay teachers salaries, more than quarter million dollars was spent in new equipment, and tidy balance of $1,144,367 was carried for ward into next year.
 While in the aggregate the sum de- voted to the payment of teachers sal aries appears to be large, when it is divided among the 9,834 educators in the common schools of the state it is found that the average salary received amounts to but $3O1.63, in earning which each teacher has to hold school on an average of 114 days.
 The pupils who received instruction numbered 404,760, out of a total popu- lation of school age amounting to 585,749. These figures seem to indi- cate that some SO,OOO children in Ar kansas are not receiving any schooling but it is explained by the bureau of education that for the purpose Of the statistics the "population of school age' includes everyone between and 21, with the result that many wage earners and married women who have long since left school are counted in. As matter of fact, it is noted by the bureau the Arkansas legislature of 1911 brought 16 additional counties under the provisions of the compul- sory school aattendance law.
 These figures include the expendi- lures for the education of both the white and colored population.
 Considering separately, the whites of school age are numbered All, ,246, of whom 295,142 went to school, attend ing on an average IA days. They received their instruction from 1,S43 teachers.
 "The educational progress made by Arkansas in the year just closed has heen truly remarkable said James c. Boykin, editor of the United States Bureau of Education, at Washington, recently. "At its last session the leg islature created state board of edu- cation, 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 ex- tended the compulsory education law, remedied the act of 1909 permitting special school districts in rural com munities, allowed county superintend- ents the fees of their office, thus in- creasing their salary, added an assist ant deputy to the state department of education and appropriated $100OOO to the educational institutions of the staate
 "ln all the negotiations leading to these remarkable achievements, MT. George B. Cook, the able and ener- getic state superintendent of educa- tiOn was the Achilles of his cause"