fl4 jYersity ol the State ol New York Bnlletin Entered as second-class matter August a, 1913, at the Post OfSce at Albany, N. T., under the ] act of August 34, igi2 Published fortnightly ALBANY, N. Y. October i, 1918 Attendance Division James D, Sullivan, Chief CENSUS, CHILD WELFARE AND COMPULSORY EDUCATION BUREAUS ESTABLISHED 1917 ALBANY THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 1918 Ci8r-Ni8-5000 (7-755) -||tlH«'' THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Regents of the University With years when terms expire 1926 Pliny T. Sexton LL.B. LL.D/ Chancellor - Palmyra 1927 Albert Vander Veer M.D. M.A. Ph.D. LL.D. Vice Chancellor Albany 1922 Chester S. Lord M.A. LL.D. ----- Brooklyn 1930 William Nottingham M.A. Ph.D. LL.D. - Syracuse 192 1 Francis M. Carpenter - ----- - Mount Kisco 1923 Abram I. Elkus LL.B. D.C.L. LL.D. - - - New York 1924 Adelbert Moot LL.D. ------- Buffalo 1925 Charles B. Alexander M.A. LL.B. LL.D. Litt.D. ----------- Tuxedo 1919 John Moore LL.D. -------- Elmira 1928 Walter Guest Kellogg B.A. LL.D - - - Ogdensburg 1920 James Byrne B.A. LL.B. LL.D. - - - - New York 1929 Herbert L. Bridgman M.A. ----- Brooklyn President of the University and Commissioner of Education John H. Finley M.A. LL.D. L.H.D. Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner for Elementary Education Thomas E. Finegan M.A. Pd.D. LL.D. Assistant Commissioner and Director of Professional Education Augustus S. Downing M.A. L.H.D. LL.D. Assistant Commissioner for Secondary Education Charles F. Wheelock B.S. LL.D. Director of State Library James I. Wyer, Jr, M.L.S. Director of Science and State Museum John M. Clarke, D.Sc. LL.D. Chiefs and Directors of Divisions Administration, Hiram C. Case Agricultural and Industrial Education, Lewis A. Wilson Archives and History, James Sullivan M.A. Ph.D. Attendance, James D. Sullivan Educational Extension, William R. Watson B.S. Examinations and Inspections, George M. Wiley M.A. Law, Frank B. Gilbert B.A., Counsel Library School, Frank K. Walter M.A. M.L.S. School Buildings and Grounds, Frank H. Wood M.A. School Libraries, Sherman Williams Pd.D. Visual Instruction, Alfred W. Abrams Ph.B. . ^ ^^^'^!;^- DniYersity ol "the State ol New York Bulletin Entered as second-class matter August 2, 1913, at the Post Office at Albany, N. Y., under the act of August 34, 1913 Published fortnightly No. 672 ALBANY, N. Y. October i, 191 8 CENSUS, CHILD WELFARE AND COMPULSORY EDUCATION BUREAUS PERMANENT CENSUS BUREAUS ESTABLISHED, 1917 The Legislature of 191 7, under an amendment to the census law of 1908, provided that each city of the second and third class should take a census of all persons above 4 and under 18 years of age residing in each such city, and further that each of such cities should amend such census from day to day to the end that at all times there should be available in each city of the State up-to-date census information. , On September 17, 1917, the taking of the census was begun and prosecuted to a successful close in each of these cities. This was the initial step in the inauguration and establishment of permanent census bureaus in the fifty-five cities included within the scope of the act. The bureaus thus started are to be organized, maintained and administered along the lines of the bureaus established in cities of the first class under the act of 1908. The establishment of permanent census bureaus by legislative enactment in the fifty-eight cities of the State will come to be regarded, as the years pass, to have been an accomplishment of great moment along educational and child welfare lines. In 1895 the Legislature enacted the nucleus of our present com- pulsory education law, which in the intervening years has been suitably amended and much broadened in scope. In the same year the first census law relating to cities was enacted, as it was entirely apparent that the success of the compulsory education law would in no small degree depend upon available and accurate census informa- tion concerning all children within the scope of the attendance stat- ute. This census act of 1895 required each city having a population of 10,000 and over to take a census every two years of all persons above 4 and under 18 years of age. Such census was taken, how- ever, in only two biennial periods, it having been found that the work involved and the expense incident thereto was so great, as compared 3 with the meager benefits resulting, that school and municipal authorities were loath to continue taking a census biennially. Within a very short time after the biennial census had been taken within our cities, the information obtained ceased to be a safe and adequate guide for school authorities charged with the administration of the compulsory education law. Yet, all the time it was felt that there should be on hand in every municipality necessary census informa- tion to enable authorities properly to administer and execute attend- ance statutes. The Legislature of 1908 amended the census law by providing that a census should be taken in each city of the State, and that in each city of the first class the census board, composed of the mayor, commissioner of public safety and the city superintendent of schools, should cause the initial census to be amended from day to day, as persons within census age take up their residence in the city, and as others depart therefrom, and still again as others remove from one section to another section of the same city, so that in cities of the first class there shall be maintained at all times a permanent and up-to-date census bureau. The act further provided that the amending of the census from day to day in cities of the second and third class should be optional with the census board. The boards in the cities of the second and third class, however, failed to take advantage of the optional provisions of the act, prefer- ring to take a census quadrennially, as provided in the act, and as a result the census taken in the second and third class cities once in four years soon ceased to be of any substantial and continuous value to school authorities of said cities in the administration of child labor and compulsory education laws. In fact it was the testi- mony of the city superintendent of each city that the four-year census was even less serviceable than the biennial census, since both censuses signally failed to meet the purposes sought to be accom- plished in the census scheme. In the meantime, permanent census bureaus established in cities of the first class under the scheme of amending the census from day to day were found to be invaluable aids in a proper administration of child labor and compulsory education laws, as well as in child welfare work. It was not unusual to find, even in cities of the third class, that the compulsory education and child labor laws were seriously fail- ing adequately to accomplish the purposes for which the laws were enacted, solely for the want of up-to-date, reliable census informa- "•, Of ©. c». 25 1919 tion, while in a city of the first class, having from 250,000 to 5,000,- 000 population, the results attained in the administration of these laws were vastly in excess of the results attained in the smaller municipalities. The reason for this was ever and always in evidence, namely, that the up-to-date, reliable census information obtainable in the city of the first class enabled school authorities to administer attendance laws with a degree of steadiness and success not possibly attainable even in a small city, where such up-to-date information was lacking. When the census act of 1908, requiring authorities in cities of the first class to establish permanent census bureaus, went into effect, there was entertained honest doubt by many well-disposed citizens concerning the practicability and ultimate success of such census bureaus, and doubtless there are in our smaller cities persons, identified with school administration, who entertain similar doubts concerning the success of the present census law applicable to such smaller cities. We need, however, in this new undertaking in order to dispel all doubts only to examine briefly the history of permanent census bureaus in cities of the first class. These bureaus have been in the ten years of their history not only immensely valuable as a necessary means in the administration of child labor and attendance laws, but equally serviceable in a marked degree in child welfare and philanthropic work. The bureaus are veritable storehouses of necessary information concerning children ; they have acted as clearing houses for philanthropist, social worker, teacher — in fact every person disposed to do something or anything along social and philanthropic lines in child welfare work, particularly as regards that large group of children sorely in need of help on account of unfortunate home environments. Up to 1908, it is a notable fact that a permanent census bureau, similar to the bureaus now being maintained in the cities of our State, had never been established in any American municipality. The State of New York, therefore, did pioneer work in the estab- lishment of these bureaus. The late Dr A. S. Draper, State Commissioner of Education, was from the very date on which he entered the field of public education administration a pioneer, and with clear vision led the way in new and far-reaching educational movements, and let it be here recorded for the first time that to Doctor Draper is due the credit of having secured the enactment of the census law of 1908, under wh'ch permanent census bureaus were established in the cities of Roch- ester, Buffalo and New York. Now that similar bureaus have been tentatively established in all other cities of the State, the final and complete consummation of what Doctor Draper had in mind may be regarded as an assured fact under his worthy successor, Doctor Finley. It was Doctor Draper's thought and, in our interpretation ?ind application of the present census law, we are putting into effect his thought, that permanent census bureaus should be " centralized clearing houses," where very full and complete information con- cerning each child could be obtained by any one interested in the betterment and uplift of children, since teachers and school authori- ties within a school system have had at the best only fragmentary information concerning each individual child of the great group of children within the system. In having mentioned Doctor Draper in this connection, we regard it as entirely proper and fitting that it be said that the Legislature of the State had commendable courage and clear foresight in having enacted .^irst a compulsory education law and the census law of 1908, and as amended in 191 7, a law which when properly executed will prepare the way for a humane, intelligent and complete adminis- tration of the child labor and attendance statutes within a group of fifty-eight cities, having an aggregate population of above eight and one-fourth million people. CENSUS INFORMATION IN PREPARATION FOR MILITARY SERVICE An army of two million children is being trained in the schools of the State for economic industry, family and social life and intelli- gent citizenship in a democracy, and the State is annually expending over one hundred millions of dollars for such training ; and, further- more, private enterprise is expending an additional ten million dol- lars for the same worthy educational purposes. Yet a vast number of this great army of children fail to receive that education that is the birthright of every child in a free state, simply because the State has lacked essential and necessary information concerning the indi- vidual child. On our entrance into the world war, information concerning the man power of the State was equally lacking, and the same was true in other states, though no other country affected b}^ the world war is richer in available man power and material resources with which to make war than the United States. We have vast wealth in resources but, as to just where and in what shape, the Nation signally lacked definite and available information. In fact, had it not been for the information on file at the Federal Census Bureau at Washington, the Nation would have been tremendously handicapped. The federal bureau, though established as early as 1790, was not made into its present efficient organization until as late as 1902, because of the lack of proper governmental support. For many decades the encouragement afforded the bureau by the federal gov- ernment was exceedingly meager, as its work was but little appre- ciated by the great masses of our people; and, had the bureau not been firmly established in the constitution, presumably its operation, for want of popular favor, would have been discontinued long before we entered the war. Turning to the federal census reports, we find much information which was and is exceedingly valuable tO' the Government, concern- ing the country's mines, factories, workshops, farms, forests, rail- ways, telephone and telegraph, electric light and power systems, wealth, debt, education and illiteracy. When war was declared, the Government at Washington immediately needed estimates of popula- tion, the number of men 21 to 30 years of age, fit for military regis- tration, and this information was on file at the bureau as a result of the decennial survey of 1910. This information, of course, was not up to date. It was, nevertheless, exceedingly valuable and sug- gestive. The census bureau further furnished to the Government the residence of all who had enlisted in the army, navy and marine corps, and the occupation of such registrants, on the date of the last survey. The bureau further furnished valuable data concerning the materials for which information was sought. A list of ship- building establishments was furnished to the ship-building board, together with salaries of wage earners employed in such establish- ments. The kinds and quality of coal consumed by all great manu- facturing concerns was information worth the while. The federal bureau even at this writing is still rendering to the Government very great service. Six hundred clerks are permanently employed in the bureau ; and during the period of the decennial survey of 1910, 80,000 to 90,000 employees were upon its pay roll. In peace times, no wonder the average taxpayer questioned the advisability of employing this vast army of men and women solely upon census work ; yet, when the Nation entered the war, and information was needed as to the man power of the country, and material resources, no thoughtful intelligent person begrudged the cost of maintaining the Federal Census Bureau — a veritable storehouse of necessary information. 8 Entrance into the war called for a vast amount of information in every state of the Union in addition to that available at the Wash- ington bureau. New York, as usual, was the pioneer state in taking an inventory of its own up-to-date man power. It was the hrst stale to take a military census. Repeatedly classified and verified lists of skilled workers in the various trades have been furnished the Government at Washington by the State of New York. The Government in December last wanted information from the State concerning the five most essen- tial trades auxiliary to shipbuilding and a list of 68,392 names and addresses was promptly sent to Washington. A prominent representative of the British Government in this country last winter wanted information as to the names and addresses of 1000 men who were British subjects within the State. The Military Commission instead of sending on 1000 names dis- patched 6500 names and later increased the number to 100,000. The New York Herald was in need of a list of enemy aliens within the State and the State Defense Council promply furnished the names and addresses of 150,000 aliens, all residing within the State. Again, the State of New York was asked for a list of cooks, bakers and butchers. A list of 1659 cooks, 1806 bakers and 1368 butchers was furnished. In the spring of 1918, the Brooklyn Navy Yard requested from the council information concerning blacksmiths, painters, iron and steel metal workers, machinists, tailors and sailmakers, iron and steel workers, wood workers and coppersmiths, and the council promptly furnished a list of 200 blacksmiths, 600 painters, 500 iron and steel metal workers, 1000 machinists, 600 tailors and sail- makers, 1320 iron and steel workers, 1020 wood workers and 600 coppersmiths. At the same time the New York State Patriotic Food Commission wanted a list of farmers, foremen, farm laborers, and the council was in a position to furnish the commission 7550 names and addresses. In fact, the military census of the State supplied to the Federal Government the names of 153,000 men who had certified as desir- ing to enlist in either the army or the guard. The military census has provided for the Federal Government accurate data conccrnin'^ every trade and every line of commerce and industrial activity, which is little else than a mine of information upon which the Gov- ernment has drawn, and we find that later the Government at Wash- ington endeavored to have other states follow the lead of New York in providing similar up-to-date information. Our reference here to the aid furnished by the Federal Census Bureau, and the census of the Military Commission, is for the immediate purpose of calling attention to the fact that our entrance into the great war has suddenly brought to the attention of the peo- ple of the State the absolute need of up-to-date census information concerning many important matters that were but little appreciated or considered in peace times. The information hurriedly obtained for the Federal Government by the State Military Commission, and much additional information concerning the people of the State and its manufacturing interests and material resources, we are justified in assuming will in the years to come be kept on file up to date, so that never again, even in peace times, will we be found wanting in the information that we so sorely lacked, when called upon to put our house in order in getting ready to do our part in the great war struggle. Census information within our cities and the State at large has heretofore been signally lacking, as already stated. Therefore the amendment of 191 7 to the census law is timely. Under this act the board of education of each city is created a permanent census board and " such board shall have power to make such rules and regula- tions as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this article. Such board shall have power to appoint a secretary and such clerks and other employees as may be necessary to cany out the provisions of this article, and to fix the salaries of the same." The census board thus created is vested with ample statutory powers. Under the act the board may obtain all information which in its judgment may appear advisable and necessary, and the State Department of Education may " also obtain such further information as such authorities shall require." In fact, the amended act is amply suffi- cient to enable both the state authorities and local census boards to obtain full and accurate information concerning every person of census age as to his or her home environment, and the causes that may prevent such person — girl or boy — from having an adequate chance for real education. The act gives to local boards and the Commissioner of Education a free hand to do whatever is necessary to be done to protect every child within our municipalities in his right to a true American education. The child underfed, poorly clad, within the home of the intemperate, who spends his daily wage at the corner saloon, or whose mother may be seeking redress in the 10 divorce courts — even such a child, the unloved one, much of whose education is now of the blind alle}^ and street, may be saved under a judicious administration of these beneficent laws. A WORKABLE INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW The word " census " as usually interpreted only inadequately and rudimentarily expresses the meaning of the amended census act, yet in this narrow sense only have censuses been taken in former years in cities of the second and third class. A mere count of children within certain age groups, whether the city be large or small, is surely of some little value ; but to serve as an adequate basis for the daily administration of child labor and compulsory attendance statutes, the annual, biennial or quadrennial count was altogether inadequate, since within a very short period after the original survey had been made, census lines in the field had become so changed as to render initial data an unsafe guide in the operations of child labor and attendance statutes. While the new act provides for an accurate enumeration of the entire population within census ages, provision is also made for a continuous count as changes take place within age groups ; and the statute further pro- vides, as before stated, that the scope of information obtained, in addition to the count, may include whatever local authorities and the State may require. Information called for on the field census card formulated by the Department, and used in taking the city-wide census, may be regarded as a fair and reasonable interpretation of the law as regards necessary basic data. Briefly, the card called for name and residence by street and number of each person over 4 and under 18 years of age ; the date of birth, year, month and day of the month ; the name of the parent or one in parental relation ; the country in which both child and parent were born and the number of years of each in the United States ; physical condition of child, if child happens to be physically defective (crippled, deaf, dumb, blind, tubercular, physi- cally ill) ; mentally normal or defective, or mentally retarded, as the case may be; information concerning illiteracy and truancy ; working certificates; school attended (elementary, high or evening school) ; if child were employed, name and address of employer. A copy of this census card used in the city survey of the entire group of cities may be found elsewhere in this bulletin. The original city survey began September 17, 191 7, with full instructions from the Department as to detailed procedure, and by II the aid of competent enumerators who had been to some extent at least trained for the task in hand, the work was in an orderly, intelli- gent manner carried forward from day to day to its final completion ; and, on the whole, this particular census was more intelligently, completely and satisfactorily taken than any previous census in the history of the cities of the second and third class. Information secured by enumerators from day to day was turned in to the census bureau and there tabulated, classified and filed, and such data became the basic foundation of a permanent census, child welfare and com- pulsory education bureau in each city. During February 1918 each city superintendent was requested to file at the State Department of Education a summary report of information obtained in the original survey. As outlined upon the blank form on page 12. 12 THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CENSUS REPORT City of.. January , iqi8 On what date was the initial city- wide census completed? Summary 1 Number of persons over 4 and under 1 8 years of age . 2 47. 3 « 7 « 14 4 « 14 « 16 5 « 16 " 18 Total. Boys Girls Total 6 [7 '9 10 II 13 Total number under 4 years Total number over 14 and under 16 absent from school on working papers ...: -.-. Total nimiber of compulsory school age absent from school in violation of law at time initial census was taken Number of native born children over 4 and under 18 Number of foreign born children over 4 and under 18.. Total number over 7 and under 18 unable to read and write English Total number over 10 and under 18 unable to read and write any language Number of children mentally incompetent : a idiot h mentally subnormal (not included in a) c mentally retarded (over aged for grade they are in).. Total 14 Number of children physically ill: a cripple h deaf c dumb d blind.. e tubercular etc Total [Signature] Superintendent 13 The report received from each city is credited to the proper city in the table of grand totals appearing elsewhere in th's bulletin, and the table as a whole and in detail furnishes abundant data for inter- esting and profitable comparisons. Bearing in mind that all children between 7 and 16 years of age are required by the compulsory attendance act to be in regular attendance upon instruction, if not legally employed between 14 and 16, the number found absent from school in violation of law indicates the extent tO' which the law was not being enforced within each city during the period of survey. In five cities of the second class, 13 to each 100 children, between 14 and 16, were absent from school on working papers, while 621 required by law to attend were absent in violation of statute, and 888 persons from 7 to 18 years of age were found to be unable to read or write English, while 126 persons 10 to 18 were found unable to read or write any language (illiterates). In view of the fact that there has been almost no immigration to this country since 1914, it seems almost unaccountable that there should have been found 888 person 7 to 18 years of age in these five cities unable to read and write English. As English is the prevail'ng language of the country, were the 888 persons attending schools in which the English language was not taught ? Were they attending German private schools, where only the German language was taught, or Polish schools where only the Polish language is taught ? The compulsory education law was certainly not being enforced so far as the 888 children were concerned, as that law specifically pro- vides that children of compulsory school age shall be instructed in English and from English texts, whether they attend a public school or private. Some of these children doubtless were between 16 and 18 years of age, and thus not amenable to the compulsory education statute, but before they passed beyond the requirements of such statute, they ought surely to have had insruction in English. An ele- mentary school in which the English language is not taught, whether private or parochial, has no right to exist within the borders of the State or country. Every child has an inherent right to become 100 per cent American, but he never will become such, and can not become such, without at least a knowledge of elementary English. Examining the table of the entire group of cities, we find that there were 1586 persons of census age who were unable to read and write English. These figures do not appeal to our pride, to say the least. In the years to come, as these 1586 persons shall become voters, they will doubtless be listed and exploited as German-Americans, Italian- Americans, Polish-Americans — hyphenated Americans — instead of real, simon-pure, lOO per cent Americans. A noted American writer has recently put into a very few words a statement that throws light upon the situation suggested by this non-English speak- ing group : "One must read in English in order to think in English, and one must think in English in order to be a real American:" From another distinguished American : " There is room in this country for but one language and that must be the language of the Declaration of Independence and Washington's Farezvcll Address and Lincoln's Gettysburg Speech — the English language." There were 191 5 persons, including non-English speaking and illiterates, between 7 and 18 years of age, within the group of cities covered by the survey, without any knowledge or understanding of English — the language in which the constitution and history of the nation are written — and these persons and all such are bound to be a menace to republican institutions, unless steps are taken to give them an understanding of at least elementary English. HOW SHALL THE CENSUS BE AMENDED FROM DAY TO DAY AS REQUIRED BY LAW? Success will attend the administration of the census law not beyond the limit to which the census is kept amended up to date. Proper and complete amendment is therefore vital. The necessary steps to be taken in the process of amendment are identical with the steps that were taken in securing the original city-wide survey. As new persons of census age shall take up their residence within the city, others remove therefrom, and others change residence from one section to another, the facts relating to such changes from day to day are to be reported to the bureau by a person or persons appointed and paid for this very service. As these facts are reported from the field from day to day and properly tabulated, classified and filed in the bureau, the census will have become actually and completely amended up to date. If attendance officers formerly employed are fully occupied, then an additional officer or officers or special enumerators are to be appointed to do field census work. The census has been amended from day to day and thus kept up to date with remarkable efficiency and completeness since IQ09 in the great city of New York, having a population of above five million people, or over one-half of the entire State's population : therefore the task of amending the census in the other cities of the State, particularly in cities of the second and third class, involves a relatively small amount of work and expense. In a word, the census is to be amended by the same processes under which the original survey was made. How to keep the census up to date without costing the city some additional money may be the real question, as indicated by letters of inquiry received at the Department. In answer, let it be said that how to get something done that is necessary to be done, and that is really worth the doing, without costing somebody something, is a question that we can not answer. Obviously some additional expenditure of money will necessarily be called for in proper admin- istration of the census act. It is assumed that in preparation for the' taking of the original city-wide survey a pretty accurate map of each city was made ; and by aid of such map territory was divided into geographical units. The amending of the census from day to day should take place within each geographical unit, by attendance officers or special enu- merators, and the amount of help necessary to do the work will depend upon the size of the city. The plan suggested has worked satisfactorily in the city of New Yor'k since 1909. It will be more satisfactory in less populous cities, and at relatively small expense. The board of education, finance committee, mayor and others may not without help and enlightenment readily understand the need of expending necessary money to keep the census up to date. It therefore devolves upon the superintendent of schools to enlighten these public officials on that question, and further bring to the atten- tion of all concerned the beneficent and useful purposes sought to be accomplished under this new census scheme ; and, when there shall have been established an intelligent understanding of the work that is being carried forward, there will be no trouble thereafter in secur- ing financial aid and hearty cooperation, and our confidence in all this is assured as we turn again to the city of New York. The board of education, finance committee, mayor and intelligent, enlightened taxpayers of that great municipality cheerfully from year to year provide necessary funds with which to administer the census, child welfare and compulsory education bureau of that city. The bureau therein long since demonstrated the fact that it is of tremendous aid in the administration of the city school system, and of material assistance to other departments of the city government. The tenta- tive bureaus now started in the smaller cities will be able to give an equally good account of themselves, if they are organized and admin- istered in an intelligent and businesslike way. Let there be a campaign of enlightenment in each city concerning the benefits that are bound to accrue from a proper administration of the census act, and local authorities charged with the work will surely not lack the cheerful, effective cooperation of all concerned. Taxpayers are generous toward the schools, when they are made to realize the actual needs of children along educational and child wel- fare lines ; for no other purpose do people of the State more gener- ously expend their money. Above one hundred million dollars was expended last year within the State to maintain its public school system. ' It is a fact — though not yet appreciated within the group of cities afifected by the act — that educational authorities are not only legally responsible for the education of children, while physi- cally present in the schools, but equally responsible for these children within their home environments, when home conditions are such as to nullify the work of the school as regards such children. The census bureau in proper working condition will furnish quite com- plete and necessary information to such authorities as regards the child, his movements, his physical and social condition within the home environment. It is a fact that thousands of children fail to receive from the schools what they are entitled to, simply because they are not adequately and necessarily protected while apart from the schools. To assume that the school in its limited daily session of five hours may do all that is necessary to be done for a child along educational and social uplift lines, is erroneous. Much that the school does not do and can not do is necessary to be done, and will be done by various agencies, when full information concerning the home condition of the child has become a matter of record within these bureaus. If anyone is in doubt about this, let him consult the bureaus maintained in the city of New York and in Rochester. What we have said here, and what we are about to say as to how the census is to be amended, is at the best only suggestive. Rules of procedure in the process of amendment of census, organization and administration of bureaus will vary, according to the size of the cities and make-up of population. The following suggestions, how- ever, may be helpful to all cities. I The officer or enumerator in the field under the amendment process should keep in close touch with the mail carrier and the patrolman within the unit, since such officers will advise as to new persons coming into the unit and others departing therefrom. 2a As a check and proving-up process, annually after the opening of the schools each principal should file at the census bureau a duplicate copy of his registers, and such registers within the bureau 17 should be checked up against the bureau's files ; and, as new persons from time to time register at the schools, they should also be reported to the bureau. All withdrawals from the school, whether such persons remove from the city or change from one school dis- trict to another within the same city, should be reported. If the change from one school to another involves change of address, changed address should also be reported to the bureau. b When the principal issues school record certificates, a record of such issuance should be filed at the bureau. c A record should be transcribed from the health department to the bureau of all working certificates issued, and the bureau should be informed concerning a child while working under said certificate, recording changes from one employment to another, or discontinu- ance of employment. 3 A duplicate copy of all birth records should be transcribed from the office of vital statistics to the census bureau, as such record will enable school authorities to determine when the child becomes of legal school age (5 years old) ; compulsory school age (7 years old) ; qualified for working papers as tO' age ( 14 to 16 years old) ; qualified for legal release from school under the compulsory education act (16 years old). The census bureau should be made a clearing house for the ages of all persons under 18 and the bureau may further serve the indi- vidual as to age information throughout adult life, wherever he may go, and in whatever occupation or profession engage. In the judicial settlement of estates, in litigated claims and in many other respects, accurate evidence of age is often found to be of vital concern. LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY OF COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION The Commissioner of Education, under oath, is charged with the administration of the census law and, in order to be advised of the extent to which the act is being carried forward in cities of the firs': class, particularly as regards the amending of the census from day to day, which is the basic feature of the law, a report is transmitted to the Department at the close of each month, showing the opera- tions of the bureau in the matter of amending the census during said month. Similar monthly reports will be required from each city of the second and third class. Monthly reports from the larger cities have been found by the Department to be exceedingly illuminating. Copy of sample report from the city of Rochester for the month of June 19 1 8 follows: i8 • SCHOOL CENSUS BOARD Rochester, N. Y., July 8th, igi8 State Department of Education, Albany, N. Y. Gentlemen: I inclose herewith a report of the work of this office for the month of June 191 8. The reports received and services rendered in detail are as follows: DATA FROM THE FIELD Territory Units A B C D E Total I loi 23 30 17 22 193 2 260 57 34 40 91 482 3 90 38 35 12 36 211 4 282 32 76 127 106 623 5 209 43 35 87 25 399 6 49 16 13 21 8 107 Total 991 209 223 304 288 2015 A Changes of address within the city. B Children moving out of the city. C Children moving into the city. D Children becoming 4 years of age. E Special reports or new records which could not be classified under C or D. Reports from public schools 2083 Reports from health bureau (number of working certificates issued and number of applications for same refused) 1 1 87 Total reports received 5285 SERVICES RENDERED Information furnished as to Age 276 Address 12 Work certificates 7^3 Miscellaneous 16 1017 Violations of compulsory education law discovered 13 Violations of child labor law discovered 13 Total services rendered 1043 Respectfully submitted WILLIAM E. BLACKWOOD Secretary The foregoing report shows how census information helps enforce the compulsory education and child labor laws. The report is easily compiled at the close of the month, if tabulated daily within the bureau, and is a means of furnishing full data as to the operation of the census, compulsory education and child labor laws. CHILD WELFARE From the data secured in city-wide censuses basic information necessary to the organization of child welfare work was obtained. 19 The necessity for the latter is noted by even a casual examination of certain age groups in summarized report from cities, found else- where in this bulletin. Attention is called to the fact that the sur- vey made in fifty-four cities disclosed children 7 to 18 years of age retarded or below grade for children of their age. These figures represent children mentally normal in distinction from the figures representing another group in the summarized report — subnormal or feeble-minded. The larger group, 53,776, mentally normal, were retarded by causes in the main correctable. The big problem in connection with retardation is to discover the causes and apply the necessary remedy. Teachers, particularly in public schools, may not be held to any marked degree responsible for this retardation. The same is true of those, generally speaking, in parochial and private English-speaking schools. Teachers, how- ever, and others responsible for the maintenance of bilingual parochial and private schools, may truthfully be held measurably accountable for retardation of their pupils, since the instruction in many such schools is extremely inefficient and faulty. Furthermore within the home environment of retarded children may be discovered in many cases evident causes of retardation at the schools, both public and private, and these causes are often unknown to those officially responsible for the proper schooling of children. Ask the average superintendent for specific information concerning the individual children retarded one, two, three or four years and such information is not furnished except in a few instances. Neither can the teacher, generally speaking, throw any light upon the real causes of retardation. As indicated by returns, approximately 23 per cent of the educa- tional product turned out in cities covered by the survey is below grade and, as above noted, almost nothing is known by school and municipal authorities concerning the cause or causes. No individual, business concern or corporation in any one of these cities could hope to succeed if 23 per cent of the output of his plant was below grade. They look for the trouble at once and apply the necessary remedy. Why should not the local authorities of each city, responsible for the schooling of children, adopt and put in force similar sound methods ? In every case of serious retardation all the facts should be recorded on special blanks to be kept in the school the pupil attends. From this data obtained by the combined eflforts of teacher, school nurse, school physician and psychological examiner a fair idea of 20 the causes of the trouble should be derived. This information should then be filed at the census bureau where it is easily access- ible to child welfare workers in general. Failure of certain courts to do their duty in properly punishing parents and those in parental relation who knowingly, intentionally and with impunity violate school attendance laws, indirectly deprives the child of his inherent right to adequate schooling. A city super- intendent of schools writes us : In all the years (more than fifteen) I have been in charge of these schools, though we have annually brought before the recorder parents guilty of violating child labor and school attendance laws — old, flagrant offenders — not in a single instance has a fine been imposed upon these lawbreakers. This recorder, bear in mind, took the usual constitutional oath of office after each election, as he entered anew upon the perform- ance of official duty. Another superintendent in a leading city, utterly discouraged, wrote the Education Department very recently : We have come to the conclusion that it is practically impossible to get Judge to act in these cases. We have tried to do everything we could under the conditions to secure his support but one obstacle after another is thrown in our way. Much additional testimony of the same character has been fur- nished by other superintendents, school boards, teachers, attendance officers and others. President Wilson in a recent statement concerning the necessity of providing adequate elementary education for all children declared " the children of the country are the country's greatest asset," and another distinguished American declared " children of the United States, you are the hope of the world in the tomorrow after the war ! " To deny, therefore, to children adequate aid to enable them to receive the full benefits of elementary education, is little less than a crime against " the country's greatest asset " and " the hope of the world." In view of the enormous expenditure of the State in the mainte- nance of her public school system — above one hundred million dollars annually — and the added expenditure of private funds for the same worthy purpose, it is extremely discouraging and equally alarming to find so large an army of children leaving the schools with only a fragment of that education which is the birthright of every child within a free state. When we put into a single group the army of retarded children, the illiterate, and the non-English- speaking, and the 88,000 who annually leave the schools on workin.o- 21 certificates (a certificate which may be granted upon the attainment of only sixth grade work), we reahze the extent to which we are failing to conserve the inherent right of children to education. In some of our cities, child welfare agencies have accomplished most commendable and far-reaching results for the child and the home. Equally well-organized and conducted work within the schools and by public officials without, with the aid of a properly adminis- tered census bureau, will be productive of even greater community service. 22 -2 U to CO a O o o u w s t- ir 1- S 3 o o l- ir 1- m s Z CM O Z Z cc a: > > X I O o > >. I- t- z z O O 1- < o D O £ 2 -J > UJ T O o UJ z <« > o o % o i O ^ z 2 D * n o -I o: <0 I > o a Q H ~ -* > K 1- Q £ o 9 (0 K Z s o X 1^ o > a m 3 o < H Z Z o O £ a z o (O 1- (£ < o 3 > O o Q z t- K < * o z _J o o I o u_ O Q: £ 6 s D s Z q: u. O o £ £ * < Z z O ^ N n 0(0 IZ UO 24 CENSUS OF DISTRIBUTION CITIES Albany Amsterdam Auburn Batavia Beacon Binghamton Canandaigua Cohoes Corning Cortland Dunkirk Elmira Fulton Geneva Glens Falls Gloversville Homell Hudson Ithaca Jamestown Johnstown Kingston Lackawanna Little Falls Lockport Mechanicville . . . . Middletown Mount Vernon . . . New Rochelle . . . . Newburgh Niagara Falls North Tonawanda Norwich Ogdensburg Olean Oneida Oneonta Oswego Plattsburg Port Jervis Poughkeepsie Rensselaer Rome Salamanca Saratoga Springs . . Schenectady Syracuse Tonawanda Troy Utica Watertown Watervliet White Plains Totals Total under 4 years 000' 492 334 6ii 763 426 412 084 062 S03 961 771 134 Soo 357 20s 650 S68 039 342 728 S13 377 639 678 691 212 901 380 610 557 355 77 914 734 714 425 077 382 553 521 700 800' 626 409 425 166* 279 002 742 204 943 649 88 197 Total over 4 and under 18 years 19 507 6 494 7 586 3 123 2 494 II 307 1 532 5 0S3 3 372 2 393 5 460 8 033 2 538 2 8S3 2 579 4 019 3 046 2 394 3 326 7 813 2 126 5 741 4 919 2 230 3 8S3 2 191 3 106 8 852 7 938 6 752 10 808 3 855 I 482 3 232 4 948 1 906 2 004 5 321 2 52? 2 009 6 833 1 729 3 415 2 206 2 305 20 937 32 ISO 2 116 13 363 18 918 6 061 3 442 4 308 308 SOS Total under 18 years 25 S07 7 986 9 920 3 734 3 257 IS 733 1 944 6 137 4 434 2 896 7 421 10 804 3 672 3 353 2 936 4 224 3 696 2 962 4 365 9 ISS 2 854 7 2S4 7 296 2 869 4 531 2 882 3 318 10 753 9 318 7 362 15 36s 5 210 1 559 4 146 5 682 2 620 2 429 6 398 2 909 2 562 9 354 2 429 4 21S 2 832 2 714 27 362 45 316 2 395 16 365 2S 660 7 26s 4 385 4 957 396 702 * Estimated. Note: Figures for Lansingburg included with Troy. Figures for Corning — Districts 9 and 13 combined. CITIES, 1917 BY AGE PERIODS 25 Persons 4 to 18 Years of Age Native born Foreign born foreign born mentally incompetent Idiot Sub- normal Total Per cent physically incompetent Cripple Deaf Dumb Blind 18 878 6 204 7 199 2 999 2 395 10 822 I 491 4 884 3 241 2 347 S 23s 7 813 2 409 2 378 2 540 3 669 2 992 2 268 3 194 7 282 1 980 5 660 4 478 2 043 3 727 2 051 3 041 8 343 7 694 6 S44 8 403 3 596 I 442 3 140 4 796 1 891 2 002 5 138 2 446 I 954 6 63s 1 704 3 231 2 169 2 252 19 528 31 102 2 000 12 960 17 466 5 189 3 368 4 169 629 290 387 124 99 485 41 169 131 46 225 220 129 475 39 350 54 126 132 531 146 81 441 187 126 140 65 509 244 208 405 259 40 92 152 15 2 183 25 184 37 53 409 048 116 403 452 872 74 139 3-2 4.46 5. II 3.96 3-9 4.2 2.6 3.3 3.8 1. 91 4. 12 2.7 5.08 16.6 I. 51 8.7 1.77 5. 26 3.9 6.7 6.86 1. 41 8.96 8.38 3-27 6.38 2.09 5-75 307 3 08 . 22 6.71 2.69 2.84 307 .78 .09 3-43 3-20 2.73 2.89 1.44 5.38 1 .67 2,29 6.7 3-2 5.48 301 7.6 14.38 2.14 3.22 292 382 16 123 39 7 152 17 3 15 39 9 155 22 4 15 • 14 .13 ! .04 • 7 .16 .13 .06 .01 .53 .58 .05 • 31 • 23 .07 .69 .24 .58 .37 .01 ■ 37 • OS • 53 .06 • 14 .73 .79 .01 ■ 03 .19 .16 .28 • 29 .58 .08 .19 .37 .64 .05 1 .02 . II 1. 16 26 21 9 19 3 56 I 4 13 15 16 23 12 6 16 6 9 7 14 31 13 5 26 6 5 27 6 4 5 6 14 2 49 3 2 3 4 56 99 15 25 14 37 3 9 6 3 4 7 2 45 5 49 7 16 4 I 36 27 36 400 26 CITIES Persons 4 to i8 Years of Age (concluded) PHYSICALLY INCOMPETENT (concluded) Tuber- cular etc. Total Per cent 7 TO 16 Total Illegally absent Albany Amsterdam Auburn Batavia Beacon Binghamton Canandaigua Cohoes Coming Cortland Dunkirk Elmira Fulton Geneva Glens Falls Gloversville Hornell Hudson Ithaca Jamestown Johnstown Kingston Lackawanna Little Falls Lockport Mechanicville Middletown Mount Vernon New Rochelle Newburgh Niagara Falls North Tonawanda Norwich Ogdensburg Olean Oneida Oneonta Oswego Plattsburg Port Jervis. Poughkeepsie Rensselaer Rome Salamanca Saratoga Springs Schenectady Syracuse Tonawanda f . Troy Utica Watertown Watervliet White Plains 188 95 102 86 84 64 31 169 21 26 69 12 19 19 92 26 24 33 32 21 39 3 25 23 I3S 4 6 8 7 293 271 18 142 107 IS8 25 .32 .64 • 47 1.6 .48 1.03 .52 .23 2.4 2.6 .56 2. 1 .82 .91 2.6 .29 .62 .79 2.7 ■ 33 1. 12 • 57 .65 •94 1. 01 .13 .06 .55 .26 ■44 4-07 .90 • 33 1.23 .52 • 46 • 54 .18 .98 1. 14 1.97 • 23 • 17 • 36 ■ 30 I 39 .84 .85 1 .06 .56 2.6 .72 .48 13 943 4 36s 5 040 2 122 I 584 7 207 1 048 3 107 2 255 I 680 3 545 5 283 1 710 2 015 1 778 2 895 2 123 1 539 2 196 5 148 1 376 3 812 2 872 1 509 2 612 1 419 2 013 5 860 5 316 4 413 6 627 2 289 1 006 2 163 3 257 I 212 724 3 392 I 680 I 307 4 607 1 196 2 62s I 402 I 575 13 575 21 148 1 342 8 375 4 212 3 984 2 178 2 811 SO 6 7 21 4 89 2 44 24 112 9 5 t 3 17 10 3 61 74 6 39 16 29 105 447 197 181 66 Totals. 2 650 194 472 I 803 t Lackawanna schools not in session at time of survey. Note: Figures for Lansingburg included with Troy. Figures for Corning — Districts 9 and 13 combined. 27 Years Required to attend 14 TO 16 Years Total Absent on work- ing papers % absent on work- ing papers 7 TO 18 Years Total Re- tarded % re- tarded Unable to read and write English 10 to iJ years illit- erate 13 911 4 04s 4 82s 2 091 I 530 7 OSS 1 036 2 974 2 209 I 648 3 460 5 18S I 683 I 924 1 761 2 818 2 010 I soo ,2 160 4 977 1 302 3 684 2 771 1 440 2 577 I 401 1 995 5 778 5 261 4 392 5 832 2 230 975 2 136 3 158 I 171 702 3 254 I 6ss I 283 4 477 1 168 2 567 I 358 I 546 13 333 20 402 1 276 8 229 3 406 3 897 2 131 2 791 188 380 2 610 734 780 368 308 I 432 202 646 490 349 660 I 053 288 327 359 496 383 302 424 992 251 823 451 267 580 278 442 1 112 937 876 r 091 396 215 410 594 242 257 634 374 254 838 245 475 263 320 2 531 4 102 224 1 851 2 215 512 427 493 38 183 32 320 215 31 54 152 12 133 46 32 85 98 27 91 17 77 113 39 36 171 74 128 lOI 69 35 18 18 82 55 21 795 59 31 27 99 41 22 138 25 24 130 28 58 44 29 242 746 66 146 806 87 47 20 6 092 9 9 12. 9-3 9-4 27-8 4.8 15-5 29. 12. 8.4 17. 2 29. 14. 407 7.37 5.86 2.39 72.86 14-89 14.41 6.58 16.66 16.94 8.56 21 .76 6.68 9.44 15-51 II .42 12.21 16.73 9.06 9-5 18. 1 29-46 7-8 36-3 16.99 II . 4 -OS 15 890 4 946 5 686 2 443 I 929 8 478 1 216 3 720 2 6S9 2 001 4 089 6 275 1 941 2 175 2 048 3 241 2 440 64s 074 601 594 314 757 028 617 411 772 338 703 721 181 539 744 473 958 083 I 578 5 08s 1 368 2 769 I 644 I 839 IS 812 24 795 1 601 ID 227 14 080 4 855 2 676 3 240 236 069 2 400 941 2 270 498 514 2 546 116 620 450 249 I 391 I 506 276 275 321 I 167 26s 299 458 826 382 I 348 927 188 462 457 488 592 1 077 2 003 68s 213 545 236 866 262 386 1 008 235 399 762 461 980 228 22s 2 932 7 843 i8s 2 048 5 178 I 260 486 I 041 S3 776 IS- 1 19.02 39.9 20.3 26.6 30.03 9.5 16.6 16.9 12.4 34- 24. 14. 2 12.6 IS. 6 36. 10,8 16. 5 17.3 13-5 23-8 29-3 27-9 10.7 15-2 28.2 20. 2 8.7 18. 37-5 8.8 7.8 46.1 9.2 23-1 17-7 40. 2 22. II. 8 25.2 14.9 33-6 35-3 13-8 12.2 18.5 31-6 II-5 20.02 36.7 25.9 18. 1 32.1 7 17 23 16 IS 147 I OS 4 6 14 12 16 8 13 66s SO 6 117 I 586 64 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS