Evening star., 1925-07-16
FIRST D. c. SCHOOL
CENSUS TO BEGIN
Sixteen Enumerators, Wear
ing Badges, viii List Chill
dren 3 to 18.

Sixteen enumerators will begin the
task of taking Washington's first
school census Monday. it was an
nounced today by Miss Fay l.. Bent
ley, director of the department of
school attendance and work permits.
Preparations for taking the census
Will be completed at d series of con-
ferences tomorrow and Saturday be-
tween Miss Bentley and the enumer-
atorS
A house-to- house canvass will be
made of the entire District to secure
the information required under the
compulsory education law. All chill
dren between the ages of 3 and IS will
he listed The District has been di-
Vided into 16 divisions and each emu
merator assigned to cover one. Miss
Bentley expects the census to be fin
iShed about September p, providing
there is wholehearted cooperation on
the part of the public in making the
necessary information available to the
enumeratorS.
The procedure for covering the Dis
trict, the method OF securing the in
formation and the system of entering
in the attendance office records have
been standardized by Miss Bentley.
Mapping out the plans for taking the
initial school census has been a ire
mendous job. school authorities point
out, and Miss Bentley has accomplish
ed it since her appointment May Is.
The Police Department, she said, has
given her splendid cooperation
To Wear Badges.
Each of the 10 epumerators will be
provided with a badge and other Gre
dentials signed by Miss Bentley and
the major and superintendent of pO-
lice. As many persons are expected
TO go out Of the city for their vaca-
ton while the census is in progress,
Miss Bentley suggested today that
parents leave the requisite informa-
ton for the census enumeratorS at
their homes. and thereby facilitate
the taking of the census. The enum-
orators will ask the exact place of
birth of every child between the ages
of and IS years, the date of birth,
the school last attended, the grade
completed and the names of the par
ents and their occupations.
The information gathered will re-
veal the accurate number of children
of school age in the District, and
therefore will serve as basis for
enforcing the school attendance law
as well as a basis for providing fu-
ture schoolhouse accommodations
Miss Bentley believes that there are
more than 10000 children in the Dis
trict of school age.
Law Requires Information.
Every parent Miss Bentley empha-
sized, is required by law 10 give in
formation to the enumeratorS. There
is a penalty for failure TO give the
desired data or falsitication of infor-
nation. Miss Bentley, however, antici-
pates no trouble. She feels that the
civic pride of the people of the Dis
trict will aid her in putting over the
gigantic task of taking the census.
AS a means of familiarizing the pub
lie with the compulsory education law
Miss Bentley has appealed to clergy
men of all denominations in Washing
ton to make appropriate announce
ments from their respective pulpits
Sunday. She has been assured of
their cooperation
Right Rev c. F. Thomas. rector of
st. Patrick's Church. has written to
every Catholic parish in the District
urging the priests to announce the
beginning of the school census. A
similar message has been broadcast
TO churches Of other denominations
through the Washington Federation
of Churches.
Mgr. Thomas letter follows:
Under the provision of the COM
pulsory school law, passed by the
SiXty-ninth Congress, an enumeration
of all children between the ages of 8
and Is years residing within the Dis
trict of Columbia is to begin July 90.
BY the authority and commission
of his grace, the archbishop, I am
asking you to announce from the al
tar on July 10 that this census work
VIII begin on July 20 and ask your
congregation to assist in every way
possible those who may approach
them for this enumeration and advise
them TO give as accurate answers as
possible TO the question proposed to
them -