Imperial Valley press., 1928-10-29
CHURCH SURVEY
SHOWS NORMAL
CONDITIONS HERE

Tabulations OF the information
obtained as n result of last week $
religious census are far from com
plete, according to Robert Hays,
secretary of the chamber of com
merce, but a cursory examination OF
several hundred cards reveals that
Ell Centre is normal, typical
American city of homes and
families.
Most of the families consist of
three or four persons, which means
the two parents and either one or
two children. Probably one, and one
half children per family would be
fair average Each family contains,
as rule, but one wage Garner, IN
nearly every case the father. The
great ma iority of households are
either active communicates of local
churches, or have church afflln-
tions elsewhere, or have some church
preference. In almost every nome
the children attend some Sunday
school There was practically no
unemployment in the case OF the
husband and father.
The survey was made by the
churches of the city, the chamber
of commerce cooperating. The
ministers of FL Centre directed the
canvass, and they report that much
information of value to the churches
has been obtained. Those who have
a preference fer some particular
church, but have not atflllated
here. will be visited by pastors and
members of their congregations ana
urged to attend local church serN-
ices.
The tabulations of the record
cards are being made by Col. Charles
l.. Phillips. One of the most interest
ing episodes of the survey was the
remarkably efficient manner in
which the canvass of the east Side
of the city was made, under the
leadership of William y. Payne,
principal of the Eastside school. lie
showed exceptional ability as an
executive. His cards were returned
TO the chamber, all sorted by streets,
and separated into packages, before
& O'Clock of the day OF the cen
sus. He had 80 enumeratOrs i'll the
field. and each was accompanied by
4 Spanish interpreter, who question
ed the Mexican families as theE
were encountered. At O'Clock the
cards were collected and relayed to
a central check ing bureau, where the
teachers of the schools were on duty
to check each individual card for
mistakes or omissions. If such were
found, messengers were dispatched
TO the home and the error rectlfied.
At ) O'Clock the mot at home
cards were distributed TO workers
who were awaiting the hour, and
they visited homes of absentees ana
brought back the desired informa-
tiOn and cards.
Such was the thoroughness of the
system there employed that not
single home or family in the east
ern section of the town had been
missed, save only the dOmicile of
one Chinese, who could not under
stand either English or Spanish.
Payne was a government census
enumerator of the 1920 census,
which accounts in part for the very
efficient manner in which he handled
the intricate work connected with
the supervision of last week 5 sur
vev in FL Centric.
In addition to the questions ask
ed at the homes, respecting their
occupants religious connections,
the occupation Of each member gain
fully employed was ascertained and
recorded. This industrial survey
will be of much value to the cham
Der of commerce, which is question
ed daily, Secretary Hays states, on
the subject of our number of wage
earnerS and the lines of INDUSTRY in
which they find employment.