Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-07-07

Newton, Mass, had the highest aver
age school attendance, per 100 inhabi-
/ tants, in 1912 of any of the 1875 cities
in the United States for which figures
are given in the recent report on finan-
cial statistics of cities having a popu-
lation of over 10000 each, which has
been issued by William j. Harris, Di-
rector of the Census, Department of
Commerce. The average for Newton,
Mass, was 81 per 100 inhabitants; for
Newark, n. j., 20.5 Chelsea Mass,
1873; Hartford, Conn, 49, Everett,
Mass, IT'S; and Brockton, Mass, 17.6.
The city having the lowest average
attendance per 100 inhabitants was
Dubuque, Iowa, with an average of IA,
followed by Charleston, S. c., 76: Au-
gusta, Ga, rs; Covington, KY, S.3;
and Amsterdam, N. Y, ST.. The aver
age school attendance per 100 inhabi-
tants for some of the larger cities in
this report was as follows: Boston,
las; Washington, al; Cleveland, IA;
New York, 1876; Los Angeles, 1919;
Buffalo, 12.7; Minneapolis, 1872; Pitts
burgh. 49, Chicago, lis: st. Louis,
lib; Philadelphia, 1877 New Orleans.
1914: Baltimore, 1913; Milwaukee, 10;
Detroit. 90; Cincinnati, 81; and San
Francisco, 9.3.
The total school sittings reported
from these 1875 cities numbered 3.772,
556; of this number, 3,395,563, or 90
per cent, were reported for elementary
day schools, and 345, 500, or 90 per
cent, for secondary day schools. The
sittings in elementary day schools ex-
eeeded the average attendance in these
schools by 372,5S6, or 1913 per cent of
the average number in attendance. In
like manner. the sittings in secondary
day schools exceeded the average daily
attendance in those schools by 45.152.
or Is per cent of the average attend
ance in those schools.
The total number of school buildings
reported were 1905 of which 6,765, or
92.6 per cent, were for elementary
schools. and AS. or 81 per cent. for
secondary schools. the number of sit
tings per building being 500 and ~,
respectively.
Payments for School Expenses.
The average payment for the ex
penses for the three kinds of schools
elementary day schools, secondary day
schools. and night schools) per 100 in
habitants for the 1876 cities for which
figures are presented was S491. The
city reporting the highest average was
Pasadena. Cal, with $500. followed by
Newton, Mass, with $S34; Mount Yer
non, y. Y, SS14; Colorado Springs,
Colo. S7S6; New Rochelle, y. Y, S744:
and Berkeley, CAL SIPS. The cities with
the lowest average per 100 inhabitants
were Jacksonville, Fla, $169, Tampa
/ Fla. S173; Portsmouth, Va, $751;:
/ Charleston, S. c.. s191.
/ Supervisors, Teachers, and Other
School Employees.
Reports as to the number of super
visors and teachers employed were re-
eeived from 1S2 cities. There was a
total of 1862 supervisors and teach
ers reported for these cities, of whom
/ $3.50 or 773 per cent were employed
+ in elementary schools. 1858, or ia
/ per cent, in secondary schools; 593, or
/ 05 per cent, in normal schools; 3.137,
or % per cent, in other day schools:
and $3.50, or 10 per cent, in night
/ schools
/ OF the 1s5 cities considered in this
report % made payments for teachers
pensions and gratuities. and 5 others
/ had funds for that purpose. OF these
+ IS cities, 80 had permanent pension
trust funds and 90 had made no such
provision The total pensions and graf
/ uities paid in 1912 by the So cities
amounted to $1,702,S11, of which ST.,
/ 622, 426 or 95.3 per cent was paid by
the cities maintaining teachers re-
tirement funds with investments, and
sS0,3S5, or Al per cent. was paid by
the other 90 cities. Pensions and graf
uities are paid to the teachers by two
methods: ID From or through the
agency of public trust funds establish
( ed for that purpose, and f2) directly
from the school district or city corpor-
alton treasury.
( Cities Having No Permanent Pension
/ Funds.
The cities paying teachers pensions
4 but maintaining no permanent retire
ment funds or investments We're:
Pittsburgh, Pa, Newark. Paterson,
/ Trenton, Camden, Elizabeth. Hoboken,
Bayonne, and East Orange. n. j.; Den
/ yer. Colo: Atlanta, Ga: Lynn. Maiden.
and Pittsfield Mass; Charleston. s c.:
Mobile, Ala; New Britain, Conn, To-
peka, Kans.: niagara Falls, n. Y: and
La Crosse. Wis.
The SO cities having permanent funds
with investments for the payment of
| teachers retirement pensions reported
assets in those funds at the close of
1912 amounting to $4.134,4SS. These
invested funds paid out $t,622,426 in