Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/682

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UNITED STATES : — WEST VIRGINIA

Area, Population, Instruction.— Area, 24,170 square miles, of

which 148 square miles is water area. The population, according to the census of 1920, is 1,463,610.

Population

Year

Population

Total

Per 8q. mile

Total 1 Per sq. mile

1890 1900

762,794 958,800

31*8 39-9

1910 1920

1,221,119 1,463,610

'50*8 60-5

In 1910 the

population by sex and race was : —

-

White

Negro

Asiatic i Indian

i

Total

Male Female.

•

607,326 549,491

36,607 27,566

111

18

644,044 577,075

Total.

1,156,817

64,173

93 36

1,221,119

Of the total population in 1910, 57,218 were born in foreign countries and of these 6,327 came from Germany, 2,292 from Ireland, 17,292 from Italy, and 3,511 from England. Urban population was 18 '7 per cent, of the whole. In 1920 the population of the principal cities was: Wheeling, 56,208; Huntington, 50,177 ; Charleston, 39,608 ; Parkersburg, 20,050.

The most numerous denominations are Methodists, Baptists, Roman Catho- lics, and Presbyterians. Most of the denominations have colleges within the State.

Elementary education is free for all from 6 to 21 years of age, and school attendance for 20 weeks annually is compulsory for all children between the ages of 8 and 14 years. The public or free schools are non-sectarian. A rigid code of moral instruction is enforced, but no sectarian teaching is permitted. In 1920 the 6,956 public elementary schools had 341,977 enrolled pupils and 10,978 teachers, and 172 public high schools had 1,129 teachers and 18,512 pupils in 1920. The 6 public normal schools had 123 teachers and 2, 262 students in 1917. Expenditure on education in 1920, 11,291,563 dollars.

The West Virginia University, founded in 1868, at Morgantown otters higher instruction free to all residents of the State, and at nominal fees to those from other States. In 1920 it had 120 instructors and 1,737 students (exclusive of summer school and short course students). Bethany College (1841), under the control of the Christian Church, has 27 instructors and 400 students. West Virginia Wosleyau College (1890), a Methodist institution, has 33 instructors and 430 students.

On January 1, 1910, the number of paupers in almshouses was 808, being 66 "2 per 100,000 of the population, and of prisoners iu penal institutions, 1,475, being 120-8 per 100,000 of the population.

Finance. — The State Fund revenue and expenditure for the year ending June 30, 1919, were as follows : —

Dollars

Balae.nc July 1, 1918 3,901,171

Receipts, 1918-19 .... . 5,010,573

Total. Disbursements, 1918-19

Balance. June 30, 1919 ,

8,911,744 6,693,653

2,218,091