Wyoming

Education.

The department of education, which administers the public school system of Wyoming, is composed of the superin tendent of public instruction and six members, appointed by him, who serve for six years and without salary. To carry into effect their plans and decisions the department appoints, with the gov ernor's approval, a commission of education upon which the actual work of travelling, inspection and correspondence falls.

The total school attendance in was 55,841 out of a school census population of 60,10o, or 92.9% as contrasted with in 193o and 91.6% in 192o. Of the total number registered in 1934, 41,802 were enrolled in the elementary schools of the State, and 14,039 in the secondary schools. High school enrolment has increased steadily, from 13,482 in 1932, and 11,164 in 1930. In addition, there were 1,596 pupils registered in the private and parochial schools of the State in 1934. The average daily at tendance in the public school system during 1933-34 was and the average number of days attendance per year per pupil en rolled was a marked increase over the 141.3 days attended in 1930, and the 117.4 days in 1920. An effort to improve the rural schools, begun in the 5920's, has borne fruit. Improved equipment and facilities have been introduced ; more than of the rural en rolment was brought to school in buses in 1934.

Wyoming holds the enviable position of securing a larger pro portion of its school support from non-taxation sources than any other State in the Union. In 1936 this proportion amounted to 50%. Like many other Western States it received, upon its admission to the Union, a grant from the Federal Government of one-sixteenth of the land within its borders for school purposes. Income from the sale of this land is to be held in a permanent school fund, only the interest of which can be used, with any proceeds which may come from leasing the land. Royalties from oil, coal and other minerals on these lands also go into this fund; and in addition 5% of all receipts for Federal lands sold within Wyoming's borders. This permanent fund increased from $3,153, 516 in 1920 to $18,872,125 in 1932, and its income available for use in the latter year was $904,864. When oil and other minerals are obtained from Federal lands within the State, the U.S. Govern ment pays to Wyoming certain royalties on such minerals, 5o% of which is distributed to the schools. It is especially the continu ing royalty on oil which is making a decrease in the amount secured by direct taxation possible. Government royalties amounted to $1,391,221 in 1935. Of the amount secured for edu cation through direct taxation $2,837,868 was derived from local district and poll taxes and $809,016 from county taxes in 1936.

School expenditures in 1933-34 totalled $4,392,000, of which $2,263,000 was for the salaries of the 2,590 teachers in the pub lic school system, a per capita salary of $967, $260 below the average for the United States as a whole, and $272 below the average salary in 1930. 17.9% of the teachers were male.

The University of Wyoming is in Laramie. In 1935-36 there were 1,682 students at the regular and summer sessions and a teaching staff of 146. The budget for 1931-32 totalled $1,246,000, of which $906,397 was for operating expenses, and $228,688 for the university improvement fund. There is a tax for the regular State university fund, and a tax for the university building improvement fund. Most of the buildings are compara tively new. In 1923 a new library was completed and in 1926 a new engineering building. The library contains 116,200 volumes, exclusive of pamphlets. The "Rocky Mountain Herbarium," the largest and most representative collection of plants of the central Rocky region, is also to be found at the university.

Penal and Charitable Institutions.

The Wyoming State penitentiary is at Rawlins, and in 1932 had 323 inmates. A dairy and poultry farm, an excellent garden, and a shirt factory which earned $45,353 in the biennium 1930-32, furnish occupation for the prisoners and pay the major share of the expenses. The State hospital for the insane is at Evanston and, in the biennium 1930-32, it had an average of 515 patients in its wards constantly. This was 55 more than the previous biennium, and 232 more than in the biennium ending in 1922. A $100,000 building was erected in 1926 for all the female patients. The Soldiers and Sailors' Home with 25 inmates in 1932 is at Buffalo. There is a State training school for feeble-minded children at Lander with an enrolment of 323 in 1932. The Industrial Institute for delinquent boys is at Worland (1932 enrolment, 82), and that for girls is at Sheridan (1932 enrolment, 87). At Rock Springs there is a General State hospital providing medical care and surgical atten tion for the public, and in connection with which a nurses' train ing school is maintained. Big Horn hot springs and Saratoga hot springs are owned by the State and are free for public use. Appropriations were made and the contracts let in 1926 for the first building of a State tuberculosis sanitarium at Basin. All these institutions are under the supervision of the State board of charities and reform, composed of the governor, secretary of State, treasurer, auditor and State superintendent of public in struction. These officials also constitute the board of pardons. Besides the State institutions there are the Cathedral home for children at Laramie and the Wyoming children's home, private institutions which operate under annual permits from the State board to which they are responsible. The deaf and blind are cared for at State expense in schools of the neighbouring States.