SECTION III: POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY AND STATISTICS (cont.)
Part 30. Education. Religion.
EDUCATION
The institution, control , and maintenance of public schools are in the hands of the several States, although the United States Government has made liberal grants of lands, in aid of primary instruction, to the States formed out of the public domain, and also for the endowment of colleges of agriculture and the mechanic arts, to all the States.
The following table (XXXIX.) presents the leading features of the public school statistics at four dates between 1876 and 1886: -
TABLE
The so-called public schools, although differing widely as to efficiency between the States and old States, between rich States and poor States, all conform closely to a traditional type, except so far as differences arise according as schools are in sparsely or in densely settled districts through the opportunity for grading the pupils which exists in the latter case. As regards, however, schools giving instruction higher than or other than that given in the ordinary public school, the greatest and most confusing differences exist as to designation, organization, and schemes of instruction.
The following table (XL.) presents the results of the compilations of the statistics of schools of the various classes by the United States Bureau of education: -
TABLE
RELIGION
The census has since 1850 attempted to obtain the number of church edifices, with the aggregate number of sittings, belonging to each principal sect or denomination. The results have not been highly satisfactory, either as to accuracy or as to classification. At the census of 1880 the attempt to collect the statistics of churches proved and almost total failure. It seems best, therefore, to adopt, for the present purpose, the figures (table XLI.) presented by the representatives of the various denominations, as they have been revised and digested by a competent authority, the Rev. Dr W. H. Dupuy, only adding the remark that no statement of this kind can be made to meet the views of all persons interested. The statement of Dr Dupuy does not include the Roman Catholic Church, whose authorities claim from six and a half to seven millions of adherents.
TABLE XLI. – Religious Denominations.
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