Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/154

MARYLAND.  During the Civil War a considerable debt was incurred for defense, bounties, etc., but it has been paid off, and the debt now consists almost entirely of bonds sold to defray the cost of new public buildings.

The debt in September, 1902, amounted to $6,909,326, of which $4,112,057 was secured by interest-paying bonds and cash with sinking fund, leaving a net debt of $2,797,267. The receipts for the year 1901-02 were $3,631,259 (including a loan of $400,000), mainly from licenses, taxes, and taxes on corporations. The disbursements were $3,416,376, of which 25 per cent. was for school purposes.

. The population of the State increased from 319,728 in 1790 to 583,034 in 1850; from 780,804 in 1870 to 1,042,390 in 1890; and to 1,188,044 in 1900. The rank of the State has decreased during every census period, being in 1700, 15 in 1850, and 26 in 1900. The foreign born population in 1900 was only 93,934, nearly half of whom were Germans. The negro population for the same year was 235,064. The increase in the white population during the decade ending in 1900 was 15.2 per cent., as against an increase of 9 per cent. for the negro population. The density per square mile in 1900, 120.5, was greater than for any other State not included in the North Atlantic division of States. In 1900 there were five places having a population exceeding 8000, aggregating 46.9 per cent. of the

total population. These cities were Baltimore, 508,957; Cumberland, 17,128; Hagerstown, 13,591; Frederick, 9296; and Annapolis, 8525. The State has six representatives in the Lower House of the National Congress.

. The Roman Catholic and the Methodist churches far surpass all others in number of Church communicants. Of the other denominations the strongest are the Protestant Episcopal, Lutheran, Baptist, and Presbyterian.

. The per cent. of illiteracy for the native whites (4.1) is the lowest, and for the negroes (35.1) next to the lowest of any State which has a large negro population. The Governor, the principal of the State Normal School, the State Superintendent (an office established in 1900), and four persons appointed by the Governor constitute the State Board of Education. The Governor and Senate appoint a board of school commissioners in each county, who serve six years. These commissioners appoint for each district a board of school trustees of three persons. In 1899-1900 the average length of the school year for the State was 188 days, which was exceeded in only two other States. The State law requires that the term continue ten months when possible. In 1900 the number of children between five and eighteen years of age was 345,350, of whom 229,332 were enrolled in the public schools, and 132,685 were in average attendance. The total number of colored pupils