Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 10.djvu/641

INDIANA. elected for each of the townships and for the county as a whole. They control expenditure and the levying of taxes. The local executive officers cannot create debts without the permission of these legislative bodies.

In January, 1901, the total State debt amounted to $4,504,015. Of this $1,085,000 cannot be paid off until 1915, and $144,000 cannot be paid off until 1937, and bonds held by Purdue University representing an additional $340,000 run perpetually. In October, 1901, there was a balance in the treasury of $611,649. For finance of education and charitable and penal institutions, see paragraphs under those headings.

In one or two respects Indiana differs much from other Northern States in point of population. It has been less affected by immigration, the native-born population being proportionally greater than that of any other Northern State. Furthermore, the population is peculiar in that a large per cent. came from the South — Kentucky, North Carolina, and Virginia — while generally being unaffected by the westward wave from New England and New York. Again, the proportion of urban population — 30.6 per cent. in cities of only 4000 inhabitants (1900) — is less than that of any other of the Northwest Territory States. Of the 146,000 foreign born, the Germans constitute about one-half. The following shows the growth of population: In 1800, 2517; 1820, 147,178; 1840, 685,866; 1860, 1,350,428; 1880, 1,978,301; 1890, 2,192,404; 1900, 2,516,462—males, 1,285,404; females, 1,231,058; colored, 57,960. Indianapolis (the capital) in 1900 had 169,164; Evansville, 59,007; Fort Wayne, 45,115; Terre Haute, 36,673; South Bend, 35,999.

The State has thirteen Representatives in the National House of Representatives.

The Methodists from the pioneer days to the present have been the leading denomination, having more members in Indiana in proportion to the total State membership of all churches than in any other Northern State. In recent years the Christian Church has had a phenomenal growth. The Catholics are proportionally weaker than in any other Northern commonwealth. Altogether 55 different denominations are represented. Besides those mentioned, the most important are the Lutherans, Baptists, Presbyterians, United Brethren, and Friends.

In recent years the educational status of Indiana has improved very rapidly. The percentage of illiteracy for the age period of ten years and over decreased from 7.5 per cent. in 1880 to 4.6 per cent. in 1900. The percentage of illiteracy of the colored population was 22.6. In 1899 there was 73 per cent. of all persons between the ages of six and twenty-one enrolled in the State schools, as against 71 per cent. in 1879, and the per cent. of attendance on the basis of enrollment increased during the same period from 61 per cent. to 76 per cent. This increase is partially the result of the recent compulsory education laws, which compel children between the ages of six and fourteen to attend the full term of the local school. The average length of the school term increased from 132 days in 1879 to 152 in 1900. A State law now requires a minimum term of six months, but there is still a decided contrast between the average length of the rural and the city schools. A carefully graded system is now universal throughout the State, and through the agency of a competent corps of county superintendents an efficient supervision of schools is effected. A serious problem has arisen in consequence of the very general decrease in the attendance at the rural schools. In 1899 there were 1848 schools having less than 15 pupils each. The solution of the problem is being found in the abandonment of the small schools and the transportation, of the pupils to one centrally located school.

The greatest progress has been made in the high-school system of the State. Township high schools are now common. In 1899 there were 717 high schools, with courses of from two to four years in length, and 150 other schools in which some high-school work was done. High schools giving four-year courses and maintaining a certain standard of proficiency are granted commissions upon the approval of the State Board of Education. In the above year there were 156 commissioned high schools.

A considerable number of the teachers of the State have received collegiate and normal-school training. A more satisfactory system of examinations for teachers' certificates has been introduced, extending the jurisdiction of the State in the granting of certificates. At present life licenses are granted by the State Board of Education, as are also licenses for eight years and for sixty months. State licenses are issued by the State superintendent of public instruction for periods ranging from sixty to twelve months in length, while the county superintendent issues certificates for terms of from thirty-six to six months. The State maintains a normal school at Terre Haute, which in 1900 had an enrollment of 1672. Among the private normal schools are the Northern Indiana Normal School, at Valparaiso; the Tri-State Normal, at Angola; Rochester Normal University, at Rochester; and the Eastern Indiana Normal University, at Muncie. In 1900 the total number of male teachers was 7208; female, 8409.

The total expenditure for schools in 1900 was $8,188,089, of which $4,800,965 went to teachers and superintendents. A comparative study of the last few decades of the nineteenth century shows that the rate of the State tax for common schools is decreasing, necessitating heavier local burdens, the sum raised by local taxes having increased fourfold during that period ($2,542,552 in 1899). It is also found that the per capita cost of education has greatly increased in the rural districts and decreased in the cities. Indiana has fortunately provided a large permanent school fund, amounting in 1900 to $10,359,959. Of this $2,467,655, called the Congressional Township Fund, was secured from the sale in each township of the sixteenth section of land. The remainder ($7,892,303), called the Common School Fund, is composed of the county seminary fund, saline fund, bank-tax fund, surplus-revenue fund, and the sinking fund.

Higher education is provided by the State University at Bloomington, and technical instruction by Purdue University at Lafayette. There are numerous higher denominational institutions, including De Pauw University (Methodist), at Greencastle; Notre Dame University (Roman Catholic), near South Bend; Indianapolis University (including Butler College, Christian); Earlham College, at Richmond (Friends);