Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/687

 CHARITY — FINANCE, DEFENCE 565

sectarian teaching is permitted. In 1910 the public elementary schools had 276,458 enrolled pupils and 8,782 teachers, and 61 public high schools had 197 teachers and 3,982 pupils. The 6 public normal schools had 24 teachers and 1,656 students.

The West Virginia University, founded in 1867, at Morgantown offers higher instruction free to all residents of the State, and at nominal fees to those from other States. In 1910 it had 71 professors and 1,422 students. Bethany College, under the control of the Christian Church, has 19 instructors and 342 students. West Virginia Wesleyan College, a Methodist institution, has 21 instructors and 159 students. There are two other institutions, one at Barboursville, Methodist Episcopal, with 6 teachers and 163 students, the other at Elkins, Presbyterian, with 6 teachers and 40 students.

Charity. — The state has a Penitentiary, a Reform School for boys, and an Industrial Home for girls. The State Humane Society has authority to take under its care children who are abused or neglected, to find homes for the aged, and protect the lower animals. Other State institutions include Hospitals for the Insane, Asylums, Miners' Hospitals, Schools for the Deaf and Blind, and County Farms (one in each county). These farms provide shelter, food, clothing, and medical attendance for the poor in each county. There are also many institutions (including 15 hospitals) provided by public, private or ecclesiastical beneficence. Each county court appoints overseers for magisterial districts, and may establish a county infirmary for the poor. Legal settlement is gained by a year's continuous residence. Necessary relief must be given to a pauper without settlement, but he must be removed to the county where he is chargeable. Parents, children, brothers and sisters of a* pauper are liable for his support. To bring an indigent person into the State is a penal offence.

Finance, Defence. — The State Fund revenue and expenditure for the year ending September 30, 1912, were as follows ; —

Dollars

Balance, October 1, 1911 1,173,342

Receipts during year 4,625,212

Total 5,798,554

Payments to September 30, 1912. . . 4,665,766

Balance September 30, 1912. . . 1,132,788

The Constitution provides that 'no debt shall be contracted by the State.' The State has, in fact, a large surplus remaining in its Treasury each year. In 1907 the assessed value of real property was 487,110,791 dollars, and of personal property, 442,838,425 ; total assessed value, 929,949,216 dollars.

The militia or National Guard consists of a General Staff, two Regiments of Infantry and a Medical Department. The total strength in 1909 was 116 officers and 1,194 enlisted men.

Production and Industry. — In 910 the State had 96,685 farms with an area of 10,026,442 acres, of which 5,521,757 acres was improved land. The chief agricultural products in 1912 were wheat, 3,378,000 bushels, Indian corn 24,505,000 bushels, oats, 3,108,000 bushels, hay, 1,028,000 bushels, and potatoes, 5,264,000 bushels. The area under tobacco was 15,800 acres ; the yield amounted to 12,008,000 pounds, valued at 13,210,000 dollars. Apples, peaches, plums, and grapes are grown. In 1910 the farm