A98 
 
 EDUCATION 
 LIBRARY
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 AT LOS ANGELES 
 
 GIFT OF 
 
 Dr. and Mrs. A.B. Pier
 
 &**
 
 AN INDEX NUMBER FOR 
 
 STATE SCHOOL 
 
 SYSTEMS
 
 RANKS OF STATES AS SHOWN BY INDEX NUMBERS FOR FOUR PERIODS 
 
 .1890 
 
 1900 
 
 1910 
 
 1918 
 
 48 N. M. 
 
 Wash. 
 
 2 Cal. 
 
 3 D. C. 
 Mass. 
 Nev. 
 N. J. 
 Mont. 
 
 8 N. Y. 
 
 9 Utah 
 
 10 R. I. 
 
 11 III. 
 
 12 Conn. 
 
 13 Colo. 
 
 14 Ohio 
 
 15 Ore. 
 
 16 Perm. 
 
 17 Ind. 
 
 18 Ariz. 
 
 19 Mich. 
 
 20 Idaho 
 
 21 Minn. 
 
 22 Neb. 
 
 23 Wis. 
 
 24 Kans. 
 
 25 Wyo. 
 
 26 S. D. 
 
 27 N. D. 
 
 28 N. H. 
 
 29 Vt. 
 
 30 Iowa 
 
 31 Maine 
 
 32 Mo. 
 
 33 Md. 
 
 34 Del. 
 
 35 Okla. 
 
 36 W.Va. 
 
 37 Texas 
 
 38 N. M. 
 
 39 La. 
 
 40 Ky. 
 
 41 Va. 
 2 Fla. 
 
 43 Tenn. 
 
 44 Ga. 
 
 45 Ala. 
 
 46 Ark. 
 
 47 Miss. 
 
 48 N. C. 
 
 49 S. C.
 
 AN INDEX NUMBER 
 
 FOR STATE SCHOOL 
 
 SYSTEMS 
 
 LEONARD P. AYRES 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 
 
 RUSSELL SAGE FOUNDATION 
 
 130 EAST TWENTY-SECOND STREET 
 
 NEW YORK CITY 
 
 E 141
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1920, BY 
 THE RUSSELL SAGE FOUNDATION 
 
 Printed April, 1920: 2,000 copies 
 
 WM F. FELL CO PRINTERS 
 PHILADELPHIA
 
 Education 
 
 Library 
 
 A9*' 
 
 V TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 List of Tables 7 
 
 i Changes in Ten Years 10 
 
 ** Index Numbers 12 
 
 An Index Number for State School Systems 14 
 
 What Items of 100 Each Would Imply 19 
 
 The Computation of the Index Number 21 
 
 Data for 48 Years 23 
 
 Groups of States 27 
 
 Standing of the States in 1890 30 
 
 Standing of the States in 1900 32 
 
 Standing of the States in 1910 34 
 
 Standing of the States in 1918 36 
 
 <> Hawaii, the Canal Zone, and Porto Rico 38 
 
 ^x> Education in Porto Rico 38 
 
 **" Standing of the States in Four Decades 42 
 
 ^S Standing of the States During Five Periods 46 
 
 R The 48 States in 1918 48 
 
 & Gains and Losses in 28 Years 50 
 
 _J Index Numbers Stated as Whole Numbers 52 
 ^4 Educational Results and Financial Expendi- 
 
 <v tures 53 
 
 ^Correlations 56 
 
 vV\ Significance of the Index Number 57 
 
 Lspw\ccuracy of Data 59 
 
 447457
 
 Private and Parochial Schools 
 Different Types of States 
 Purchasing Power of Money 
 High School Data 
 Teachers' Salaries 
 Limitations 
 Summary
 
 LIST OF TABLES 
 
 TABLE PAGE 
 
 1. Components and index numbers. United 
 States. 1871 to 1918 25 
 
 2. Index numbers for divisions. Seven peri- 
 ods 28 
 
 3. Components and index numbers of states. 
 
 1890 31 
 
 4. Components and index numbers of states. 
 
 1900 33 
 
 5. Components and index numbers of states. 
 
 1910 35 
 
 6. Components and index numbers of states. 
 
 1918 37 
 
 7. Index numbers of states at four periods 43 
 
 8. Ranks of states as shown by index numbers 
 for four periods 45 
 
 9. Ranks of states as shown by index numbers 
 for five periods 47 
 
 10. Rank of each state in each component of 
 the index in 1918 49 
 
 11. Changes in index numbers and in ranks of 
 states. 1890 to 1918 51 
 
 12. Index numbers of states in 1918 53 
 
 13. Sum of five educational components and 
 sum of five financial components of index 
 number for each state in 1 9 1 8 55
 
 AN INDEX NUMBER FOR STATE 
 SCHOOL SYSTEMS 
 
 During the past fifty years the United States 
 Bureau of Education has published annual 
 reports setting forth conditions in the public 
 schools of each state in the Union. Each year 
 it has gathered and made public the figures 
 which measure certain of the larger and more 
 important phases of the educational effort 
 and attainment of the states. Included hi 
 these records are the figures which show how 
 many of the children are attending the public 
 schools and for how many days during the 
 year, what numbers of the children are in the 
 higher schools, and what price in dollars the 
 state is paying to purchase this education for 
 them. These figures reflect the diffusion, the 
 amount, and the quality of the education 
 that the children are receiving. 
 
 This collection of data is of unique value. 
 There are few, if any, other governmental ac- 
 9
 
 tivities for which so many significant facts 
 have been gathered, by uniform methods, 
 over so long a period of time. Certain of the 
 fundamental records of the Bureau that run 
 back in unbroken series for half a century 
 contain a body of trustworthy information of 
 the greatest value and of such a nature that, 
 if the data had not been preserved, they could 
 not now be collected by any agency or by 
 any expenditure of effort and money. 
 
 During the whiter of 1919-20, the Depart- 
 ment of Education of the Russell Sage Foun- 
 dation has been engaged in the task of select- 
 ing, from this mass of statistical material, 
 figures that could be combined into a statis- 
 tical measurement of the accomplishments 
 of the school systems in the several states. 
 
 CHANGES IN TEN YEARS 
 The method which has been followed may be 
 illustrated by considering at this point two 
 sets of figures showing certain phases of edu- 
 cational conditions in the public schools of 
 the nation in the years 1900 and 1910. The 
 data are for the United States as a whole and, 
 for the sake of simplicity, they are here set 
 down as whole numbers with their decimal 
 fractions omitted. They are as follows: 
 10
 
 1900 1910 
 
 1. Per cent of school population attending 
 
 school daily 50 53 
 
 2. Average days attended by each child of 
 
 school age 72 83 
 
 3. Average number of days schools were 
 
 kept open 144 158 
 
 4. Per cent that high school attendance was 
 
 of total attendance 5 7 
 
 5. Per cent that boys were of girls in high 
 
 schools 71 78 
 
 6. Average expenditure per child in average 
 
 attendance $20 $33 
 
 7. Average expenditure per child of school 
 
 age $10 $18 
 
 8. Average expenditure per teacher em- 
 
 ployed $508 $815 
 
 9. Expenditure per pupil for purposes other 
 
 than teachers' salaries $7 $13 
 
 10. Expenditure per teacher employed for 
 
 salaries $325 $485 
 
 These two sets of figures reflect in con- 
 vincing manner improvements that took 
 place in the administration of public educa- 
 tion during the decade from 1900 to 1910. 
 In every instance the figure for the later date 
 is greater than that for the earlier one and in 
 several cases the increase is most marked. 
 
 The proportion of children attending school 
 increased, the school year was lengthened, the 
 proportion of children attending high schools 
 was enlarged, and the funds expended for the 
 support of education were greatly augmented. 
 These are true indicators of improved condi- 
 tions in the school system and it is by com- 
 11
 
 bining these measurements, by methods that 
 will be explained, that an index number has 
 been constructed for measuring the status of 
 the public school systems of the states. 
 
 INDEX NUMBERS 
 
 The index number is a well established sta- 
 tistical device commonly used for measuring 
 changes in wholesale and retail prices and 
 rates of wages over long periods of tune. Such 
 a number may be constructed by securing 
 each month the prices of a uniform list of 
 commodities at a selected and unchanging list 
 of establishments, and then computing the 
 average price for the whole list for each month. 
 As this average rises or falls it reflects the 
 general changes taking place in the prices of 
 the types of commodities represented. If 
 some of the commodities are more important 
 than others, or are commonly consumed in 
 greater quantities, methods of weighting are 
 used to make sure that each element shall 
 exercise only its proper share of influence in 
 the final result. 
 
 Such numbers are commonly reduced to 
 
 percentages and the number for a given month 
 
 is stated as being so many per cent of the 
 
 figure for some previous period. Thus whole- 
 
 12
 
 sale prices are commonly given as percentages 
 of the average price for the decade from 1890 
 to 1900, when they reached the lowest point 
 recorded. In a similar way the index num- 
 ber for the cost of living, compiled by the 
 United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, 
 takes the price in 1913 as 100 and states its 
 figure from month to month on that basis. 
 By the beginning of 1920 this index number 
 had risen to 199. 
 
 There are several well established index 
 numbers for the prices of investment stocks 
 and in these cases there is usually no method 
 of weighting employed, nor are the figures 
 commonly stated in terms of a per cent varia- 
 tion from the figure for a determined point of 
 departure. The reason for this is that the 
 unit price of each stock is commonly 100 and 
 the different stocks are considered as being 
 of approximately equal significance so that 
 weighting is unnecessary. 
 
 The 10 sets of educational data that have 
 been considered are unusually well adapted 
 for inclusion in an index number. Increases 
 in them reflect improved educational condi- 
 tions and decreases reflect worse conditions. 
 The data for these 10 items have been gath- 
 ered by substantially uniform methods from 
 13
 
 identical establishments (the 48 states) over 
 a long period of years. A third, and most im- 
 portant, characteristic is that each of the 
 items can readily be stated in percentage 
 terms. Like the stock prices they can all be 
 measured in terms of a theoretical par value 
 of 100, and because of this they can be com- 
 bined in an index number that is a direct 
 average instead of a relative percentage. 
 
 AN INDEX NUMBER FOR STATE SCHOOL 
 
 SYSTEMS 
 
 The 10 sets of data from which the new index 
 number has been constructed are the ones 
 already referred to. These data are the fol- 
 lowing: 
 
 1. Per cent of school population attending 
 school daily. 
 
 2. Average days attended by each child of 
 school age. 
 
 3. Average number of days schools were 
 kept open. 
 
 4. Per cent that high school attendance 
 was of total attendance. 
 
 5. Per cent that boys were of girls in high 
 schools. 
 
 6. Average annual expenditure per child 
 attending. 
 
 14
 
 7. Average annual expenditure per child 
 of school age. 
 
 8. Average annual expenditure per teacher 
 employed. 
 
 9. Expenditure per pupil for purposes other 
 than teachers' salaries. 
 
 10. Expenditure per teacher for salaries. 
 The new index number is the average of the 
 
 10 figures corresponding to these 10 headings, 
 after certain of them have been so multiplied 
 or divided by constants as to bring each into 
 comparability with a standard of 100. For 
 example, the average number of days the 
 schools were kept open in the United States 
 as a whole in 1910 was 157.5. The standard 
 or "par value" length of term is taken as 200 
 days. Hence the actual number of days for 
 1910, or 157.5, is divided by two, which gives 
 the figure 78.75 as one of the 10 components 
 of the final index number. In a similar way 
 an average monthly salary of $100 is taken as 
 the standard for the last of the 10 items. The 
 actual average in 1910 was $485.22 for the 
 year, or $40.44 for each month and this num- 
 ber is included as one of the components with- 
 out further change. 
 
 The other items are treated by similar 
 methods, and, finally all 10 are added and the 
 15
 
 average taken as the index number. This may 
 be computed for the whole number of states, 
 or any group of them, or any one among them, 
 for any year. When so computed it expresses 
 in a single number the degree to which the 
 average of the 10 different measures taken 
 together approaches the standard of 100. 
 
 The 10 numbered paragraphs which follow 
 tell how the^lO items have been entered in the 
 final index number and show how each one 
 has been brought into relationship with a 
 common basis, or educational par value, of 
 100. All the figures relate to public day 
 schools. 
 
 1. The per cent of school population at- 
 tending school daily. This item has been 
 included as a percentage figure. It can never 
 exceed 100. It is the per cent that the average 
 daily attendance in day public schools is of 
 the whole number of children of school age. 
 The children of school age are those more 
 than five and less than eighteen years old and 
 these numbers are supplied by the United 
 States Census. 
 
 2. Average days attended by each child of 
 school age. This item has been included in the 
 final total as one half of the number found by 
 dividing the aggregate days of attendance by 
 
 16
 
 the number of children of school age. If all 
 the children of school age attended school 
 every day, and if the schools were all open for 
 200 days during the year, the days per child 
 would be 200. In order to make it comparable 
 with the percentage figures, the number, as 
 directly computed, is divided by two. 
 
 3. Average number of days schools were 
 kept open. This figure is included in the index 
 as one-half of the figure given in the report 
 of the Bureau of Education. At present a 
 school year of 200 days is exceeded in few 
 cities and by no states. A record of 200 days, 
 if found, would be included in the index as 
 100. If the school year were extended be- 
 yond 200 days, the number added would be 
 proportionally greater than 100. 
 
 4. Per cent that high school attendance 
 was of total attendance. This figure is in- 
 cluded as three times the percentage that the 
 high school pupils are of all the pupils attend- 
 ing. Since there are eight elementary grades 
 and four high school grades, only one-third 
 of the pupils could ever be in the high schools 
 even if no children died and none dropped 
 out. Since a perfect record would be made by 
 having 33^ per cent of the pupils hi the high 
 school, the actual percentage found is multi- 
 
 17
 
 plied by three before being included in the 
 final results. Under present conditions the 
 number so used must always be less than 100. 
 
 5. Per cent that boys were of girls in high 
 schools. This item is included in the final 
 total at its face value. In general many more 
 girls attend high school than do boys, but the 
 proportion of boys is increasing. Its limit is 
 taken as 100 per cent. In the very few in- 
 stances in which more boys have been re- 
 corded than girls, the per cent of girls to boys 
 has been used. 
 
 6. Average annual expenditure per child 
 attending. This is entered in dollars at its 
 face value. It is found by dividing the total 
 expenditures by the average daily attendance 
 in public day schools. 
 
 7. Average annual expenditure per child 
 of school age. This item is entered in dollars 
 at its face value. It is the total expenditures 
 divided by the number of children of from five 
 to eighteen years of age. 
 
 8. Average annual expenditure per teacher 
 employed. This is entered as the result found 
 by dividing the total expenditure by the 
 whole number of teachers and dividing this 
 quotient by 24. It is thus one-half of the 
 monthly expenditure per teacher if all twelve 
 
 18
 
 months of the year be taken into consider- 
 ation. 
 
 9. Expenditure per pupil for purposes other 
 than teachers' salaries. This item is entered 
 in the final total as the result found by divid- 
 ing the expenditures for purposes other than 
 salaries by the number of children in average 
 daily attendance and multiplying this figure 
 by two. 
 
 10. Expenditure per teacher for salaries. 
 This is entered as the total expenditure for 
 salaries divided by the whole number of 
 teachers employed during the year and di- 
 vided by 12. It gives the average monthly 
 salary per teacher if all twelve months are 
 taken into consideration, and every teacher 
 is included. 
 
 WHAT ITEMS OF 100 EACH WOULD IMPLY 
 The methods by which the different items are 
 treated before being included in the final in- 
 dex number are not methods of weighting as 
 that term is usually employed. They do not 
 depend on arbitrary judgments or computed 
 ratios as to the comparative degrees of im- 
 portance that ought to be attached to the 
 several items. The 10 elements entering into 
 the final index number are inter-related and, 
 19
 
 in some measure, inter-dependent. They have 
 been treated by methods which bring each 
 item into comparability with a common theo- 
 retical standard of 100. This may be made 
 clear by showing the conditions that would 
 exist in a state school system having a score of 
 100 in each of the 10 items. These conditions 
 would be as follows: 
 
 Value entered 
 in index 
 
 1. One hundred per cent of the children of 
 
 school age would attend school and all 
 would have perfect attendance 100 
 
 2. Each child would attend school 200 days 
 
 each year 100 
 
 3. The school term would be 200 days 100 
 
 4. Thirty-three and one-third per cent of the 
 
 pupils would be in high school 100 
 
 5. The boys in high school would be equal to 
 
 100 per cent of the girls 100 
 
 6. The annual expenditure would average $100 
 
 for each child in average attendance 100 
 
 7. The annual expenditure would average $100 
 
 for each child of school age 100 
 
 8. The expenditures would amount to $200 per 
 
 month for each teacher employed 100 
 
 9. The expenditures for purposes other than 
 
 teaching would amount to $50 per year 
 per child attending 100 
 
 10. Teachers' salaries would average $100 per 
 
 month for 12 months in the year 100 
 
 Total divided by 10 the index number 100 
 
 It will be noted that, while all the items are 
 brought into comparable relation to 100, this 
 is not a limit for any of them except the first, 
 fourth, and fifth. The other seven items can 
 20
 
 exceed 100 in theory and some of these do 
 exceed that amount in cases that will be 
 recorded further on in this book. They may 
 exceed 100 in the same way that the price of a 
 stock may exceed its par value of 100. 
 
 THE COMPUTATION OF THE INDEX NUMBER 
 We may now return to the earlier illustration 
 of the data for the entire United States for 
 1900 and for 1910. When these figures are 
 converted into terms of the index number 
 they give the results which follow: 
 
 1. Per cent of school population 
 
 attending school daily 
 
 2. Average days attended by each 
 
 child of school age 
 
 3. Average number of days schools 
 
 were kept open 
 
 4. Per cent that high school attend- 
 
 ance was of total attendance 
 
 5. Per cent that boys were of girls 
 
 in high schools 
 
 6. Average expenditure per child 
 
 attending 
 
 7. Average expenditure per child of 
 
 school age 
 
 8. Average expenditure per teacher 
 
 employed 
 
 9. Expenditure per pupil for pur- 
 
 poses other than teachers' 
 salaries 
 
 10. Expenditure per teacher for sal- 
 aries 
 
 Average of 10 items index 
 number 
 
 21 
 
 Index 
 item 
 1900 
 
 Index 
 item 
 1910 
 
 49.68 
 
 52.65 
 
 35.90 
 
 41.46 
 
 72.15 
 
 78.75 
 
 14.65 
 
 21.40 
 
 71.35 
 
 77.85 
 
 20.21 
 
 33.23 
 
 10.04 
 
 17.50 
 
 21.17 
 
 33.95 
 
 14.54 
 27.12 
 
 33.68 
 
 26.87 
 40.44 
 
 42.41
 
 These two sets of figures, reflecting certain 
 phases of educational conditions in the United 
 States as a whole in 1900 and 1910, illustrate 
 the purpose and method of the new index 
 number. Ten phases of educational condi- 
 tions are measured. The numbers measuring 
 them are brought into comparability with 
 100, which is a definable standard of attain- 
 ment. These 10 numbers are then added and 
 averaged and thus condensed into a single 
 index number. This single number in the 
 present case is 33.68 for the year 1900 and 
 42.41 for the year 1910. The increase during 
 the period is the difference between them, or 
 8.73. 
 
 This increase represents improvement. It 
 is the average increase in 10 different measure- 
 ments of school accomplishment, when all 10 
 measures are expressed in fairly comparable 
 terms. It is a single number expressing the 
 average increase in 10 different measures of 
 the diffusion, the quantity, and the quality of 
 the public education received by the children. 
 
 It is not claimed that educational efficiency 
 varies directly with any or all of these meas- 
 ures, or is completely reflected by them. For 
 the present such exact appraisal of effort and 
 accomplishment in education is not attain- 
 22
 
 able. We can, however, secure from the data 
 presented in this volume convincing evidence 
 that there is a real relationship between ex- 
 penditure and results in education. We can- 
 not prove that the higher paid teacher is in- 
 dividually more skilled than the lower paid 
 one, but it can be shown that as salaries in- 
 crease, attendance improves, and more pupils 
 are found in the high schools. It can further 
 be shown that as salaries increase, expendi- 
 tures for purposes other than salaries also 
 increase and this results in better buildings 
 and equipment. It is further evident that, in 
 general, the purely educational items of the 
 index tend to increase as the financial items 
 grow larger even where there is no functional 
 connection between the two sets of data. 
 
 DATA FOR 48 YEARS 
 
 In Table 1, on page 25, data are presented 
 showing the 10 items and the resulting index 
 number for the public schools of the entire 
 United States from 1871 through 1918. In 
 each case the year named is that in which the 
 school year ended. Thus 1918 refers to the 
 school year 1917-18. The 10 items are the 
 ones that have been explained in the pre- 
 ceding pages and they bear the same numbers 
 23
 
 from one to 10. The final column gives the 
 index number which is the average of the 10 
 items. All the data are from the reports of 
 the Federal Bureau of Education. Those for 
 1918 are from data as yet unpublished but 
 furnished through the courtesy of the Com- 
 missioner of Education. The data for 1917 
 are not as yet available. 
 
 Every endeavor has been made to insure 
 the accuracy of the figures here presented. 
 They have been most carefully checked and 
 finally subjected to an independent, dupli- 
 cate re-computation in the attempt to find 
 and exclude any errors. It will be found, how- 
 ever, that there are certain minor discrepan- 
 cies between the figures here presented and 
 the official figures hi the reports of the Com- 
 missioner of Education. Some of these are 
 due to the fact that the Federal Bureau fre- 
 quently receives new data after the annual 
 report has gone to press and uses them to 
 correct the figures involved when the next 
 report is printed. Other differences are in- 
 troduced as each new set of Census reports 
 makes it possible to correct the computations 
 of school population. The attempt has been 
 made to take these corrections into account. 
 Because of this the figures are, in some in- 
 24
 
 TABLE 1. COMPONENTS AND INDEX NUMBERS. UNITED 
 STATES. 1871 TO 1918 
 
 Year 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 Index 
 
 1871 
 
 36.94 
 
 24.35 
 
 66.05 
 
 1.25 
 
 65.80 
 
 15.20 
 
 5.62 
 
 13.08 
 
 11.67 
 
 16.11 
 
 25.61 
 
 1872 
 
 37.08 
 
 24.73 
 
 66.70 
 
 1.48 
 
 65.90 
 
 15.93 
 
 5.91 
 
 13.46 
 
 12.15 
 
 16.67 
 
 26.00 
 
 1873 
 
 36.98 
 
 23.87 
 
 64.55 
 
 1.71 
 
 65.90 
 
 16.06 
 
 5.94 
 
 13.38 
 
 11.93 
 
 16.75 
 
 25.71 
 
 1874 
 
 38.52 
 
 24.81 
 
 64.40 
 
 1.78 
 
 65.95 
 
 15.84 
 
 6.10 
 
 13.43 
 
 11.59 
 
 17.08 
 
 25.95 
 
 1875 
 
 39.14 
 
 25.52 
 
 65.20 
 
 1.83 
 
 66.00 
 
 15.91 
 
 6.23 
 
 13.49 
 
 10.97 
 
 17.67 
 
 26.20 
 
 1876 
 
 38.59 
 
 25.68 
 
 66.55 
 
 1.93 
 
 66.00 
 
 15.70 
 
 6.06 
 
 13.34 
 
 10.48 
 
 17.75 
 
 26.21 
 
 1877 
 
 38.69 
 
 25.55 
 
 66.05 
 
 1.99 
 
 66.00 
 
 14.64 
 
 5.66 
 
 12.40 
 
 9.02 
 
 17.17 
 
 25.72 
 
 1878 
 
 40.28 
 
 26.58 
 
 66.00 
 
 1.97 
 
 66.10 
 
 13.68 
 
 5.51 
 
 11.89 
 
 7.93 
 
 16.92 
 
 25.69 
 
 1879 
 
 39.97 
 
 26.02 
 
 65.10 
 
 2.14 
 
 66.20 
 
 12.97 
 
 5.18 
 
 11.33 
 
 7.34 
 
 16.25 
 
 25.25 
 
 1880 
 
 40.78 
 
 26.55 
 
 65.15 
 
 2.25 
 
 66.30 
 
 12.71 
 
 5.18 
 
 11.36 
 
 7.21 
 
 16.27 
 
 25.38 
 
 1881 
 
 39.96 
 
 25.99 
 
 65.05 
 
 2.44 
 
 66.40 
 
 13.61 
 
 5.44 
 
 11.86 
 
 8.34 
 
 16.42 
 
 25.55 
 
 1882 
 
 40.32 
 
 26.45 
 
 65.60 
 
 2.65 
 
 66.50 
 
 14.05 
 
 5.66 
 
 12.45 
 
 8.97 
 
 16.92 
 
 25.96 
 
 1883 
 
 41.47 
 
 26.91 
 
 64.90 
 
 2.71 
 
 66.60 
 
 14.54 
 
 6.01 
 
 13.24 
 
 9.61 
 
 17.75 
 
 26.37 
 
 1884 
 
 43.02 
 
 27.77 
 
 64.55 
 
 3.19 
 
 66.70 
 
 14.62 
 
 6.29 
 
 13.70 
 
 9.87 
 
 18.17 
 
 26.79 
 
 1885 
 
 43.51 
 
 28.43 
 
 65.35 
 
 3.70 
 
 66.80 
 
 15.11 
 
 6.57 
 
 14.11 
 
 10.26 
 
 18.67 
 
 27.25 
 
 1886 
 
 43.96 
 
 28.66 
 
 65.20 
 
 4.19 
 
 66.90 
 
 15.06 
 
 6.62 
 
 14.25 
 
 9.85 
 
 19.17 
 
 27.39 
 
 1887 
 
 43.95 
 
 28.85 
 
 65.65 
 
 4.69 
 
 67.00 
 
 15.07 
 
 6.62 
 
 14.21 
 
 9.67 
 
 19.33 
 
 27.50 
 
 1888 
 
 44.35 
 
 29.34 
 
 66.15 
 
 6.60 
 
 67.10 
 
 15.72 
 
 6.97 
 
 14.91 
 
 10.43 
 
 19.92 
 
 28.15 
 
 1889 
 
 44.06 
 
 29.45 
 
 66.85 
 
 7.08 
 
 67.30 
 
 16.55 
 
 7.29 
 
 15.49 
 
 11.23 
 
 20.42 
 
 28.57 
 
 1890 
 
 43.97 
 
 29.60 
 
 67.35 
 
 7.47 
 
 73.44 
 
 17.23 
 
 7.58 
 
 16.09 
 
 11.94 
 
 21.03 
 
 29.57 
 
 1891 
 
 44.49 
 
 30.19 
 
 67.85 
 
 7.56 
 
 67.41 
 
 17.54 
 
 7.80 
 
 16.69 
 
 12.18 
 
 21.83 
 
 29.35 
 
 1892 
 
 44.61 
 
 30.54 
 
 68.45 
 
 8.41 
 
 68.31 
 
 18.20 
 
 8.12 
 
 17.35 
 
 12.97 
 
 22.33 
 
 29.93 
 
 1893 
 
 45.04 
 
 30.79 
 
 68.15 
 
 8.63 
 
 66.93 
 
 18.59 
 
 8.37 
 
 17.87 
 
 13.49 
 
 22.75 
 
 30.06 
 
 1894 
 
 45.99 
 
 32.08 
 
 69.75 
 
 9.36 
 
 67.92 
 
 18.61 
 
 8.56 
 
 18.48 
 
 13.67 
 
 23.42 
 
 30.78 
 
 1895 
 
 46.72 
 
 32.59 
 
 69.75 
 
 11.00 
 
 69.91 
 
 18.41 
 
 8.60 
 
 18.41 
 
 12.97 
 
 23.83 
 
 31.22 
 
 1896 
 
 46.89 
 
 32.94 
 
 70.25 
 
 11.65 
 
 70.98 
 
 18.75 
 
 8.79 
 
 18.89 
 
 13.57 
 
 24.42 
 
 31.71 
 
 1897 
 
 47.62 
 
 33.81 
 
 71.00 
 
 12.21 
 
 73.49 
 
 18.68 
 
 8.90 
 
 19.31 
 
 13.60 
 
 24.58 
 
 32.32 
 
 1898 
 
 48.01 
 
 34.33 
 
 71.50 
 
 13.03 
 
 72.67 
 
 18.75 
 
 9.00 
 
 19.71 
 
 13.54 
 
 25.17 
 
 32.57 
 
 1899 
 
 47.12 
 
 33.69 
 
 71.50 
 
 13.82 
 
 70.61 
 
 19.38 
 
 9.13 
 
 20.23 
 
 13.71 
 
 26.00 
 
 32.50 
 
 1900 
 
 49.68 
 
 35.90 
 
 72.15 
 
 14.65 
 
 71.35 
 
 20.21 
 
 10.04 
 
 21.17 
 
 14.54 
 
 27.12 
 
 33.68 
 
 1901 
 
 48.75 
 
 35.03 
 
 71.85 
 
 15.18 
 
 70.81 
 
 21.24 
 
 10.35 
 
 21.95 
 
 15.71 
 
 27.67 
 
 33.85 
 
 1902 
 
 49.66 
 
 35.93 
 
 72.35 
 
 14.95 
 
 70.10 
 
 21.54 
 
 10.70 
 
 22.47 
 
 15.69 
 
 28.58 
 
 34.20 
 
 1903 
 
 48.79 
 
 35.91 
 
 73.60 
 
 16.07 
 
 70.92 
 
 22.88 
 
 11.16 
 
 23.42 
 
 17.22 
 
 29.17 
 
 34.91 
 
 1904 
 
 49.15 
 
 36.05 
 
 73.35 
 
 16.85 
 
 71.92 
 
 24.13 
 
 11.86 
 
 25.01 
 
 18.62 
 
 30.75 
 
 35.77 
 
 1905 
 
 49.05 
 
 37.01 
 
 75.45 
 
 17.77 
 
 73.70 
 
 25.40 
 
 12.28 
 
 26.40 
 
 19.88 
 
 32.17 
 
 36.91 
 
 1906 
 
 49.23 
 
 37.07 
 
 75.30 
 
 18.47 
 
 73.18 
 
 26.29 
 
 12.94 
 
 27.57 
 
 20.71 
 
 33.33 
 
 37.41 
 
 1907 
 
 49.16 
 
 37.31 
 
 75.90 
 
 18.88 
 
 73.04 
 
 28.24 
 
 13.88 
 
 29.17 
 
 22.62 
 
 35.00 
 
 38.32 
 
 1908 
 
 49.39 
 
 38.05 
 
 77.05 
 
 19.01 
 
 73.98 
 
 30.56 
 
 15.09 
 
 31.23 
 
 24.94 
 
 37.00 
 
 39.63 
 
 1909 
 
 52.33 
 
 40.63 
 
 77.65 
 
 19.90 
 
 76.90 
 
 31.66 
 
 16.57 
 
 33.03 
 
 25.92 
 
 39.08 
 
 41.37 
 
 1910 
 
 52.65 
 
 41.46 
 
 78.75 
 
 21.40 
 
 77.85 
 
 33.23 
 
 17.50 
 
 33.95 
 
 26.87 
 
 40.44 
 
 42.41 
 
 1911 
 
 52.02 
 
 40.78 
 
 78.40 
 
 22.96 
 
 78.46 
 
 34.71 
 
 18.06 
 
 34.89 
 
 27.97 
 
 41.58 
 
 42.98 
 
 1912 
 
 52.85 
 
 41.75 
 
 79.00 
 
 24.93 
 
 79.36 
 
 36.26 
 
 19.16 
 
 36.76 
 
 29.76 
 
 43.25 
 
 44.31 
 
 1913 
 
 53.20 
 
 42.05 
 
 79.05 
 
 25.01 
 
 79.42 
 
 38.31 
 
 20.38 
 
 38.43 
 
 31.90 
 
 44.08 
 
 45.18 
 
 1914 
 
 54.68 
 
 43.39 
 
 79.35 
 
 25.72 
 
 79.91 
 
 39.03 
 
 21.34 
 
 39.87 
 
 32.56 
 
 46.50 
 
 46.24 
 
 1915 
 
 56.63 
 
 45.13 
 
 79.70 
 
 26.65 
 
 82.70 
 
 40.47 
 
 22.92 
 
 41.77 
 
 34.85 
 
 47.58 
 
 47.84 
 
 1916 
 
 57.20 
 
 45.85 
 
 80.15 
 
 28.43 
 
 83.06 
 
 41.72 
 
 23.87 
 
 42.89 
 
 35.93 
 
 48.84 
 
 48.79 
 
 1918 
 
 56.20 
 
 45.20 
 
 80.35 
 
 31.78 
 
 75.70 
 
 49.11 
 
 27.58 
 
 47.61 
 
 44.07 
 
 52.50 
 
 51.01 
 
 25
 
 stances, slightly different from the figures 
 published by the Federal Bureau for the same 
 year. In most cases these differences are in 
 the decimal places only. 
 
 The figures of the last column of Table 1 
 show that the index number for the United 
 States has made almost unbroken progress 
 during the past half century except during 
 the first decade, from 1871 to 1880. This 
 decade was a period of severe financial dis- 
 turbance and depression following the Civil 
 War. 
 
 During this period teachers' salaries (col- 
 umn 10) first advanced and then were re- 
 duced, expenditures for purposes other than 
 teaching (column 9) were sharply cut down, 
 the school term (column 3) was shortened, 
 and the proportion of children of school age 
 attending (column 1) increased but little. 
 The index number during the period shows a 
 slight falling off. 
 
 From this point on the record is one of al- 
 most unbroken progress. In general terms 
 it may be stated that the index number 
 doubled within the period, advancing from 
 26 at the beginning to 51 at the end. 
 
 26
 
 GROUPS OF STATES 
 
 The reports of the Bureau of Education have 
 presented their data, not only for the indi- 
 vidual states, but also for five great groups of 
 states or divisions. The states constituting 
 these five divisions are the following: 
 
 NORTH ATLANTIC DIVISION 
 Maine 
 
 New Hampshire 
 Vermont 
 Massachusetts 
 Rhode Island 
 Connecticut 
 New York 
 New Jersey 
 Pennsylvania 
 
 NORTH CENTRAL DIVISION 
 Ohio 
 Indiana 
 Illinois 
 Michigan 
 Wisconsin 
 Minnesota 
 Iowa 
 Missouri 
 North Dakota 
 South Dakota 
 Nebraska 
 Kansas 
 
 SOUTH ATLANTIC DIVISION 
 Delaware 
 Maryland 
 
 District of Columbia 
 Virginia 
 West Virginia 
 North Carolina 
 South Carolina 
 Georgia 
 Florida 
 
 27
 
 SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION 
 Kentucky 
 Tennessee 
 Alabama 
 Mississippi 
 Louisiana 
 Texas 
 Arkansas 
 Oklahoma 
 
 WESTERN DIVISION 
 Montana 
 Wyoming 
 Colorado 
 New Mexico 
 Arizona 
 Utah 
 Nevada 
 Idaho 
 
 Washington 
 Oregon 
 California 
 
 The index numbers have been worked out for 
 these five divisions for each decade year and 
 1918. The results are presented in Table 2. 
 
 TABLE 2 INDEX NUMBERS FOR DIVISIONS. 
 SEVEN PERIODS 
 
 Year 
 
 North 
 Atlantic 
 Divi- 
 sion 
 
 North 
 Central 
 Division 
 
 South 
 Atlantic 
 Division 
 
 South 
 Central 
 Division 
 
 Western 
 Division 
 
 Conti- 
 nental 
 United 
 States 
 
 1871 
 
 30.76 
 
 25.82 
 
 18.41 
 
 18.20 
 
 28.81 
 
 25.61 
 
 1880 
 
 30.47 
 
 27.28 
 
 18.64 
 
 17.56 
 
 30.61 
 
 25.38 
 
 1890 
 
 36.54 
 
 31.20 
 
 21.67 
 
 21.38 
 
 35.86 
 
 29.57 
 
 1900 
 
 42.85 
 
 35.72 
 
 23.51 
 
 23.05 
 
 38.16 
 
 33.68 
 
 1910 
 
 50.06 
 
 45.50 
 
 31.09 
 
 30.31 
 
 54.68 
 
 42.41 
 
 1916 
 
 57.09 
 
 52.98 
 
 34.54 
 
 34.75 
 
 62.87 
 
 48.79 
 
 1918 
 
 58.94 
 
 56.66 
 
 34.76 
 
 35.83 
 
 64.24 
 
 51.01 
 
 28
 
 The figures of the table indicate that the 
 school systems of the western states have 
 made the greatest progress during the period 
 covered. In all the divisions the most rapid 
 forward movement was made during the dec- 
 ade from 1900 to 1910. In the eight years 
 from 1910 to 1918 the most noteworthy ad- 
 vance was made by the states of the North 
 Central Division. These states of the Middle 
 West show particularly rapid progress during 
 the last two years of the period. 
 
 29
 
 STANDING OF THE STATES IN 1890 
 In addition to the index numbers for the en- 
 tire country and for its divisions, the data 
 have been computed for each state for three 
 decade years and the final year. Table 3 gives 
 the figures for the 10 items in the index num- 
 ber for each state and the District of Co- 
 lumbia for the school year ended in 1890. 
 For convenience of reference the states are 
 arranged in alphabetical order. 
 
 In Table 3 the figures are given for only 47 
 states because the data for Oklahoma did not 
 run back to that year. In this and the similar 
 tables which follow, figures for the District 
 of Columbia have been included, but it 
 should be remembered that they are only 
 partly comparable with the other figures be- 
 cause the District of Columbia mostly con- 
 sists of one considerable city. 
 
 The figures indicate that Massachusetts 
 with an index number of 45.86 was the leading 
 state in 1890, and was followed by California, 
 New York, Rhode Island, and Connecticut 
 in that order. The lowest index number- 
 that of New Mexico was 10.02, or dis- 
 tinctly less than one-quarter as large as the 
 number for Massachusetts. 
 
 30
 
 TABLE 3. COMPONENTS AND INDEX NUMBERS 
 OF STATES. 1890 
 
 State 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 ndex 
 
 Ala. 
 
 33.78 
 
 12.41 
 
 36.75 
 
 .62 
 
 74.42 
 
 4.88 
 
 1.65 
 
 5.87 
 
 2.52 
 
 8.71 
 
 18.16 
 
 Ariz. 
 
 31.02 
 
 19.54 
 
 63.00 
 
 2.70 
 
 61.54 
 
 38.68 
 
 12.00 
 
 31.60 
 
 23.10 
 
 44.30 
 
 32.75 
 
 Ark. 
 
 36.95 
 
 13.86 
 
 37.50 
 
 2.02 
 
 76.07 
 
 6.84 
 
 2.53 
 
 8.45 
 
 1.98 
 
 14.45 
 
 20.07 
 
 Cal. 
 
 51.15 
 
 40.31 
 
 78.80 
 
 8.00 
 
 89.39 
 
 35.38 
 
 18.10 
 
 39.77 
 
 20.80 
 
 56.17 
 
 43.79 
 
 Colo. 
 
 42.69 
 
 30.82 
 
 72.20 
 
 6.73 
 
 61.04 
 
 43.43 
 
 18.54 
 
 29.50 
 
 44.56 
 
 28.72 
 
 37.83 
 
 Conn. 
 
 57.06 
 
 52.07 
 
 91.25 
 
 14.11 
 
 65.27 
 
 25.79 
 
 14.71 
 
 21.96 
 
 18.98 
 
 27.75 
 
 38.90 
 
 D. C. 
 
 48.20 
 
 46.51 
 
 96.50 
 
 18.59 
 
 92.93 
 
 32.14 
 
 15.49 
 
 50.66 
 
 27.88 
 
 57.39 
 
 48.63 
 
 Del. 
 
 41.37 
 
 32.68 
 
 79.00 
 
 8.32 
 
 71.92 
 
 11.60 
 
 5.19 
 
 14.67 
 
 4.12 
 
 24.12 
 
 29.30 
 
 Fla. 
 
 49.82 
 
 29.89 
 
 60.00 
 
 2.36 
 
 97.29 
 
 7.97 
 
 3.97 
 
 8.58 
 
 12.90 
 
 12.35 
 
 28.52 
 
 Ga. 
 
 35.32 
 
 12.51 
 
 35.20 
 
 2.18 
 
 50.72 
 
 4.17 
 
 1.47 
 
 5.33 
 
 .72 
 
 9.74 
 
 15.73 
 
 Idaho 
 
 41.59 
 
 14.51 
 
 34.90 
 
 2.65 
 
 64.71 
 
 17.79 
 
 7.40 
 
 14.17 
 
 9.98 
 
 20.39 
 
 22.81 
 
 111. 
 
 49.80 
 
 35.36 
 
 71.00 
 
 9.23 
 
 57.49 
 
 21.63 
 
 10.77 
 
 20.95 
 
 15.96 
 
 26.44 
 
 31.87 
 
 Ind. 
 
 52.85 
 
 35.94 
 
 68.00 
 
 7.36 
 
 61.71 
 
 15.33 
 
 8.10 
 
 16.46 
 
 6.70 
 
 25.73 
 
 29.82 
 
 Iowa 
 
 53.10 
 
 39.29 
 
 74.00 
 
 11.47 
 
 62.75 
 
 20.84 
 
 11.07 
 
 10.01 
 
 13.48 
 
 13.55 
 
 30.96 
 
 Kans. 
 
 53.97 
 
 32.38 
 
 60.00 
 
 7.13 
 
 67.87 
 
 20.44 
 
 11.03 
 
 16.94 
 
 16.04 
 
 20.58 
 
 30.64 
 
 Ky. 
 
 37.98 
 
 17.85 
 
 47.00 
 
 1.96 
 
 82.93 
 
 9.78 
 
 3.71 
 
 8.79 
 
 3.08 
 
 20.84 
 
 23.39 
 
 La. 
 
 24.18 
 
 12.67 
 
 52.40 
 
 2.73 
 
 45.82 
 
 8.60 
 
 2.15 
 
 12.74 
 
 5.72 
 
 16.99 
 
 18.40 
 
 Maine 
 
 60.49 
 
 33.87 
 
 56.00 
 
 17.06 
 
 82.84 
 
 13.50 
 
 8.16 
 
 7.36 
 
 10.44 
 
 9.03 
 
 29.88 
 
 Mass. 
 
 67.17 
 
 59.45 
 
 88.50 
 
 20.95 
 
 73.84 
 
 30.26 
 
 20.32 
 
 33.46 
 
 21.64 
 
 42.99 
 
 45.86 
 
 Md. 
 
 33.54 
 
 31.36 
 
 93.50 
 
 3.23 
 
 84.93 
 
 18.67 
 
 6.26 
 
 20.81 
 
 8.18 
 
 32.50 
 
 33.30 
 
 Mich. 
 
 48.50 
 
 36.38 
 
 75.00 
 
 14.01 
 
 70.95 
 
 18.97 
 
 9.20 
 
 13.94 
 
 14.36 
 
 17.32 
 
 31.86 
 
 Minn. 
 
 33.73 
 
 15.85 
 
 47.00 
 
 12.86 
 
 71.39 
 
 32.96 
 
 11.12 
 
 19.72 
 
 26.12 
 
 23.82 
 
 29.45 
 
 Miss. 
 
 42.43 
 
 17.61 
 
 41.50 
 
 1.04 
 
 89.62 
 
 5.52 
 
 2.34 
 
 6.31 
 
 1.42 
 
 11.00 
 
 21.88 
 
 Mo. 
 
 46.15 
 
 24.00 
 
 52.00 
 
 4.50 
 
 60.44 
 
 14.13 
 
 6.52 
 
 16.42 
 
 10.20 
 
 20.98 
 
 25.54 
 
 Mont. 
 
 44.39 
 
 31.67 
 
 71.35 
 
 12.65 
 
 73.26 
 
 34.36 
 
 15.25 
 
 24.31 
 
 25.96 
 
 30.25 
 
 36.34 
 
 Neb. 
 
 45.83 
 
 18.79 
 
 41.00 
 
 8.82 
 
 68.93 
 
 23.10 
 
 10.59 
 
 13.32 
 
 17.10 
 
 16.78 
 
 26.43 
 
 Nev. 
 
 50.59 
 
 35.41 
 
 70.00 
 
 13.27 
 
 45.45 
 
 31.88 
 
 16.13 
 
 26.81 
 
 10.12 
 
 45.08 
 
 34.47 
 
 N. C. 
 
 35.51 
 
 10.51 
 
 29.60 
 
 .52 
 
 84.66 
 
 3.52 
 
 1.25 
 
 4.22 
 
 1.38 
 
 6.78 
 
 17.80 
 
 N. D. 
 
 41.49 
 
 19.92 
 
 48.00 
 
 2.91 
 
 46.72 
 
 30.30 
 
 12.57 
 
 13.18 
 
 23.74 
 
 16.04 
 
 25.48 
 
 N. H. 
 
 53.69 
 
 31.60 
 
 58.85 
 
 17.62 
 
 75.59 
 
 20.33 
 
 10.92 
 
 11.30 
 
 15.86 
 
 13.78 
 
 30.95 
 
 N. J. 
 
 45.26 
 
 43.45 
 
 96.00 
 
 8.89 
 
 57.83 
 
 23.86 
 
 11.28 
 
 31.01 
 
 15.58 
 
 41.77 
 
 37.49 
 
 N. M. 
 
 27.84 
 
 8.77 
 
 31.50 
 
 
 
 7.25 
 
 2.02 
 
 7.68 
 
 3.50 
 
 11.65 
 
 10.02 
 
 N. Y. 
 
 51.48 
 
 48.01 
 
 93.25 
 
 12.62 
 
 89.93 
 
 27.28 
 
 14.05 
 
 23.06 
 
 21.80 
 
 27.69 
 
 40.92 
 
 Ohio 
 
 52.71 
 
 40.06 
 
 76.00 
 
 11.14 
 
 67.71 
 
 19.30 
 
 10.17 
 
 17.56 
 
 13.20 
 
 23.11 
 
 33.09 
 
 Ore. 
 
 51.23 
 
 30.28 
 
 59.10 
 
 4.20 
 
 63.78 
 
 18.60 
 
 9.53 
 
 13.09 
 
 10.48 
 
 18.80 
 
 27.91 
 
 Penn. 
 
 57.10 
 
 42.14 
 
 73.80 
 
 4.90 
 
 76.48 
 
 18.93 
 
 10.81 
 
 22.00 
 
 17.54 
 
 23.61 
 
 34.70 
 
 R.I. 
 
 50.29 
 
 47.27 
 
 94.00 
 
 16.02 
 
 66.15 
 
 26.10 
 
 13.13 
 
 26.76 
 
 18.66 
 
 34.37 
 
 39.27 
 
 B.C. 
 
 34.57 
 
 12.03 
 
 34.80 
 
 1.06 
 
 24.76 
 
 3.38 
 
 1.08 
 
 4.40 
 
 .82 
 
 7.73 
 
 12.46 
 
 S. D. 
 
 50.18 
 
 24.09 
 
 48.00 
 
 2.16 
 
 57.47 
 
 24.82 
 
 12.46 
 
 10.77 
 
 16.16 
 
 14.52 
 
 26.06 
 
 Tenn. 
 
 53.50 
 
 23.00 
 
 43.00 
 
 .90 
 
 60.47 
 
 4.72 
 
 2.52 
 
 7.73 
 
 1.92 
 
 12.32 
 
 21.01 
 
 Texas 
 
 37.20 
 
 18.60 
 
 50.00 
 
 3.67 
 
 71.83 
 
 10.89 
 
 4.05 
 
 12.17 
 
 3.76 
 
 20.15 
 
 23.23 
 
 Utah 
 
 31.54 
 
 20.97 
 
 66.50 
 
 .50 
 
 75.00 
 
 18.83 
 
 5.94 
 
 24.19 
 
 19.16 
 
 23.77 
 
 28.64 
 
 Va. 
 
 35.05 
 
 19.77 
 
 56.40 
 
 3.11 
 
 69.74 
 
 8.10 
 
 2.84 
 
 9.90 
 
 2.96 
 
 14.55 
 
 22.25 
 
 Vt. 
 
 56.02 
 
 38.09 
 
 68.00 
 
 16.91 
 
 74.54 
 
 15.50 
 
 8.68 
 
 6.74 
 
 7.50 
 
 10.2 
 
 30.22 
 
 Wash. 
 
 46.62 
 
 22.0* 
 
 48.60 
 
 2.60 
 
 73.91 
 
 25.93 
 
 12.09 
 
 24.80 
 
 27.90 
 
 22.9 
 
 30.80 
 
 Wis. 
 
 39.77 
 
 32.81 
 
 82.50 
 
 12.83 
 
 72.32 
 
 18.96 
 
 7.54 
 
 13.16 
 
 12.30 
 
 17.77 
 
 30.99 
 
 W.Va 
 
 47.45 
 
 23.01 
 
 48.50 
 
 1.71 
 
 55.26 
 
 9.85 
 
 4.67 
 
 9.10 
 
 5.68 
 
 12.9S 
 
 21.82 
 
 Wyo. 
 
 33.20 
 
 19.76 
 
 59.50 
 
 8.30 
 
 65.28 
 
 32.55 
 
 10.81 
 
 22.52 
 
 18.60 
 
 32.17 
 
 30.27 
 
 31
 
 STANDING OP THE STATES IN 1900 
 Table 4 gives the 10 items in the index num- 
 bers for the school year ended in 1900. Dur- 
 ing the 10 years that had intervened since the 
 preceding decade year there was a general 
 increase in the figures for school attendance 
 and expenditures which brought about an 
 average increase in the index numbers of 
 about five points. In this table, Oklahoma 
 appears for the first time. The leading state 
 is still Massachusetts with an index number 
 of 49.52, followed by New York, California, 
 Connecticut, and Rhode Island in that order. 
 The lowest number is 17.51 for North Caro- 
 lina. The difference between the highest 
 state number and the lowest number in 1890 
 was approximately 35, but in 1900 the dif- 
 ference had been somewhat reduced and was 
 32. The average increase in the index num- 
 bers for all states was about four points. 
 
 It is interesting to note that during these 
 decades, when Massachusetts was clearly the 
 leading state in this composite measurement, 
 the Commonwealth not only made a better 
 showing than the other states in the purely 
 educational items of the index, but also spent 
 distinctly more per child for the support of 
 education. 
 
 32
 
 TABLE 4. COMPONENTS AND INDEX NUMBERS 
 OF STATES. 1900 
 
 State 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 Index 
 
 Ala. 
 Ariz. 
 Ark. 
 Cal. 
 Colo. 
 
 45.61 
 32.58 
 41.75 
 56.03 
 61.69 
 
 17.85 
 20.35 
 16.20 
 46.55 
 46.25 
 
 39.15 
 62.50 
 38.75 
 83.10 
 74.90 
 
 3.85 
 5.07 
 4.95 
 19.18 
 24.19 
 
 63.19 
 49.57 
 73.99 
 66.27 
 65.41 
 
 3.46 
 29.45 
 7.01 
 35.00 
 38.12 
 
 1.58 
 9.59 
 2.93 
 19.61 
 23.52 
 
 7.83 
 31.30 
 8.20 
 37.86 
 32.36 
 
 .71 
 21.72 
 1.64 
 15.38 
 11.62 
 
 11.70 
 39.51 
 14.47 
 59.07 
 37.88 
 
 19.50 
 30.17 
 20.99 
 43.80 
 41.59 
 
 Conn. 
 D. C. 
 Del. 
 Fla. 
 Ga. 
 
 52.18 
 50.12 
 46.92 
 42.71 
 37 PO 
 
 49.30 
 44.70 
 37.65 
 21.60 
 21.75 
 
 94.50 
 90.50 
 80.00 
 46.50 
 56.00 
 
 21.79 
 29.03 
 13.91 
 6.01 
 5.88 
 
 76.70 
 61.99 
 61.85 
 58.88 
 60.44 
 
 28.58 
 34.63 
 13.99 
 10.21 
 6.64 
 
 14.92 
 17.36 
 5.69 
 4.36 
 2.52 
 
 31.94 
 41.74 
 13.64 
 11.64 
 8.15 
 
 20.94 
 21.98 
 5.08 
 5.66 
 1.12 
 
 40.46 
 57.00 
 22.32 
 16.89 
 14.93 
 
 43.13 
 44.90 
 30.10 
 22.45 
 21.54 
 
 29.25 
 37.18 
 36.33 
 34.49 
 31.54 
 25.23 
 21.55 
 33.70 
 49.52 
 35.49 
 
 35.60 
 35.41 
 20.89 
 31.65 
 39.51 
 36.11 
 42.37 
 17.51 
 34.83 
 
 Idaho 
 111. 
 Ind. 
 
 50.16 
 54.13 
 
 57.79 
 
 26.60 
 43.40 
 43.90 
 
 53.00 
 76.00 
 76.00 
 
 6.64 
 15.23 
 18.45 
 
 80.00 
 64.40 
 73.43 
 
 18.22 
 24.07 
 19.28 
 
 9.14 
 13.03 
 11.02 
 
 15.73 
 28.12 
 21.84 
 
 11.66 
 16.78 
 15.94 
 
 21.38 
 36.63 
 25.61 
 
 Iowa 
 
 Kans. 
 
 Ear. 
 
 La. 
 
 Maine 
 Mass. 
 Md. 
 
 Mich. 
 Minn. 
 Miss. 
 Mo. 
 Mont. 
 Neb. 
 Nev. 
 N. C. 
 N. D. 
 N. H. 
 
 N. J. 
 
 N. M. 
 N. Y. 
 Ohio 
 Okla. 
 Ore. 
 Penn. 
 R.I. 
 B.C. 
 8. D. 
 
 Tenn. 
 Texas 
 Utah 
 Va. 
 Vt. 
 Wash. 
 Wis. 
 W.Va. 
 Wyo. 
 
 55.00 
 56.35 
 45.84 
 31.11 
 57.17 
 57.08 
 38.42 
 
 52.87 
 47.99 
 36.08 
 47.60 
 54.84 
 56.52 
 50.73 
 30.91 
 49.90 
 
 43.45 
 35.55 
 26.45 
 18.65 
 40.30 
 53.70 
 36.10 
 
 42.75 
 
 36.15 
 18.95 
 34.40 
 38.35 
 46.00 
 39.05 
 10.95 
 38.95 
 
 79.00 
 63.10 
 57.70 
 60.00 
 70.50 
 94.50 
 94.00 
 
 80.90 
 84.50 
 52.55 
 72.00 
 70.00 
 67.50 
 77.00 
 35.40 
 77.85 
 
 23.89 
 17.09 
 5.36 
 4.54 
 26.86 
 29.43 
 8.94 
 
 24.70 
 15.19 
 6.03 
 13.44 
 20.35 
 25.08 
 27.52 
 1.37 
 7.78 
 
 68.25 
 64.91 
 72.14 
 58.10 
 77.79 
 77.70 
 76.92 
 
 72.86 
 68.86 
 66.47 
 66.19 
 64.65 
 66.12 
 61.42 
 75.28 
 64.24 
 
 21.89 
 17.66 
 8.58 
 7.76 
 17.53 
 37.76 
 21.95 
 
 18.68 
 23.15 
 6.48 
 16.99 
 35.44 
 24.22 
 47.81 
 4.34 
 33.08 
 
 12.04 
 9.95 
 3.93 
 2.41 
 10.02 
 21.55 
 8.43 
 
 9.88 
 11.11 
 2.34 
 8.09 
 19.43 
 13.68 
 24.26 
 1.39 
 16.54 
 
 11.59 
 16.74 
 11.09 
 11.38 
 11.07 
 42.42 
 23.67 
 
 17.51 
 22.15 
 6.68 
 20.10 
 29.31 
 19.39 
 28.89 
 5.25 
 14.71 
 
 14.04 
 11.08 
 3.28 
 2.62 
 9.90 
 30.88 
 11.74 
 
 12.72 
 14.70 
 1.80 
 13.62 
 23.56 
 19.42 
 28.34 
 1.58 
 28.62 
 
 15.74 
 22.97 
 17.95 
 18.93 
 15.89 
 50.15 
 34.67 
 
 23.09 
 30.24 
 11.50 
 24.10 
 39.14 
 23.23 
 40.65 
 8.59 
 16.68 
 
 52.51 
 
 42.38 
 40.92 
 48.01 
 52.25 
 53.01 
 57.77 
 48.58 
 
 35.50 
 
 39.20 
 19.75 
 44.65 
 43.10 
 25.25 
 33.70 
 40.45 
 
 67.65 
 
 92.50 
 
 48.30 
 87.50 
 82.50 
 47.65 
 58.30 
 83.35 
 
 23.28 
 
 16.64 
 3.25 
 21.82 
 22.25 
 1.58 
 8.92 
 11.37 
 
 76.21 
 
 60.67 
 69.93 
 87.01 
 76.09 
 53.42 
 63.34 
 62.34 
 
 22.02 
 
 30.26 
 15.31 
 
 38.97 
 21.63 
 10.77 
 24.75 
 25.12 
 
 11.56 
 
 12.82 
 6.26 
 18.71 
 11.30 
 5.71 
 14.30 
 12.21 
 
 14.75 
 
 38.26 
 14.82 
 39.96 
 21.36 
 12.20 
 17.76 
 30.45 
 
 15.64 
 
 25.10 
 10.32 
 33.12 
 13.78 
 9.42 
 21.62 
 24.02 
 
 19.02 
 
 44.80 
 19.65 
 45.95 
 29.11 
 13.72 
 20.00 
 31.77 
 
 33.82 
 
 40.26 
 24.86 
 46.57 
 37.34 
 23.27 
 32.04 
 36.97 
 
 45.05 
 40.43 
 57.82 
 
 48.95 
 36.80 
 56.34 
 32.44 
 55.50 
 59.05 
 50.11 
 46.92 
 51.47 
 
 42.70 
 17.90 
 46.65 
 
 23.50 
 19.90 
 41.25 
 19.30 
 43.35 
 43.70 
 40.10 
 24.85 
 28.30 
 
 93.50 
 44.20 
 64.55 
 
 48.00 
 54.10 
 75.50 
 59.50 
 78.00 
 74.00 
 80.00 
 53.00 
 55.00 
 
 22.46 
 5.96 
 11.55 
 
 4.80 
 11.37 
 6.61 
 6.40 
 21.94 
 16.18 
 19.97 
 3.88 
 10.54 
 
 74.77 
 73.45 
 73.77 
 
 66.68 
 68.67 
 78.69 
 58.38 
 75.77 
 62.05 
 73.65 
 51.55 
 76.73 
 
 34.09 
 4.44 
 23.51 
 
 5.17 
 11.35 
 21.21 
 9.70 
 22.85 
 27.98 
 17.73 
 21.27 
 24.95 
 
 15.36 
 1.80 
 13.59 
 
 2.53 
 4.18 
 11.95 
 3.15 
 12.68 
 16.52 
 8.88 
 9.97 
 12.84 
 
 34.22 
 6.70 
 13.87 
 
 7.94 
 12.40 
 30.52 
 9.30 
 11.96 
 22.53 
 17.53 
 18.66 
 18.54 
 
 24.86 
 1.48 
 16.84 
 
 2.04 
 2.42 
 18.32 
 4.60 
 17.68 
 22.28 
 11.18 
 26.50 
 14.42 
 
 43.49 
 11.15 
 17.81 
 
 12.72 
 22.14 
 34.66 
 14.19 
 14.67 
 27.12 
 23.99 
 14.09 
 26.37 
 
 43.05 
 20.75 
 33.99 
 
 22.23 
 24.43 
 37.51 
 21.69 
 35.44 
 37.14 
 34.31 
 27.07 
 31.91 
 
 33
 
 STANDING OF THE STATES IN 1910 
 Table 5 gives the 10 items in the index num- 
 ber for the 48 states and the District of Co- 
 lumbia for the school year ended in 1910. In 
 this case the leading state is Washington 
 which had made striking progress during the 
 two previous decades and appears, in 1910, 
 with an index number of 61.21. It is followed 
 by California, Massachusetts, Nevada, and 
 New Jersey, and the lowest number is 24.87 
 for South Carolina. In this instance the dif- 
 ference between the highest record and the 
 lowest is approximately 36, which is some- 
 what greater than the differences in the two 
 previous decade years. The average gain hi 
 the index numbers was about nine points as 
 compared with four during the previous 
 decade. 
 
 It is noteworthy that California always 
 appears among the leaders in these compari- 
 sons. The state consistently shows a high 
 record hi each of the years compared and if all 
 the comparisons that have been made are 
 taken into consideration it is found that Cali- 
 fornia has not only the most consistently high 
 record among the states, but also the highest 
 average record of all. 
 
 34
 
 TABLE 5 COMPONENTS AND INDEX NUMBERS OF 
 STATES. 1910 
 
 State 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 nclex 
 
 Ala. 
 
 38.98 
 
 22.90 
 
 58.65 
 
 9.02 
 
 72.52 
 
 11.04 
 
 4.30 
 
 13.82 
 
 11.86 
 
 26.13 
 
 26.93 
 
 Ariz. 
 
 40.97 
 
 27.80 
 
 67.75 
 
 16.95 
 
 84.25 
 
 49.81 
 
 20.40 
 
 48.99 
 
 30.42 
 
 68.06 
 
 45.54 
 
 Ark. 
 
 47.94 
 
 25.55 
 
 53.25 
 
 7.75 
 
 72.59 
 
 12.49 
 
 5.99 
 
 13.95 
 
 3.75 
 
 23.70 
 
 26.70 
 
 Cal. 
 
 53.09 
 
 48.35 
 
 91.00 
 
 36.81 
 
 80.45 
 
 63.52 
 
 33.73 
 
 66.74 
 
 54.27 
 
 76.45 
 
 60.44 
 
 Colo. 
 
 55.78 
 
 43.55 
 
 78.00 
 
 34.13 
 
 75.24 
 
 48.47 
 
 27.03 
 
 41.76 
 
 34.87 
 
 53.47 
 
 49.23 
 
 Conn. 
 
 57.66 
 
 53.50 
 
 92.35 
 
 26.92 
 
 80.62 
 
 37.02 
 
 21.35 
 
 43.03 
 
 33.80 
 
 46.76 
 
 49.31 
 
 D.C. 
 
 62.12 
 
 56.35 
 
 90.60 
 
 34.74 
 
 74.42 
 
 60.05 
 
 37.30 
 
 18.45 
 
 54.62 
 
 74.62 
 
 56.33 
 
 Del. 
 
 42.08 
 
 36.35 
 
 86.25 
 
 22.95 
 
 78.12 
 
 26.81 
 
 11.28 
 
 25.38 
 
 17.13 
 
 34.53 
 
 38.09 
 
 Fla. 
 
 54.83 
 
 31.65 
 
 53.00 
 
 9.49 
 
 67.23 
 
 17.07 
 
 9.36 
 
 18.41 
 
 12.78 
 
 23.04 
 
 29.69 
 
 Ga. 
 
 41.71 
 
 31.00 
 
 72.20 
 
 12.48 
 
 73.04 
 
 12.76 
 
 5.33 
 
 14.58 
 
 7.28 
 
 20.84 
 
 29.12 
 
 Idaho 
 
 56.12 
 
 38.35 
 
 68.50 
 
 18.04 
 
 74.77 
 
 42.52 
 
 23.86 
 
 40.61 
 
 37.12 
 
 45.77 
 
 44.57 
 
 111. 
 
 55.26 
 
 47.55 
 
 85.50 
 
 24.32 
 
 77.88 
 
 43.70 
 
 24.14 
 
 48.27 
 
 43.00 
 
 49.03 
 
 49.86 
 
 Ind. 
 
 61.26 
 
 45.05 
 
 73.50 
 
 31.22 
 
 83.87 
 
 35.43 
 
 21.71 
 
 35.98 
 
 27.97 
 
 43.54 
 
 45.95 
 
 Iowa 
 
 56.81 
 
 48.85 
 
 86.00 
 
 32.93 
 
 72.29 
 
 35.44 
 
 13.14 
 
 19.28 
 
 24.60 
 
 25.17 
 
 41.45 
 
 Kans. 
 
 58.01 
 
 47.45 
 
 81.75 
 
 27.06 
 
 69.35 
 
 33.69 
 
 19.54 
 
 30.35 
 
 27.73 
 
 35.72 
 
 43.06 
 
 Ky. 
 
 44.55 
 
 27.85 
 
 62.50 
 
 9.21 
 
 72.99 
 
 17.92 
 
 7.98 
 
 21.21 
 
 12.07 
 
 28.12 
 
 30.44 
 
 La. 
 
 33.93 
 
 23.05 
 
 67.80 
 
 8.01 
 
 64.73 
 
 23.27 
 
 7.90 
 
 28.19 
 
 18.02 
 
 34.55 
 
 30.94 
 
 Maine 
 
 62.10 
 
 49.40 
 
 79.50 
 
 31.04 
 
 72.70 
 
 27.43 
 
 17.04 
 
 16.40 
 
 20.84 
 
 20.34 
 
 39.68 
 
 Mass. 
 
 60.62 
 
 56.90 
 
 93.00 
 
 37.03 
 
 86.21 
 
 45.35 
 
 27.69 
 
 54.77 
 
 38.44 
 
 63.10 
 
 56.32 
 
 Md. 
 
 40.33 
 
 37.35 
 
 92.50 
 
 16.74 
 
 76.58 
 
 26.01 
 
 10.49 
 
 28.66 
 
 13.03 
 
 42.96 
 
 38.47 
 
 Mich. 
 
 58.45 
 
 49.90 
 
 85.50 
 
 27.05 
 
 78.10 
 
 32.92 
 
 19.24 
 
 33.81 
 
 26.94 
 
 39.94 
 
 45.19 
 
 Minn. 
 
 57.11 
 
 42.55 
 
 74.50 
 
 22.96 
 
 71.46 
 
 39.38 
 
 22.46 
 
 37.72 
 
 36.47 
 
 40.51 
 
 44.51 
 
 Miss. 
 
 42.77 
 
 28.60 
 
 61.50 
 
 8.85 
 
 74.03 
 
 10.43 
 
 4.46 
 
 11.17 
 
 4.52 
 
 17.50 
 
 26.39 
 
 Mo 
 
 5048 
 
 39 10 
 
 7750 
 
 20.11 
 
 74 09 
 
 2664 
 
 1345 
 
 29 64 
 
 20.15 
 
 W86 
 
 38.80 
 
 Mont. 
 
 49.26 
 
 45.45 
 
 92.25 
 
 21.77 
 
 71.36 
 
 63.76 
 
 31.39 
 
 48.77 
 
 57.20 
 
 53.78 
 
 53.50 
 
 Neb. 
 
 53.25 
 
 46.40 
 
 87.00 
 
 30.59 
 
 70.31 
 
 39.01 
 
 20.77 
 
 27.98 
 
 30.26 
 
 34.25 
 
 43.99 
 
 Nev. 
 
 42.43 
 
 30.90 
 
 72.65 
 
 32.26 
 
 65.60 
 
 83.66 
 
 35.51 
 
 52.77 
 
 105.21 
 
 39.19 
 
 56.01 
 
 N. C. 
 
 48.02 
 
 24.50 
 
 50.95 
 
 7.70 
 
 79.66 
 
 9.17 
 
 4.40 
 
 11.28 
 
 4.78 
 
 16.68 
 
 25.71 
 
 N. D. 
 
 53.87 
 
 39.85 
 
 73.65 
 
 14.69 
 
 65.73 
 
 50.46 
 
 27.19 
 
 25.66 
 
 45.45 
 
 28.21 
 
 42.48 
 
 N. H. 
 
 53.87 
 
 44.20 
 
 82.00 
 
 32.61 
 
 85.05 
 
 33.02 
 
 17.78 
 
 22.67 
 
 26.17 
 
 27.37 
 
 42.47 
 
 N. J. 
 
 51.94 
 
 47.85 
 
 92.00 
 
 20.87 
 
 81.49 
 
 52.65 
 
 27.34 
 
 58.81 
 
 50.78 
 
 60.89 
 
 54.47 
 
 N. M. 
 
 43.69 
 
 21.85 
 
 50.00 
 
 10.78 
 
 87.31 
 
 21.22 
 
 9.27 
 
 22.42 
 
 15.00 
 
 29.03 
 
 31.05 
 
 N. Y. 
 
 54.31 
 
 51.00 
 
 93.75 
 
 27.56 
 
 77.97 
 
 46.22 
 
 25.09 
 
 47.95 
 
 27.09 
 
 67.77 
 
 51.87 
 
 Ohio 
 
 60.29 
 
 51.00 
 
 85.00 
 
 28.97 
 
 84.07 
 
 39.32 
 
 23.70 
 
 38.17 
 
 32.62 
 
 43.70 
 
 48.68 
 
 Okla. 
 
 53.72 
 
 32.05 
 
 70.00 
 
 9.56 
 
 73.01 
 
 24.18 
 
 12.99 
 
 29.64 
 
 20.63 
 
 33.99 
 
 35.97 
 
 Ore. 
 
 61.57 
 
 42.60 
 
 69.00 
 
 25.81 
 
 74.86 
 
 44.85 
 
 27.62 
 
 43.48 
 
 45.30 
 
 43.03 
 
 47.81 
 
 Perm. 
 
 52.94 
 
 44.95 
 
 85.00 
 
 19.48 
 
 75.32 
 
 39.95 
 
 21.13 
 
 46.95 
 
 40.66 
 
 46.15 
 
 47.25 
 
 R. I. 
 
 51.02 
 
 49.25 
 
 96.50 
 
 32.77 
 
 89.35 
 
 40.46 
 
 20.64 
 
 43.70 
 
 34.02 
 
 50.64 
 
 50.84 
 
 S. C. 
 
 46.52 
 
 24.45 
 
 52.55 
 
 6.86 
 
 73.41 
 
 8.00 
 
 3.72 
 
 11.67 
 
 3.91 
 
 17.64 
 
 24.87 
 
 S. D. 
 
 47.26 
 
 39.35 
 
 82.95 
 
 21.51 
 
 65.35 
 
 47.32 
 
 22.60 
 
 26.28 
 
 45.67 
 
 27.45 
 
 42.57 
 
 Tenn. 
 
 52.21 
 
 33.95 
 
 65.00 
 
 7.78 
 
 67.67 
 
 12.10 
 
 6.32 
 
 17.83 
 
 7.66 
 
 24.36 
 
 29.49 
 
 Texas 
 
 42.05 
 
 27.50 
 
 65.50 
 
 16.74 
 
 71.17 
 
 21.62 
 
 9.09 
 
 23.66 
 
 13.97 
 
 32.03 
 
 32.34 
 
 Utah 
 
 56.89 
 
 46.S5 
 
 82.40 
 
 15.59 
 
 87.55 
 
 44.09 
 
 25.09 
 
 53.70 
 
 47.66 
 
 49.34 
 
 50.92 
 
 Va. 
 
 39.82 
 
 27.90 
 
 70.00 
 
 13.38 
 
 69.83 
 
 16.99 
 
 6.77 
 
 17.59 
 
 12.39 
 
 22.36 
 
 29.70 
 
 Vt. 
 
 66.55 
 
 53.35 
 
 80.00 
 
 26.55 
 
 71.99 
 
 30.88 
 
 20.55 
 
 20.59 
 
 28.51 
 
 22.16 
 
 42.11 
 
 Wash 
 
 60.47 
 
 52.25 
 
 86.00 
 
 35.68 
 
 80.24 
 
 67.22 
 
 40.65 
 
 60.98 
 
 70.89 
 
 57.65 
 
 61.21 
 
 Wifl. 
 
 46.23 
 
 41.65 
 
 90.00 
 
 29.96 
 
 81.29 
 
 33.67 
 
 15.57 
 
 30.52 
 
 25.41 
 
 38.01 
 
 43.23 
 
 W.Va 
 
 53. (50 
 
 35.90 
 
 67.00 
 
 6.38 
 
 73.07 
 
 21.56 
 
 11.57 
 
 19.43 
 
 13.22 
 
 26.93 
 
 32.87 
 
 Wyo. 
 
 54.17 
 
 40.20 
 
 70.45 
 
 15.54 
 
 68.69 
 
 47.58 
 
 25.77 
 
 29.91 
 
 36.91 
 
 36.61 
 
 42.59 
 
 35
 
 STANDING OP THE STATES IN 1918 
 Table 6 gives the 10 items in the index num- 
 bers for 1918. During the eight years inter- 
 vening since the previous decade year many 
 important changes took place. The leading 
 state is Montana with an index number of 
 75.79, followed by California, Arizona, New 
 Jersey, and Washington. The lowest record 
 is that of South Carolina with an index num- 
 ber of 29.39. It is noteworthy that, while the 
 difference between the highest index number 
 and the lowest in the previous decade years 
 was 35, 32, and 36, it had by 1918 increased 
 to more than 46. The evidence indicates 
 that, while the states with the lowest numbers 
 had made relatively slight progress, those 
 with the highest numbers had made marked 
 progress. The average increase during the 
 eight years of the period was about nine 
 points. 
 
 During the period from 1910 to 1918 a 
 number of striking changes took place. Iowa 
 advanced from 30th place to seventh place, 
 and Michigan from 19th to 10th. In the same 
 period Rhode Island fell from 10th place 
 to 26th. 
 
 36
 
 TABLE 6. COMPONENTS AND INDEX NUMBERS 
 OF STATES. 1918 
 
 State 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 ndez 
 
 Ala. 
 
 44.92 
 
 27.75 
 
 62.00 
 
 16.27 
 
 70.11 
 
 17.75 
 
 7.98 
 
 20.13 
 
 10.16 
 
 28.73 
 
 0.58 
 
 Ariz. 
 
 62.04 
 
 o0.26 
 
 81.00 
 
 27.34 
 
 81.77 
 
 85.43 
 
 53.00 
 
 69.06 
 
 72.26 
 
 79.70 
 
 66.19 
 
 Ark. 
 
 53.29 
 
 31.95 
 
 60.00 
 
 11.73 
 
 68.58 
 
 16.65 
 
 8.87 
 
 17.34 
 
 7.74 
 
 26.60 
 
 0.28 
 
 Cal. 
 
 70.85 
 
 61.10 
 
 86.00 
 
 58.79 
 
 77.82 
 
 79.41 
 
 56.26 
 
 72.04 
 
 61.76 
 
 88.06 
 
 71.21 
 
 Colo 
 
 58.12 
 
 48 80 
 
 8400 
 
 40 16 
 
 7246 
 
 70.53 
 
 41.00 
 
 54.31 
 
 62.48 
 
 6049 
 
 9.23 
 
 Conn. 
 
 64.71 
 
 o8.70 
 
 90.50 
 
 35.13 
 
 79.30 
 
 55.89 
 
 36.16 
 
 60.52 
 
 50.85 
 
 65.97 
 
 9.77 
 
 C. Z. 
 
 25.73 
 
 23.03 
 
 89.50 
 
 30.09 
 
 78.72 
 
 72.72 
 
 28.26 
 
 66.08 
 
 52.60 
 
 84.37 
 
 55.11 
 
 D. C. 
 
 64.19 
 
 55.50 
 
 86.50 
 
 43.44 
 
 76.05 
 
 66.55 
 
 42.72 
 
 69.93 
 
 46.51 
 
 90.98 
 
 64.24 
 
 Del. 
 
 45.87 
 
 37.60 
 
 82.00 
 
 31.28 
 
 72.56 
 
 35.59 
 
 16.32 
 
 34.24 
 
 22.56 
 
 46.77 
 
 42.48 
 
 FJa. 
 
 50.93 
 
 33.10 
 
 65.00 
 
 17.83 
 
 64.23 
 
 34.04 
 
 17.34 
 
 30.60 
 
 33.45 
 
 31.13 
 
 37.77 
 
 Ga. 
 
 49.12 
 
 34.00 
 
 69.00 
 
 15.46 
 
 73.66 
 
 16.53 
 
 8.12 
 
 20.64 
 
 7.18 
 
 32.31 
 
 32.60 
 
 Hawaii 
 
 72.74 
 
 66.92 
 
 92.00 
 
 6.94 
 
 51.86 
 
 52.04 
 
 37.85 
 
 68.50 
 
 48.16 
 
 73.62 
 
 57.07 
 
 Idaho 
 
 61.25 
 
 45.90 
 
 75.00 
 
 38.44 
 
 71.78 
 
 69.41 
 
 42.52 
 
 56.09 
 
 68.15 
 
 57.11 
 
 58.57 
 
 111. 
 
 61.88 
 
 49.20 
 
 79.50 
 
 32.68 
 
 78.62 
 
 53.53 
 
 33.12 
 
 62.37 
 
 49.58 
 
 66.95 
 
 56.75 
 
 Ind. 
 
 73.37 
 
 56.95 
 
 77.50 
 
 37.87 
 
 82.94 
 
 52.72 
 
 38.68 
 
 57.95 
 
 58.69 
 
 51.38 
 
 58.80 
 
 Iowa 
 
 67.85 
 
 61.05 
 
 90.00 
 
 42.00 
 
 68.87 
 
 74.03 
 
 50.23 
 
 44.15 
 
 79.24 
 
 41.04 
 
 61.85 
 
 Kana. 
 
 58.16 
 
 49.85 
 
 86.00 
 
 51.79 
 
 68.44 
 
 59.34 
 
 34.51 
 
 42.34 
 
 57.42 
 
 43.71 
 
 55.16 
 
 Ky. 
 
 44.51 
 
 33.30 
 
 75.00 
 
 19.41 
 
 67.13 
 
 26.53 
 
 11.81 
 
 23.29 
 
 17.87 
 
 30.89 
 
 34.98 
 
 La. 
 
 39.54 
 
 26.90 
 
 68.00 
 
 19.64 
 
 59.24 
 
 25.79 
 
 10.20 
 
 30.93 
 
 17.42 
 
 40.95 
 
 33.86 
 
 Maine 
 
 63.54 
 
 53.65 
 
 84.50 
 
 47.21 
 
 73.29 
 
 38.97 
 
 24.75 
 
 25.59 
 
 31.65 
 
 30.40 
 
 47.36 
 
 Mass. 
 
 60.58 
 
 52.20 
 
 88.00 
 
 46.13 
 
 80.09 
 
 59.99 
 
 36.34 
 
 63.34 
 
 52.23 
 
 71.53 
 
 61.04 
 
 Md. 
 
 44.54 
 
 37.95 
 
 85.00 
 
 25.14 
 
 60.19 
 
 36.98 
 
 16.48 
 
 43.32 
 
 23.56 
 
 59.04 
 
 43.22 
 
 Mich. 
 
 67.87 
 
 58.35 
 
 86.00 
 
 36.67 
 
 78.03 
 
 61.39 
 
 41.67 
 
 56.28 
 
 65.84 
 
 52.21 
 
 60.43 
 
 Minn. 
 
 58.85 
 
 49.70 
 
 84.50 
 
 38.60 
 
 68.31 
 
 66.87 
 
 39.36 
 
 55.49 
 
 68.37 
 
 54.24 
 
 58.43 
 
 Miss. 
 
 53.11 
 
 36.70 
 
 69.00 
 
 10.96 
 
 67.53 
 
 12.32 
 
 6.55 
 
 14.92 
 
 2.52 
 
 26.79 
 
 30.04 
 
 Mo. 
 
 56.18 
 
 46.45 
 
 82.50 
 
 33.62 
 
 69.27 
 
 45.26 
 
 25.43 
 
 46.14 
 
 37.12 
 
 54.42 
 
 49.64 
 
 Mont. 
 
 86.24 
 
 65.70 
 
 76.00 
 
 34.67 
 
 65.59 
 
 103.08 
 
 88.90 
 
 65.09 
 
 115.23 
 
 57.42 
 
 75.79 
 
 Neb. 
 
 60.92 
 
 50.30 
 
 82.50 
 
 40.61 
 
 68.82 
 
 67.08 
 
 40.87 
 
 46.96 
 
 64.65 
 
 48.66 
 
 57.14 
 
 Nev. 
 
 55.39 
 
 47.40 
 
 85.50 
 
 44.01 
 
 79.16 
 
 76.95 
 
 42.62 
 
 45.50 
 
 56.22 
 
 57.75 
 
 59.05 
 
 N. C. 
 
 52.35 
 
 32.20 
 
 61.50 
 
 12.91 
 
 70.88 
 
 15.77 
 
 8.26 
 
 17.74 
 
 9.32 
 
 25.00 
 
 30.59 
 
 N. D. 
 
 53.60 
 
 44.95 
 
 84.00 
 
 29.20 
 
 59.22 
 
 82.87 
 
 44.43 
 
 53.98 
 
 90.35 
 
 49.10 
 
 59.17 
 
 N. H. 
 
 53.20 
 
 46.25 
 
 87.00 
 
 47.66 
 
 76.79 
 
 59.56 
 
 31.69 
 
 41.80 
 
 54.09 
 
 45.64 
 
 54.37 
 
 N. J. 
 
 57.33 
 
 53.05 
 
 92.50 
 
 35.92 
 
 85.72 
 
 71.36 
 
 40.92 
 
 75.55 
 
 71.04 
 
 75.90 
 
 65.93 
 
 N. M. 
 
 44.50 
 
 34.55 
 
 77.50 
 
 17.78 
 
 76.30 
 
 68.67 
 
 30.56 
 
 54.78 
 
 78.51 
 
 46.94 
 
 53.01 
 
 N. Y. 
 
 53.68 
 
 50.05 
 
 93.50 
 
 37.61 
 
 90.04 
 
 62.35 
 
 33.48 
 
 56.34 
 
 38.75 
 
 77.66 
 
 59.35 
 
 Ohio 
 
 68.11 
 
 oo. 4. r 
 
 81.50 
 
 37.16 
 
 80.86 
 
 59.46 
 
 40.50 
 
 57.30 
 
 61.52 
 
 55.31 
 
 59.72 
 
 Okla. 
 
 45.72 
 
 35.75 
 
 78.50 
 
 28.45 
 
 68.48 
 
 42.47 
 
 19.42 
 
 41.63 
 
 36.38 
 
 47.60 
 
 44.44 
 
 Ore. 
 
 67.11 
 
 61.40 
 
 91.50 
 
 41.15 
 
 71.13 
 
 57.53 
 
 38.62 
 
 47.04 
 
 46.92 
 
 55.71 
 
 57.81 
 
 Penn. 
 
 56.02 
 
 4'J.OO 
 
 87.50 
 
 30.93 
 
 78.76 
 
 56.61 
 
 31.72 
 
 65.14 
 
 62.37 
 
 58.50 
 
 57.65 
 
 P. R. 
 
 24.74 
 
 21.65 
 
 87.50 
 
 7.25 
 
 95.22 
 
 21.85 
 
 5.41 
 
 35.24 
 
 18.71 
 
 40.31 
 
 35.79 
 
 R.I. 
 
 48.99 
 
 47.25 
 
 96.50 
 
 34.48 
 
 81.43 
 
 56.03 
 
 27.45 
 
 57.50 
 
 52.29 
 
 61.34 
 
 56.33 
 
 B.C. 
 
 46.14 
 
 26.05 
 
 56.50 
 
 10.28 
 
 58.59 
 
 19.41 
 
 8.96 
 
 24.03 
 
 17.62 
 
 26.25 
 
 29.39 
 
 8. D. 
 
 44.44 
 
 41.35 
 
 93.00 
 
 39.72 
 
 62.75 
 
 78.27 
 
 34.78 
 
 39.92 
 
 73.79 
 
 42.20 
 
 55.03 
 
 Tenn. 
 
 58.25 
 
 40.70 
 
 70.00 
 
 12.29 
 
 70.20 
 
 18.97 
 
 11.05 
 
 24.78 
 
 14.32 
 
 30.85 
 
 35.14 
 
 Texas 
 
 54.67 
 
 39.90 
 
 73.00 
 
 23.49 
 
 69.62 
 
 31.15 
 
 17.03 
 
 35.29 
 
 26.47 
 
 40.59 
 
 41.12 
 
 Utah 
 
 65.30 
 
 55.10 
 
 84.50 
 
 32.00 
 
 83.88 
 
 62.29 
 
 40.67 
 
 63.93 
 
 62.10 
 
 64.12 
 
 61.39 
 
 Va. 
 
 4S.O! 
 
 33.84 
 
 70.50 
 
 24.49 
 
 62.89 
 
 25.45 
 
 12.24 
 
 24.89 
 
 18.11 
 
 32.07 
 
 35.26 
 
 Vt. 
 
 58.35 
 
 49.9( 
 
 85. 5f 
 
 47.85 
 
 74.41 
 
 50.99 
 
 29.75 
 
 34.49 
 
 46.07 
 
 37.81 
 
 51.51 
 
 Wash. 
 
 53.56 
 
 46.7< 
 
 87.IX 
 
 52.88 
 
 69.57 
 
 78.32 
 
 41.96 
 
 65.46 
 
 63.28 
 
 78.02 
 
 63.67 
 
 Wis. 
 
 50.84 
 
 45.20 
 
 .S9.CX 
 
 41.20 
 
 75.57 
 
 49.53 
 
 25.18 
 
 43.69 
 
 49.14 
 
 44.03 
 
 51.34 
 
 W. Va. 
 
 53.43 
 
 35.65 
 
 06.50 
 
 22.03 
 
 70.24 
 
 31.42 
 
 16.78 
 
 25.87 
 
 20.57 
 
 34.80 
 
 37.73 
 
 Wyo. 
 
 77.93 
 
 58.50 
 
 75.00 
 
 29.43 
 
 63.83 
 
 65.46 
 
 51.01 
 
 42.27 
 
 53.99 
 
 49.67 
 
 56.71 
 
 37 
 
 447457
 
 HAWAII, THE CANAL ZONE, AND PORTO Rico 
 Table 6 for 1918 gives, for the first time, 
 figures for the school systems of three Amer- 
 ican possessions outside of continental United 
 States. These are Hawaii, the Canal Zone, 
 and Porto Rico. The 10 items for these sys- 
 tems have been gathered and the index num- 
 bers computed by the methods used for the 
 48 states. The index number for Hawaii is 
 57.07, which gives that school system a rank 
 of 23 among the 52 systems included in the 
 Table. The number of Hawaii is just below 
 those of Pennsylvania and Nebraska, and 
 just above those of Illinois and Wyoming. 
 
 The index number for the Canal Zone is 
 55.11 with a rank of 28th place from the top. 
 It takes its position just below Rhode Island 
 and Kansas and just above South Dakota 
 and New Hampshire. The schools of Porto 
 Rico have an index number of 35.79 and a 
 rank of 42 among the 52 systems. Their 
 number is just below those of Florida and 
 West Virginia and just above the numbers 
 for Virginia and Tennessee. 
 
 EDUCATION IN PORTO Rico 
 The data for Porto Rico are especially note- 
 worthy. The index number indicates that 
 38
 
 the insular system has a rank above 10 of 
 the state systems. This is particularly signifi- 
 cant in view of the handicaps under which this 
 marked progress has been made. The per 
 capita wealth of the island is far less than that 
 of the poorest American state. According to 
 the census figures the per capita wealth of the 
 United States in 1912 amounted to approxi- 
 mately $2,000. That of the least wealthy 
 states was something less than $800, and the 
 highest per capita wealth hi any state was 
 over $5,000. 
 
 As contrasted with these figures the per 
 capita wealth of Porto Rico is stated hi 1919 
 as being $200. These figures may be accepted 
 as being reasonably trustworthy for com- 
 parative purposes. They indicate that the 
 average American state is 10 times as wealthy 
 as Porto Rico in proportion to its population, 
 that the poorest state has nearly four times as 
 much wealth per capita of population, and 
 that the wealthiest one has something like 
 25 times as much wealth per inhabitant. 
 Nevertheless, and in spite of these handicaps, 
 Porto Rico keeps her public schools open 
 for a greater number of days each year than 
 most American states. In 1918 there were 
 only 11 states having a longer average school 
 39
 
 term. Moreover, during the school year 
 1917-18 the island paid its teachers higher 
 average salaries than 13 American states, and 
 among these 13 are included practically all 
 the Southern states and two of the New Eng- 
 land states. The Porto Rican school system 
 is supported from insular revenues without 
 subventions from the Federal government. 
 It has received no financial support from other 
 than local sources, save that the island is per- 
 mitted to retain the customs revenues from 
 imports coming directly from foreign countries 
 to its ports. It must be remembered, more- 
 over, that the island has a very large colored 
 population. 
 
 All of these facts tend to indicate that the 
 educational effort of a state is dependent on 
 its aspirations and ideals hi even greater 
 measure than on its financial resources. The 
 handicap of restricted resources is relative 
 rather than absolute. 
 
 In computing the expenditures for Porto 
 Rico the disbursements of the local school 
 boards have been included as well as those 
 of the insular government. This procedure 
 makes the data comparable with those for 
 the states but employs figures which differ 
 somewhat from those published by the 
 Bureau of Education. 
 40
 
 It has not been possible to secure data for 
 the school systems of Alaska and the Philip- 
 pine Islands that could fairly be compared 
 with those for the several states. Such figures 
 as are available indicate that these systems 
 are making most credible records with respect 
 to the length of the school term, the payment 
 of teachers, and certain of the other items. 
 However, the reports are not sufficiently 
 complete to make possible all the computa- 
 tions entering into the index number. 
 
 41
 
 STANDING OF THE STATES IN FOUR DECADES 
 The index numbers of the four preceding 
 tables have been brought together and com- 
 pared in Table 7. In the four columns of this 
 table the index numbers for each decade year 
 and 1918 are arranged in descending order 
 from the highest to the lowest. The lines 
 running from column to column connect the 
 four records of each state and show whether 
 the relative standing of the state, as shown by 
 its index number, has moved upward or 
 downward. 
 
 The complicated criss-crossing of the lines 
 conveys the impression that the shifts in the 
 index numbers have been varied and numer- 
 ous. This impression is only partly war- 
 ranted by the facts. In general the entire 
 group of states has moved forward rather 
 steadily. This progress has been greater on 
 the part of northern states than among the 
 southern ones, and more marked among 
 western states than among eastern ones. 
 
 Since the position of each state is given for 
 each year, even a few shifts hi relative posi- 
 tion occasion much crossing of lines. This is 
 accentuated by the bringing in of the out- 
 lying possessions in the last year. 
 
 42
 
 TABLE 7. INDEX NUMBERS OF STATES AT FOUR PERIODS 
 
 1890 
 
 1900 
 
 1910 
 
 N. M. 10.02 
 
 Mass. 49.52 
 N. Y. 46.57 \ 
 
 -* 
 
 D. C. 44.90 
 CaL 43.80 
 Conn. 43.13 
 R. I. 43.05 
 Nev. 42.37 
 Colo. 41.59 
 N.J. 40.26 
 Mont. 39.51 
 Utah 37.51 
 Ohio 37.34 
 HI. 37.18 
 Wash. 37.14 
 Penn. 36.97 
 Ind. 36.33 
 Neb. 36.11 
 Mich. 35.60 
 Md. 35.49 
 Vt. 35.44 \\ 
 
 1918 
 
 yMont.75.79 
 Cal. 71.21 
 Ariz. 66.19 
 N.J. 65.93 
 D. C. 64.24 
 Wash. 63.67 
 Iowa 61.85 
 Utah 61.39 
 Mass. 61.04 
 Mich. 60.43 
 Conn. 59.77 
 Ohio 59.72 
 N. Y. 59.35 
 Colo. 59.23 
 N. D. 59.17 
 Nev. 59.05 
 Ind. 58.80 
 Idaho 58.57 
 Minn. 58.43 
 Ore. 57.81 
 Penn. 57.65 
 Neb. 57.14 
 Hawaii57.07 
 in. 56.75 
 Wyo. 56.71 
 R. I. 56.33 
 Kans. 55.16 
 C. Z. 55.11 
 S. D. 55.03 
 N. H. 54.37 
 N.M. 53.dl 
 Vt. 51.51 
 Wis. 51.34 
 Mo. 49.64 
 Maine47.36 
 Okla. 44.44 
 Md. 43.22 
 Del. 42.48 
 Texas 4 1.12 
 Fla. 37.77 
 W.Va. 37.73 
 P. R. 35.79 
 Va. 35.26 
 Tenn. 35.14 
 Ky. 34.98 
 La. 33.86 
 Ga. 32.60 
 N.C. 30.59 
 Ala. 30.58 
 Ark. 30.28 
 Miss. 30.04 
 S.C. 29.39 
 
 43
 
 Table 8 is similar to Table 7. The difference 
 is that in Table 7 the number following the 
 name of the state was its index number, 
 whereas in Table 8 the number precedes the 
 name of the state and shows its rank in the 
 order from highest to lowest. 
 
 Table 8 shows even more clearly than the 
 preceding table the general upward trend of 
 the western states and the comparative 
 falling off of the eastern ones. During the 28 
 years from 1890 to 1918 the average rank of 
 the states in the Eastern Division shows a 
 falling off of eight places. 
 
 The average rank of these states in 1890 
 was 11, while 28 years later it had fallen to 19. 
 The states of the Western Division have 
 moved upwards. In 1890 their average rank 
 was 21, while in 1918 it had moved up to 13. 
 New Jersey is the only state in the Eastern 
 Division that has gained in relative rank 
 during this period of 28 years. The western 
 states, as a group, had gained eight points in 
 average rank while the eastern states lost 
 eight points. The states of the North Central 
 Division show, in the same period, an average 
 gain of three points, those in the South At- 
 lantic Division an average loss of four points, 
 and those in the South Central Division a loss 
 of three points. 
 
 44
 
 TABLE 8. RANKS OF STATES AS SHOWN BY INDEX NUMBERS 
 FOR FOUR PERIODS 
 
 ,1890 
 
 1900 
 
 1910 
 
 1918 
 
 45
 
 Table 9 gives the standing of the states in 
 ranks as indicated by their index numbers. 
 The data are given for 1890, 1900, 1910, 1916, 
 and 1918. The table presents the same data 
 as the two preceding tables except that the 
 figures for 1916 are also included in this 
 table. The states are given in alphabetical 
 order in order to facilitate ready reference. 
 
 The period from 1916 to 1918 was one of 
 sharply rising prices and wages. The changes 
 brought about by the resulting readjustments 
 in state educational budgets are reflected in 
 the sharp changes between 1916 and 1918. 
 In the main, the changes upward are primarily 
 caused by sudden increases in appropriations, 
 and the losses in rank are similarly accounted 
 for by the failure of some states to increase 
 school expenditures as costs and wages went up. 
 
 Still other changes appear to be related to 
 the influence of the war on high school at- 
 tendance. During the period from 1916 to 
 1918 the attendance in high schools increased 
 notably, but the ratio of boys to girls fell off 
 greatly, apparently reflecting the increased 
 demand for labor and the consequent oppor- 
 tunities for earning high wages. 
 46
 
 TABLE 9. RANKS OF STATES AS SHOWN BY INDEX 
 NUMBERS FOR FIVE PERIODS 
 
 
 1890 
 
 1900 
 
 1910 
 
 1916 
 
 1918 
 
 Alabama 
 
 44 
 
 48 
 
 46 
 
 46 
 
 49 
 
 Arizona 
 
 14 
 
 32 
 
 18 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 Arkansas 
 
 42 
 
 45 
 
 46 
 
 43 
 
 50 
 
 California 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 Canal Zone 
 
 
 
 
 
 28 
 
 Colorado 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 13 
 
 19 
 
 14 
 
 Connecticut 
 
 6 
 
 5 
 
 12 
 
 8 
 
 11 
 
 District of Columbia 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 Delaware 
 
 27 
 
 33 
 
 34 
 
 35 
 
 38 
 
 Florida 
 
 29 
 
 40 
 
 42 
 
 60 
 
 40 
 
 Georgia 
 
 46 
 
 44 
 
 44 
 
 45 
 
 47 
 
 Hawaii 
 
 
 
 
 
 23 
 
 Idaho 
 
 37 
 
 34 
 
 20 
 
 14 
 
 18 
 
 Illinois 
 
 15 
 
 13 
 
 11 
 
 21 
 
 24 
 
 Indiana 
 
 25 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 Iowa 
 
 18 
 
 23 
 
 30 
 
 23 
 
 7 
 
 Kansas 
 
 21 
 
 31 
 
 24 
 
 24 
 
 27 
 
 Kentucky 
 
 35 
 
 36 
 
 40 
 
 39 
 
 45 
 
 Louisiana 
 
 43 
 
 43 
 
 39 
 
 42 
 
 46 
 
 Maine 
 
 24 
 
 27 
 
 31 
 
 30 
 
 35 
 
 Maryland 
 
 12 
 
 19 
 
 33 
 
 34 
 
 37 
 
 Massachusetts 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 7 
 
 9 
 
 Michigan 
 
 16 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 18 
 
 10 
 
 Minnesota 
 
 26 
 
 21 
 
 21 
 
 20 
 
 19 
 
 Mississippi 
 Missouri 
 
 39 
 33 
 
 46 
 30 
 
 47 
 32 
 
 49 
 32 
 
 51 
 34 
 
 Montana 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 7 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 Nebraska 
 
 31 
 
 17 
 
 22 
 
 25 
 
 22 
 
 Nevada 
 
 11 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 10 
 
 16 
 
 New Hampshire 
 
 19 
 
 26 
 
 28 
 
 31 
 
 30 
 
 New Jersey 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 6 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 New Mexico 
 
 48 
 
 37 
 
 38 
 
 33 
 
 31 
 
 New York 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 8 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 North Carolina 
 
 45 
 
 49 
 
 48 
 
 47 
 
 48 
 
 North Dakota 
 
 34 
 
 22 
 
 27 
 
 22 
 
 15 
 
 Ohio 
 
 13 
 
 12 
 
 14 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 Oklahoma 
 
 
 39 
 
 35 
 
 37 
 
 36 
 
 Oregon 
 
 30 
 
 28 
 
 15 
 
 17 
 
 20 
 
 Pennsylvania 
 
 10 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 15 
 
 21 
 
 Porto Rico 
 
 
 
 
 44 
 
 42 
 
 Rhode Island 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 10 
 
 13 
 
 26 
 
 South Carolina 
 
 47 
 
 47 
 
 49 
 
 48 
 
 52 
 
 South Dakota 
 
 32 
 
 25 
 
 26 
 
 29 
 
 29 
 
 Tennessee 
 
 41 
 
 41 
 
 43 
 
 41 
 
 44 
 
 Texas 
 
 36 
 
 38 
 
 37 
 
 36 
 
 39 
 
 Utah 
 
 28 
 
 11 
 
 9 
 
 9 
 
 8 
 
 Vermont 
 
 23 
 
 20 
 
 29 
 
 28 
 
 32 
 
 Virginia 
 
 38 
 
 42 
 
 41 
 
 40 
 
 43 
 
 Washington 
 
 20 
 
 14 
 
 1 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 West Virginia 
 
 40 
 
 35 
 
 36 
 
 38 
 
 41 
 
 Wisconsin 
 
 17 
 
 24 
 
 23 
 
 27 
 
 33 
 
 Wyoming 
 
 22 
 
 29 
 
 25 
 
 26 
 
 25 
 
 47
 
 THE 48 STATES IN 1918 
 Table 10 gives the rank of each state in each 
 element of the index in 1918. In this table 
 only the 48 states are entered. The District 
 of Columbia, the Canal Zone, and the insular 
 possessions are purposely omitted. 
 
 The table makes possible something of a 
 quick diagnosis of the situation hi any state. 
 If the rank as shown in the final column is 
 low, the entries in the other columns will 
 show the items responsible for the poor show- 
 ing. If these items are among the last five, 
 that fact tends to indicate that low appropria- 
 tions are accountable. If they are among the 
 first five the more serious problems would 
 appear to be directly educational rather than 
 financial in nature. 
 
 In the items that relate to expenditures 
 some cases will be found in which a state 
 ranks relatively high in the 10th element 
 which shows the monthly salaries of the 
 teachers, but takes a low rank in the ninth 
 column hi which the figures are based on pay- 
 ments for non-salary purposes. In still other 
 cases the opposite is true. In any case the 
 data of the table aid in ascertaining the degree 
 to which the different rankings show a rela- 
 tively even balance as between themselves. 
 48
 
 TABLE 10. RANK OF EACH STATE IN EACH COMPONENT 
 OF THE INDEX IN 1918 
 
 State 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 Index 
 
 Ala. 
 
 43 
 
 46 
 
 45 
 
 42 
 
 28 
 
 44 
 
 47 
 
 45 
 
 44 
 
 44 
 
 45 
 
 Ariz. 
 
 12 
 
 15 
 
 28 
 
 33 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 Ark. 
 
 31 
 
 45 
 
 47 
 
 46 
 
 34 
 
 45 
 
 44 
 
 47 
 
 46 
 
 46 
 
 46 
 
 Cal. 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 13 
 
 1 
 
 14 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 16 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 Colo. 
 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 22 
 
 13 
 
 22 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 19 
 
 13 
 
 11 
 
 13 
 
 Conn. 
 
 10 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 22 
 
 9 
 
 26 
 
 20 
 
 10 
 
 25 
 
 8 
 
 10 
 
 Del. 
 
 41 
 
 35 
 
 26 
 
 28 
 
 21 
 
 35 
 
 38 
 
 35 
 
 37 
 
 28 
 
 35 
 
 Fla. 
 
 35 
 
 43 
 
 44 
 
 40 
 
 41 
 
 36 
 
 34 
 
 37 
 
 33 
 
 40 
 
 37 
 
 Ga. 
 
 37 
 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 43 
 
 19 
 
 46 
 
 46 
 
 44 
 
 47 
 
 38 
 
 43 
 
 Idaho 
 
 14 
 
 28 
 
 34 
 
 16 
 
 23 
 
 11 
 
 8 
 
 16 
 
 9 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 111. 
 
 13 
 
 20 
 
 29 
 
 26 
 
 12 
 
 27 
 
 24 
 
 9 
 
 26 
 
 7 
 
 22 
 
 Ind. 
 
 3 
 
 8 
 
 31 
 
 17 
 
 4 
 
 28 
 
 17 
 
 11 
 
 18 
 
 22 
 
 16 
 
 Iowa 
 
 7 
 
 4 
 
 7 
 
 9 
 
 32 
 
 8 
 
 5 
 
 25 
 
 3 
 
 33 
 
 6 
 
 Kans. 
 
 20 
 
 18 
 
 15 
 
 3 
 
 36 
 
 22 
 
 22 
 
 28 
 
 19 
 
 31 
 
 25 
 
 Ky. 
 
 45 
 
 42 
 
 36 
 
 39 
 
 39 
 
 39 
 
 40 
 
 43 
 
 40 
 
 41 
 
 41 
 
 La. 
 
 48 
 
 47 
 
 42 
 
 38 
 
 46 
 
 40 
 
 42 
 
 36 
 
 42 
 
 34 
 
 42 
 
 Maine 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 21 
 
 6 
 
 20 
 
 33 
 
 32 
 
 39 
 
 34 
 
 43 
 
 32 
 
 Mass. 
 
 16 
 
 13 
 
 9 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 19 
 
 19 
 
 8 
 
 24 
 
 6 
 
 8 
 
 Md. 
 
 44 
 
 34 
 
 18 
 
 34 
 
 45 
 
 34 
 
 37 
 
 27 
 
 36 
 
 12 
 
 34 
 
 Mich. 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 15 
 
 20 
 
 13 
 
 18 
 
 10 
 
 15 
 
 10 
 
 21 
 
 9 
 
 Minn. 
 
 17 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 15 
 
 37 
 
 14 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 8 
 
 20 
 
 18 
 
 Miss. 
 
 33 
 
 36 
 
 41 
 
 47 
 
 38 
 
 48 
 
 48 
 
 48 
 
 48 
 
 45 
 
 47 
 
 Mo. 
 
 23 
 
 26 
 
 25 
 
 25 
 
 31 
 
 31 
 
 30 
 
 23 
 
 31 
 
 19 
 
 31 
 
 Mont. 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 33 
 
 23 
 
 40 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 6 
 
 1 
 
 15 
 
 1 
 
 Neb. 
 
 15 
 
 14 
 
 24 
 
 12 
 
 33 
 
 13 
 
 13 
 
 22 
 
 11 
 
 25 
 
 21 
 
 Nev. 
 
 25 
 
 23 
 
 16 
 
 8 
 
 10 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 24 
 
 20 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 N. C. 
 
 34 
 
 44 
 
 46 
 
 44 
 
 25 
 
 47 
 
 45 
 
 46 
 
 45 
 
 48 
 
 44 
 
 N. D. 
 
 28 
 
 30 
 
 23 
 
 31 
 
 47 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 20 
 
 2 
 
 24 
 
 14 
 
 N. H. 
 
 32 
 
 27 
 
 12 
 
 5 
 
 15 
 
 20 
 
 26 
 
 30 
 
 21 
 
 29 
 
 27 
 
 N. J. 
 
 22 
 
 12 
 
 4 
 
 21 
 
 2 
 
 9 
 
 12 
 
 1 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 N. M. 
 
 46 
 
 39 
 
 32 
 
 41 
 
 16 
 
 12 
 
 27 
 
 18 
 
 4 
 
 27 
 
 28 
 
 N. Y. 
 
 27 
 
 16 
 
 2 
 
 18 
 
 1 
 
 16 
 
 23 
 
 14 
 
 30 
 
 4 
 
 12 
 
 Ohio 
 
 6 
 
 9 
 
 27 
 
 19 
 
 7 
 
 21 
 
 15 
 
 13 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 11 
 
 Okla. 
 
 42 
 
 37 
 
 30 
 
 32 
 
 35 
 
 32 
 
 33 
 
 31 
 
 32 
 
 26 
 
 33 
 
 Ore. 
 
 8 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 11 
 
 24 
 
 23 
 
 18 
 
 21 
 
 28 
 
 17 
 
 19 
 
 Penn. 
 
 24 
 
 21 
 
 10 
 
 29 
 
 11 
 
 24 
 
 25 
 
 5 
 
 14 
 
 13 
 
 20 
 
 R. I. 
 
 38 
 
 24 
 
 1 
 
 24 
 
 6 
 
 25 
 
 29 
 
 12 
 
 23 
 
 10 
 
 24 
 
 S. C. 
 
 40 
 
 48 
 
 48 
 
 48 
 
 48 
 
 42 
 
 43 
 
 42 
 
 41 
 
 47 
 
 48 
 
 S. D. 
 
 47 
 
 31 
 
 3 
 
 14 
 
 44 
 
 6 
 
 21 
 
 32 
 
 5 
 
 32 
 
 26 
 
 Tenn. 
 
 19 
 
 32 
 
 39 
 
 45 
 
 27 
 
 43 
 
 41 
 
 41 
 
 43 
 
 42 
 
 40 
 
 Texas 
 
 26 
 
 33 
 
 37 
 
 36 
 
 29 
 
 38 
 
 35 
 
 33 
 
 35 
 
 35 
 
 36 
 
 Utah 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 19 
 
 27 
 
 3 
 
 17 
 
 14 
 
 7 
 
 15 
 
 9 
 
 7 
 
 Va. 
 
 39 
 
 41 
 
 38 
 
 35 
 
 43 
 
 41 
 
 39 
 
 40 
 
 39 
 
 39 
 
 39 
 
 Vt. 
 
 18 
 
 17 
 
 17 
 
 4 
 
 18 
 
 29 
 
 28 
 
 34 
 
 29 
 
 36 
 
 29 
 
 Wash. 
 
 29 
 
 25 
 
 11 
 
 2 
 
 30 
 
 5 
 
 9 
 
 4 
 
 12 
 
 3 
 
 5 
 
 Wis. 
 
 36 
 
 29 
 
 8 
 
 10 
 
 17 
 
 30 
 
 31 
 
 26 
 
 27 
 
 30 
 
 30 
 
 W. Va. 
 
 30 
 
 38 
 
 43 
 
 37 
 
 26 
 
 37 
 
 36 
 
 38 
 
 38 
 
 37 
 
 38 
 
 Wyo. 
 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 35 
 
 30 
 
 42 
 
 15 
 
 4 
 
 29 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 
 23 
 
 49
 
 GAINS AND LOSSES IN 28 YEARS 
 Table 11 is similar to Table 10 in that it gives 
 data for the 48 states only. The first four 
 columns show, to the nearest whole number, 
 the gains or losses in the index number in 
 each period and for the whole 28 years from 
 1890 to 1918. In the same way the figures in 
 the second set of columns show the gains or 
 losses in the ranks of the states in each of the 
 three periods and during the whole 28 years. 
 Since the numbers of the first four columns 
 are stated as whole numbers and without their 
 decimal fractions, the figures hi the fourth 
 column do not in every case appear to be in 
 accord with those in the first three columns. 
 They are, however, accurately recorded. 
 
 It is noteworthy that there have been but 
 few cases in which the index number of a 
 state has actually fallen. The differences be- 
 tween the states are mostly those of degree. 
 
 During the 28 years the smallest gain in 
 the index number has been that of Mississippi, 
 of eight points, and the greatest that of New 
 Mexico, which has gone forward 43 points. 
 The extremes for the changes of rank are 
 found in the cases of Maryland, which has 
 lost 25 places, and Utah, which has gained 20. 
 The figures for Oklahoma cover only the 
 period from 1900 to 1918. 
 50
 
 TABLE 11. CHANGES IN INDEX NUMBERS AND IN 
 RANKS OF STATES. 1890 to 1918 
 
 
 Changes in Index 
 
 Changes in Rank 
 
 
 1890 
 
 1900 
 
 1910 
 
 1890 
 
 1890 
 
 1900 
 
 1910 
 
 1890 
 
 
 to 
 
 to 
 
 to 
 
 to 
 
 to 
 
 to 
 
 to 
 
 to 
 
 
 1900 
 
 1910 
 
 1918 
 
 1918 
 
 1900 
 
 1910 
 
 1918 
 
 1918 
 
 Ala. 
 
 +2 
 
 +7 
 
 +4 
 
 +13 
 
 -4 
 
 +3 
 
 -4 
 
 -5 
 
 Ariz. 
 
 -3 
 
 +16 
 
 +20 
 
 +33 
 
 -18 
 
 +14 
 
 +15 
 
 +11 
 
 Ark. 
 
 +1 
 
 +6 
 
 +3 
 
 +10 
 
 -3 
 
 -1 
 
 -4 
 
 -8 
 
 Cal. 
 
 
 +16 
 
 +11 
 
 +27 
 
 -1 
 
 +2 
 
 
 
 +1 
 
 Colo. 
 
 +4 
 
 +7 
 
 +10 
 
 +21 
 
 -1 
 
 -5 
 
 -1 
 
 ~-7 
 
 Conn. 
 
 +4 
 
 +6 
 
 +11 
 
 +21 
 
 +1 
 
 -7 
 
 +1 
 
 -5 
 
 Del. 
 
 +1 
 
 +8 
 
 +4 
 
 +13 
 
 -6 
 
 -1 
 
 -4 
 
 -11 
 
 Fla. 
 
 
 +8 
 
 +8 
 
 +9 
 
 -11 
 
 -2 
 
 +2 
 
 -11 
 
 Ga. 
 
 +6 
 
 +7 
 
 +4 
 
 +17 
 
 +2 
 
 
 -3 
 
 _1 
 
 Idaho 
 
 +6 
 
 +16 
 
 +14 
 
 +36 
 
 +3 
 
 +14 
 
 +2 
 
 +19 
 
 111. 
 
 +5 
 
 +13 
 
 +7 
 
 +25 
 
 +2 
 
 +2 
 
 -13 
 
 -9 
 
 Ind. 
 
 +6 
 
 +10 
 
 +13 
 
 +29 
 
 +9 
 
 -1 
 
 
 +8 
 
 Iowa 
 
 +3 
 
 +7 
 
 +21 
 
 +31 
 
 -5 
 
 -7 
 
 +23 
 
 +11 
 
 Kans. 
 
 +1 
 
 +11 
 
 +12 
 
 +24 
 
 -10 
 
 +7 
 
 -3 
 
 -6 
 
 Ky. 
 
 +2 
 
 +5 
 
 +5 
 
 +12 
 
 -1 
 
 -4 
 
 -5 
 
 -10 
 
 La. 
 
 +4 
 
 +9 
 
 +3 
 
 +16 
 
 
 +4 
 
 -7 
 
 -3 
 
 Maine 
 
 +4 
 
 +6 
 
 +7 
 
 +17 
 
 -3 
 
 "-4 
 
 -4 
 
 -11 
 
 Mass. 
 
 +4 
 
 +6 
 
 +5 
 
 +15 
 
 +1 
 
 -3 
 
 -5 
 
 -7 
 
 Md. 
 
 +2 
 
 +3 
 
 +5 
 
 +10 
 
 -7 
 
 -14 
 
 4 
 
 -25 
 
 Mich. 
 
 +4 
 
 +9 
 
 +15 
 
 +28 
 
 -2 
 
 -1 
 
 +9 
 
 +6 
 
 Minn. 
 
 +6 
 
 +10 
 
 +13 
 
 -4-29 
 
 +5 
 
 
 +2 
 
 +7 
 
 Miss. 
 
 
 +5 
 
 +4 
 
 +8 
 
 -7 
 
 -1 
 
 -4 
 
 -12 
 
 Mo. 
 
 +6 
 
 +7 
 
 +11 
 
 +24 
 
 +3 
 
 -2 
 
 -2 
 
 -1 
 
 Mont. 
 
 +4 
 
 +14 
 
 +22 
 
 +40 
 
 -1 
 
 +3 
 
 +6 
 
 +8 
 
 Neb. 
 
 +10 
 
 +8 
 
 +13 
 
 +31 
 
 +14 
 
 -5 
 
 
 +9 
 
 Nev. 
 
 +8 
 
 +14 
 
 +3 
 
 +25 
 
 +4 
 
 +2 
 
 -11 
 
 -5 
 
 N. C. 
 
 
 +8 
 
 +5 
 
 +13 
 
 -4 
 
 +1 
 
 
 -3 
 
 N. D. 
 
 +10 
 
 +7 
 
 +17 
 
 +34 
 
 +12 
 
 -5 
 
 +12 
 
 +19 
 
 N. H. 
 
 +3 
 
 +8 
 
 +12 
 
 +23 
 
 -7 
 
 -2 
 
 -2 
 
 -11 
 
 N. J. 
 
 +3 
 
 +14 
 
 +12 
 
 +29 
 
 -1 
 
 +3 
 
 +2 
 
 +4 
 
 N. M. 
 
 +15 
 
 +6 
 
 +22 
 
 +43 
 
 +11 
 
 -1 
 
 +7 
 
 +17 
 
 N. Y. 
 
 +6 
 
 +5 
 
 +7 
 
 + 18 
 
 +2 
 
 -6 
 
 -5 
 
 -9 
 
 Ohio 
 
 +4 
 
 +12 
 
 +11 
 
 +27 
 
 +1 
 
 -2 
 
 +2 
 
 +1 
 
 Okla. 
 
 
 +13 
 
 +8 
 
 +21 
 
 
 +4 
 
 -1 
 
 +3 
 
 Ore. 
 
 +4 
 
 +16 
 
 +10 
 
 +30 
 
 +2 
 
 +13 
 
 -5 
 
 +10 
 
 Penn. 
 
 +2 
 
 +10 
 
 +11 
 
 +23 
 
 -5 
 
 -1 
 
 -5 
 
 -11 
 
 R. I. 
 
 +4 
 
 +8 
 
 +5 
 
 +17 
 
 t 
 
 -4 
 
 -16 
 
 -21 
 
 B.C. 
 
 +9 
 
 +4 
 
 +4 
 
 +17 
 
 
 -2 
 
 -3 
 
 -5 
 
 S. D. 
 
 +8 
 
 +9 
 
 +12 
 
 +29 
 
 +7 
 
 -1 
 
 -3 
 
 +3 
 
 Tenn. 
 
 +1 
 
 +7 
 
 +6 
 
 +14 
 
 
 -2 
 
 -1 
 
 -3 
 
 Texas 
 
 +1 
 
 +8 
 
 +9 
 
 +18 
 
 -2 
 
 +1 
 
 -2 
 
 -3 
 
 Utah 
 
 +9 
 
 +13 
 
 +10 
 
 +32 
 
 +17 
 
 +2 
 
 +1 
 
 +20 
 
 Va. 
 
 
 +8 
 
 +5 
 
 +13 
 
 -4 
 
 +1 
 
 -2 
 
 -6 
 
 Vt. 
 
 +5 
 
 +7 
 
 +10 
 
 +22 
 
 +3 
 
 -9 
 
 3 
 
 -9 
 
 Wash. 
 
 +6 
 
 +24 
 
 +3 
 
 +33 
 
 +6 
 
 +13 
 
 -5 
 
 +14 
 
 Wis. 
 
 +3 
 
 +9 
 
 +8 
 
 +20 
 
 -7 
 
 +1 
 
 -10 
 
 -16 
 
 W. Va. 
 
 +5 
 
 +6 
 
 +5 
 
 +16 
 
 +5 
 
 -1 
 
 -5 
 
 -1 
 
 Wyo. 
 
 +2 
 
 +11 
 
 +14 
 
 +27 
 
 -7 
 
 +4 
 
 
 -3 
 
 51
 
 INDEX NUMBERS STATED AS WHOLE 
 NUMBERS 
 
 In Table 12 the index numbers for 1918 for 
 the 48 states, the District of Columbia, and 
 the territorial possessions are given as whole 
 numbers. That is, the decimal fractions are 
 omitted and the figures given to the nearest 
 whole number. The data of this table give 
 in some ways a more accurate picture of the 
 conditions shown by the index numbers than 
 do the previous tables in which the fractions 
 are retained. 
 
 They show that considerable groups of 
 states are virtually tied hi the final results. 
 Thus there are six states with a score of 59, 
 four with one of 57, three with the number 55, 
 and so on. 
 
 They show further that in a general way 
 the states tend to fall into two great groups. 
 One of these consists of the Southern states 
 with index numbers averaging around 35, 
 while the other group consists of all the re- 
 maining states with indexes averaging around 
 58. If the numbers for all the states are 
 plotted on a surface of distribution this ten- 
 dency of the index numbers to form two groups 
 is clearly manifested. 
 
 52
 
 TABLE 12. INDEX NUMBERS OF STATES IN 1918 
 
 Montana 76 Kansas 55 
 
 California 71 Canal Zone 65 
 
 Arizona 66 South Dakota 55 
 
 New Jersey 66 New Hampshire 54 
 
 District of Columbia 64 New Mexico 53 
 
 Washington 64 Vermont 52 
 
 Iowa 62 Wisconsin 51 
 
 Utah 61 Missouri 50 
 
 Massachusetts 61 Maine 47 
 
 Michigan 60 Oklahoma 44 
 
 Connecticut 60 Maryland 43 
 
 Ohio 60 Delaware 42 
 
 New York 59 Texas 41 
 
 Colorado 59 Florida 38 
 
 North Dakota 59 West Virginia 38 
 
 Nevada 59 Porto Rico 36 
 
 Indiana 59 Virginia 35 
 
 Idaho 59 Tennessee 35 
 
 Minnesota 58 Kentucky 35 
 
 Oregon 58 Louisiana 34 
 
 Pennsylvania 58 Georgia 33 
 
 Nebraska 57 North Carolina 31 
 
 Hawaii 57 Alabama 31 
 
 Illinois 57 Arkansas 30 
 
 Wyoming 57 Mississippi 30 
 
 Rhode Island 56 South Carolina 29 
 
 EDUCATIONAL RESULTS AND FINANCIAL 
 EXPENDITURES 
 
 Table 13 gives two sets of figures for each 
 state for 1918. The first of these is the sum of 
 the five components of the index number that 
 are educational and not financial hi nature. 
 These items relate to the school term and the 
 children but not to the expenditures. The 
 second figure for each state is the sum of the 
 five financial components. All the figures are 
 stated as whole numbers with the decimal 
 places omitted. The states are placed hi the 
 descending order of the combined educational 
 items, which are those in the first column. 
 53
 
 There are two significant features shown by 
 this table. The first is that there is a generally 
 close agreement between the educational 
 figures in the first column and the financial 
 ones in the second column in the matter of 
 relative magnitude. In general the high edu- 
 cational figures are accompanied by high 
 financial ones, and the low educational totals 
 by correspondingly low financial ones. This 
 is one way of saying that a state having a long 
 school term, high attendance, and many chil- 
 dren in high school must pay more for the 
 upkeep of its educational system than one 
 which has none of these advantages. 
 
 Another interpretation of the figures, which 
 also is valid, is that the figures for school ex- 
 penditures do have a close relation to those 
 which show the amount of education given 
 and tell how many are in high school, and 
 that they are important indicators of the 
 efficiency of the system and the quality of the 
 education the children receive. 
 
 The other important fact about the figures 
 is that in general the educational figures in 
 the first column are larger than the financial 
 figures in the second column. The average 
 relationship is approximately that of four to 
 three. However, since there is a greater range 
 54
 
 of variation in the financial items, and since 
 both sets are inter-related and in some mea- 
 sure inter-dependent, neither set dominates 
 the other in final effect. 
 
 The coefficient of correlation between the 
 two sets of figures is high. As computed by 
 Pearson's formula it is .78. 
 
 TABLE 13. SUM OF FIVE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENTS 
 
 AND SUM OF FIVE FINANCIAL COMPONENTS OF INDEX 
 
 NUMBER FOR EACH STATE IN 1918 
 
 State 
 
 Sum of 
 educational 
 components 
 
 Sum of 
 financial 
 components 
 
 State 
 
 Sum of 
 educational 
 components 
 
 Sum of 
 financial 
 components 
 
 Cal. 
 
 355 
 
 358 
 
 111. 
 
 302 
 
 266 
 
 Ore. 
 
 332 
 
 246 
 
 Wis. 
 
 302 
 
 212 
 
 Iowa 
 
 330 
 
 289 
 
 Minn. 
 
 300 
 
 284 
 
 Ind. 
 
 329 
 
 259 
 
 Idaho 
 
 292 
 
 293 
 
 Conn. 
 
 328 
 
 269 
 
 Mo. 
 
 288 
 
 208 
 
 Mont. 
 
 328 
 
 430 
 
 8. D. 
 
 281 
 
 269 
 
 Mass. 
 
 327 
 
 283 
 
 N. D. 
 
 271 
 
 321 
 
 Mich. 
 
 327 
 
 277 
 
 Del. 
 
 269 
 
 156 
 
 N. Y. 
 
 325 
 
 269 
 
 Texas 
 
 261 
 
 151 
 
 N. J. 
 
 325 
 
 335 
 
 Okla. 
 
 257 
 
 188 
 
 Ohio 
 
 323 
 
 274 
 
 Md. 
 
 253 
 
 179 
 
 Maine 
 
 322 
 
 151 
 
 Tenn. 
 
 251 
 
 100 
 
 Utah 
 
 321 
 
 293 
 
 N. M. 
 
 251 
 
 280 
 
 Vt. 
 
 316 
 
 199 
 
 W. Va. 
 
 248 
 
 129 
 
 Kans. 
 
 314 
 
 237 
 
 Ga. 
 
 241 
 
 85 
 
 Nev. 
 
 312 
 
 279 
 
 Va. 
 
 240 
 
 113 
 
 N. H. 
 
 311 
 
 233 
 
 Ky. 
 
 239 
 
 110 
 
 Wash. 
 
 310 
 
 327 
 
 Miss. 
 
 237 
 
 63 
 
 R. I. 
 
 309 
 
 255 
 
 Fla. 
 
 231 
 
 147 
 
 Wyo. 
 
 305 
 
 262 
 
 N. C. 
 
 230 
 
 76 
 
 Colo. 
 
 304 
 
 289 
 
 Ark. 
 
 226 
 
 77 
 
 Neb. 
 
 303 
 
 268 
 
 Ala. 
 
 221 
 
 85 
 
 Ariz. 
 
 302 
 
 360 
 
 La. 
 
 213 
 
 125 
 
 Penn. 
 
 302 
 
 274 
 
 S. C. 
 
 198 
 
 96 
 
 55
 
 CORRELATIONS 
 
 The coefficients of correlation have been 
 computed between the 10 different series of 
 components and the final series of index num- 
 bers for 1918. The purpose of these computa- 
 tions has been to find how nearly each series 
 of items corresponds with the final index 
 numbers. This process throws light on the 
 relative value of the different elements. It 
 does not do this hi a complete or final way be- 
 cause the different elements are inter-related 
 and, as each exercises some influence in de- 
 termining the final index number, it is almost 
 inevitable that some degree of correlation 
 should exist between each one of the series 
 and the final results. It has nevertheless been 
 thought worth while to make the computa- 
 tions for purposes of comparison. 
 
 The coefficients of correlation have been 
 computed from the ranks of Table 9 instead 
 of from the original data, and the work has 
 been done by the method of squared dif- 
 ferences. 
 
 The resulting coefficients show the degree 
 of correlation between each of the 10 series 
 of elements and the final series of index num- 
 bers for 1918. They are as follows: 
 
 66
 
 1. Per cent of school population attending .69 
 
 2. Days attended per child of school age .84 
 
 3. Days schools were kept open .67 
 
 4. High school attendance .67 
 
 5. Per cent of boys to girls in high school .49 
 
 6. Expenditure per child attending .89 
 
 7. Expenditure per child of school age .93 
 
 8. Expenditure per teacher .87 
 
 9. Expenditure for non-salary purposes .84 
 10. Teachers' salaries .84 
 
 Five non-financial items combined .82 
 
 Five financial items combined .95 
 
 The coefficients in general are high, as would 
 be expected from the nature of the data. It is, 
 however, interesting to note that there is a 
 high relationship between the proportion of 
 children enrolled in high schools and the final 
 educational index. It is also interesting to 
 note that expenditures for purposes other 
 than teaching appear to be as highly cor- 
 related with the final index numbers as do the 
 expenditures paid out directly for teachers' 
 salaries. 
 
 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE INDEX NUMBER 
 Various questions as to the reliability and de- 
 gree of significance of the index number call 
 for consideration. Perhaps the most impor- 
 tant of these relates to the degree to which 
 the different items, separately or in combi- 
 nation, constitute trustworthy indicators of 
 educational efficiency. 
 57
 
 If some great national agency were to 
 undertake a survey of each of the 48 state 
 school systems, it would surely report on 
 many phases of their work not included in the 
 items of the index. Among such phases would 
 be the legal basis of the system, its organiza- 
 tion, professional leadership and supervision, 
 business management, course of study, teach- 
 ing staff, plant and equipment, and the re- 
 sults of standard tests of classroom work. 
 
 These elements, and others like them, are 
 not directly included in the index, although 
 some of them are crudely measured by the 
 several items for financial expenditure. The 
 sad fact is that, if there were available such 
 information as surveys gather on most of the 
 subjects suggested above, it would still be 
 impossible to state the results in terms that 
 could be included in an index number. The 
 reason for this is that there is as yet little 
 exact knowledge about education. We do 
 not know just what kind of a teaching staff 
 does the best work, or what kind of super- 
 vision is the most effective, or how many su- 
 pervisors there ought to be, or how to mea- 
 sure organization in quantitative terms, or 
 how to evaluate most of the other matters 
 on which we report in survey making. 
 58
 
 Under present circumstances the best that 
 can be done in an undertaking of the present 
 sort is to take all the items for which con- 
 tinuous, reliable data can be secured and to 
 combine them by as careful and impartial 
 methods as can be brought to bear. In the 
 present case it is to be regretted that only 
 10 items could be found that seemed to meet 
 the requirements that were laid down at the 
 outset of the work. If the number of accurate 
 and significant series used were greater, the 
 reliability of the results would be enhanced. 
 
 ACCURACY OF DATA 
 
 Fortunately the data used are of a high de- 
 gree of accuracy as compared with most other 
 sorts of mass statistics. Data for school at- 
 tendance are gathered at their source daily 
 in set forms by people who are paid for their 
 work and they are compiled in permanent 
 offices by paid employees. Something of the 
 same conditions maintains with respect to 
 figures for public school expenditures. There 
 are few other kinds of data of a comparable 
 sort for which so much may be claimed on the 
 side of reliability. As compared with censuses 
 of population, occupations, or manufactures, 
 or government data on agriculture, or strength 
 59
 
 returns of the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps, 
 the data for school attendance and gross ex- 
 penditures are certainly in the lead in the 
 matter of accuracy. As compared with data 
 for the results of psychological tests or mea- 
 surements of class room products they are al- 
 most indefinitely more reliable. 
 
 There are certain other data published in 
 the reports of the Bureau of Education which 
 have been excluded from the index because 
 so much could not be claimed for them on the 
 score of accuracy. Among these data are the 
 figures for the enrollment of pupils. These 
 have been carefully tested and rejected. The 
 figures for attendance have been used instead. 
 Other figures that have been considered, but 
 rejected, include those for the valuation of 
 school property and the detailed figures for 
 expenditures for such matters as general con- 
 trol, textbooks, and the like. 
 
 PRIVATE AND PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS 
 Another question that may well be raised is 
 that relating to the procedure which takes 
 into account only the figures for the public 
 schools and does not allow for the enrollment 
 in private and parochial schools. In some 
 states the pupils in schools under private 
 60
 
 and church control are relatively numerous. 
 According to the report for 1918 there were 
 then 12 states in which the private school en- 
 rollment was more than 10 per cent as great 
 as that of the public schools. Seven of these 
 12 states were in the North Atlantic group. 
 
 From a statistical point of view a state 
 having a large proportion of children in pri- 
 vate schools tends to be penalized in the two 
 elements of the index which relate to the at- 
 tendance in public schools, and rewarded in 
 one of the high school elements and the five 
 items that relate to financial expenditures. 
 Being relieved of the expense of educating a 
 large number of the children, such a state 
 ought to make a better showing in the matter 
 of expenditures for the pupils who are in pub- 
 lic schools than it would if it had to bear the 
 whole burden of expense. Since the differ- 
 ences involved tend in some measure to coun- 
 terbalance each other it is not believed that 
 they have an important bearing on the final 
 results and no further allowance has been 
 made for them. In so far as they do influence 
 the results they favor the state with many 
 children in private schools. 
 
 61
 
 DIFFERENT TYPES OF STATES 
 Another set of questions centers around the 
 propriety of using the same index number to 
 measure conditions in wealthy states and 
 those with small resources, northern states 
 and southern states, those that have large 
 urban populations and states predominantly 
 rural, those with many foreign-born in the 
 population and those that have few. 
 
 The answer to these questions is that the 
 index number attempts to measure accom- 
 plishment rather than effort. It does,not seek 
 to award credit or apportion blame. Like the 
 Census figures for population increase or 
 death rate, or those of the Bureau of Labor 
 for cost of living in different parts of the 
 country, it attempts to measure a status 
 rather than to explain why that status came 
 into being. 
 
 Careful checking has been done to ascertain 
 whether or not the results were seriously af- 
 fected by the fact that some states have many 
 more small rural schools than others and hence 
 fewer children per teacher. The results show 
 that these differences have no constant rela- 
 tionship to the index numbers. For the entire 
 United States the number of children attend- 
 ing per teacher is 23. The highest average is 
 62
 
 among states having the lowest index num- 
 bers. The next highest is among those having 
 the highest index numbers and the interme- 
 diate averages among states having medium 
 index ranks. 
 
 PURCHASING POWER OF MONEY 
 One criticism that might be made of the use 
 of the index number over a long period of 
 time is that several of the elements of the 
 index are financial in nature and that the 
 purchasing power of money has undergone 
 changes that have recently been increasingly 
 marked. Careful attempts have been made 
 to devise a satisfactory correction for this 
 but they resulted in slight changes in the 
 final results and serious complications in the 
 computations. For this reason they were 
 given up in favor of the more simple and 
 direct method. This factor has practically no 
 effect on the relative standing of the states 
 at each given date. 
 
 HIGH SCHOOL DATA 
 
 There are several matters with regard to the 
 high school data that need comment. The 
 first of these relates to the basis on which the 
 data that have been published by the Bureau 
 63
 
 of Education have been gathered. They are 
 not in reality attendance figures. They are 
 membership figures given at the close of the 
 school year and appear to run somewhat 
 above the figures for average attendance and 
 to be in general lower than the figures for 
 total enrollment. This discrepancy affects 
 only one item of the index and that in only 
 slight degree. 
 
 A further comment with regard to the high 
 school data is that the index assumes that 
 under ideal conditions one-third of the chil- 
 dren in school might be found in the high 
 schools. The basis for this assumption is 
 that there are commonly four high school 
 classes and eight elementary grades so that 
 the high school course is one-third of the en- 
 tire course. While this is true, it does not 
 follow that one-third of the pupils could 
 normally be found in the high school even 
 under ideal conditions. The reasons for this 
 are that many children die before reaching 
 the high school age and, in our increasing 
 populations, there are always further addi- 
 tional numbers of children in the lower age 
 groups. On the other hand, many children 
 enter high school from private and parochial 
 schools which tends to offset the differences 
 64
 
 just mentioned. In the data for recent years 
 care has been taken to distribute the pupils 
 in junior high schools in the grades they 
 would have been in on the conventional basis 
 of organization. 
 
 TEACHERS' SALARIES 
 
 The monthly salaries of teachers have been 
 computed by dividing the total expenditures 
 for salaries of teachers by the total number of 
 teachers employed, and dividing this result 
 by 12. The methods of gathering these data 
 have not remained constant during the time 
 covered by the reports of the Bureau of Edu- 
 cation. In recent years the figures include 
 principals and supervisory officers as well 
 as teachers but, since the salaries of these 
 officers are also included, the per capita 
 figures are but slightly affected by the changes 
 in the methods of gathering the original data. 
 Another important matter with respect 
 to these data is that the figures used in the 
 present computations are based on the whole 
 number of different teachers employed, rather 
 than on the number of teaching positions. 
 This method tends to penalize the states that 
 have the greatest turnovers in the teaching 
 force. If a state employs many more teachers 
 65
 
 during one year than it has teaching positions, 
 the resulting payments per teacher will be 
 reduced. In the computations for the index 
 number the figures giving the total number of 
 different teachers employed during the year 
 have been used because there is good evidence 
 that they are more uniformly and more ac- 
 curately reported by the different states than 
 are the data for teaching positions. The dif- 
 ference in method makes the figures used in 
 the index differ somewhat from the cor- 
 responding salary figures published by the 
 Bureau of Education. 
 
 LIMITATIONS 
 
 The index number that has been described 
 should not be used in the attempt to measure 
 or compare conditions in the school systems 
 of cities. It is valid for large geographical 
 units to a degree that it would not be for 
 small ones. The principal reason for this 
 difference is to be found in the greater sta- 
 bility of the data for the large unit composed 
 of a great number of small units acting al- 
 most independently of each other. 
 
 Perhaps the best illustration of this is 
 found in the figures for expenditures. Cities 
 commonly defray the expenses of erecting new 
 66
 
 buildings by issuing bonds and these issues 
 are often used to pay for the structures called 
 for by an extensive building program. The 
 result is that educational expenditures in 
 cities are subject to large fluctuations. Some- 
 times they are nearly doubled for a period of 
 two or three years and then fall back to close 
 to their former level. 
 
 Under these conditions the use of the pres- 
 ent index number would give misleading re- 
 sults if computed for cities. The figures for 
 an entire state are very different for the rea- 
 son that the state is made up of many cities 
 and towns which make their exceptional ex- 
 penditures at different times so that the sum 
 total moves forward from year to year with 
 comparative steadiness. 
 
 Observations of a somewhat similar sort 
 may be made with respect to the figures giving 
 the number of children of school age and those 
 showing the attendance in public schools. 
 The data for school population are more re- 
 liable for the states than they are for cities 
 in inter-census years. Those for attendance in 
 public schools are less affected by attendance 
 in private and parochial schools, when taken 
 for an entire state, than they would be if 
 
 67
 
 they were for the component sub-divisions 
 of the state. 
 
 For all of the foregoing reasons the index 
 number that has been presented should not 
 be used to measure city school systems. An 
 index number for city systems would have to 
 be constructed from different elements and 
 after most careful tests to identify the items 
 that could be used as trustworthy indicators 
 of school efficiency in the municipalities. 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 This volume presents an index number for 
 measuring the effectiveness of state school 
 systems. It is a composite of 10 different 
 elements, of which five are measures of the 
 amount of education received by the chil- 
 dren, and the remaining five are measures of 
 the expenditures made to purchase this 
 education. 
 
 The index number has been computed by 
 methods similar in principle to those in cur- 
 rent use for measuring the fluctuations in the 
 prices of commodities, the cost of living, the 
 value of securities, and the like. It has been 
 computed for the entire United States for 
 each year from 1871 to 1918, and for each 
 state for the years 1890, 1900, 1910, 1916 and 
 68
 
 1918. It has also been computed for the Dis- 
 trict of Columbia for each of these years and 
 for Hawaii, the Canal Zone, and Porto Rico 
 for 1918. 
 
 In constructing the index number the pur- 
 pose has been to use as component elements 
 all the series of measures that were available 
 in substantially uniform and reliable records 
 for the entire period of 47 years, that were hi 
 general as fair to each state as to each other 
 state, and that were of such a nature that 
 increases in them reflected improved educa- 
 tional conditions, and decreases in them re- 
 flected poorer educational conditions. 
 
 It is the belief of the author that this index 
 number is relatively reliable as an indicator 
 of changes in the effectiveness of public edu- 
 cation from year to year hi the country as a 
 whole over the period included in the present 
 report. In the cases of the individual states 
 it gives significantly valuable information as 
 to changes in absolute and relative status over 
 periods of several years, such as decades. 
 The minute differences in the decimal places 
 of the numbers for the different states should 
 not be regarded as significant. 
 
 In general the index number should be re- 
 garded as reliable rather than precise. Its 
 69
 
 methods are rigid and impartial, but not con- 
 siderate or interpretative. It measures results 
 without considering causes. The purpose of 
 the index number is to make it possible for 
 state school systems to measure their progress 
 from year to year and to compare their at- 
 tainments with those of their neighbors. 
 
 70
 
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