Voters in each county may choose the district-commissioner sys tem or the township-supervisor system of government. Out of 93 counties, 27 had township supervisor government in 1937. There are about 600 incorporated cities and villages in the State. Under the Constitution and the State law there are three possible forms of city government : The mayor and council plan ; the commission plan, which may be adopted only by cities of over 2,000 popula tion ; the city-manager plan, which may be adopted by any city, except Omaha, having over 1,000 population. Since
any city with a population of more than 5,000 may frame a home-rule charter. Omaha and Lincoln have adopted the home-rule charter plan of government, freeing themselves to a large extent from the control of the legislature.
In 1930 the population of the State was
963, an increase for the decade of 81,591 or 6.3%, the smallest increase in the history of the State. Of the 1930 population,
were white; of these 115,346 were foreign-born, chiefly from Germany (32,544), Sweden (14,335), Czechoslovakia (14, 313). The density was 17.9 per sq.m. in 1930. The eight cities having, in 1930, a population over io,000 are: The shift of population from farms to cities began before 1920. In the decade 1920-30, 43 out of 93 counties showed a decrease in total population, and, the older counties chiefly, also showed a decrease in rural population. Indian population of Nebraska at the time of the first white settlement totalled about 30,000. There remain now in Nebraska, of the original tribes, about 3,000. All are now full citizens, holding land in severalty and voting.
The general property tax, estab lished in the year 1867, was supplemented by a corporation li cence tax in 1909, and by other State licences and fees and special taxes, and by contributions from the United States Treasury, to provide for growing expenses of government. In the fiscal year 1936, out of a total State revenue of $31,046,154, business taxes supplied $9,957,080 ; general property tax, $4,849,986; permanent trust funds,
miscellaneous, $3,586,762; U.S. contributions, $5,671,278. In 1936 assessed valuation of all property was $2,060,835,168, upon which the State placed a rate of $1.76 per $1,000. Total expenditures for 1936 amounted to $29,809,247. Of this $11,183,505 was spent on roads and irriga tion; $3,572,273 on the University of Nebraska ; and $2,458,296 on charitable and penal institutions. The State has had no bonded debt since 190o. The legislature, in 1909, passed an act establish ing a State guaranty fund "for the protection of the depositors in State banks." The act provides for a levy not to exceed
of 1% annually on the average deposits of each State bank. This yields a maximum of $1,500,000 per year which is used for the payment of depositors when a bank fails. There were in 1935 294 State banks,
with deposits of approximately $58,900,000 and capital stock of about $11,300,000; and about 137 national banks with deposits of $241,555,000, and capital stock of $24,238,000.
The United States endowment of public educa tion embraced about 3,00o,000ac. of land for common schools, 9o,000ac. for the College of Agriculture and 46,o8oac. for the University of Nebraska. Under the present law enacted in 1897, this land can be leased but not sold. The present endowment of the common schools includes 1,600,000ac. of land, and $10,000,00c proceeds of former land sales invested in securities; for the uni versity and agricultural college about r2,000ac. and $960,900 invested in securities. In addition the State endowed Peru Nor mal college with i2,000ac. of State land. The annual income from these school endowments is about $990,000. The percentage of illiterate population above ten years of age was 1.2% in 1930, a percentage bettered by only four other States in the United States. Since 1891 a Free Text-book law has been in force. In the com mon school system in 1934 there were 7,554 school-houses with 316,756 enrolment, and 13,829 teachers. The total investment in school property was $60,929,866 and the annual expenditure $17,743,585.
There are four State normal teachers' colleges, with a total attendance, in 1936, of 5,587 students and 226 faculty members; one at Peru (opened 1867), one at Kearney (1905), one at Wayne (originally private; purchased by the State in 1909) and one in Chadron (established by an act of 1909). The University of Nebraska at Lincoln was established in 1869 by an act of the State legislature and was opened in 1871. Connected with it and governed by the same regents are the College of Agriculture at Curtis and the agricultural experiment stations at North Platte, Valentine and Alliance. The university in 1936 consisted of ten colleges and three schools, as follows : colleges of agriculture, arts and sciences, business administration, dentistry, engineering, grad uate, law, medicine (at Omaha), pharmacy and teachers; and schools of fine arts, journalism and nursing. The total enrolment for the school year 2935-36 was 10,958 students and about 321 faculty. Nearly all educational institutions in the State are co educational. In 1929 the legislature authorized the establishment of the Municipal University of Omaha. Under a law of 1931 three junior colleges were established at Hebron, McCook, Scotts bluff. Among the private educational institutions are : Nebraska Wesleyan university at Lincoln ; Union college at College View; York college at York ; Doane college at Crete; Creighton univer sity at Omaha ; and Nebraska Central college at Central City.