The public schools are supported by state, town, district, and other taxes; and are under the supervision of a board of education, a commissioner of public instruction, and city and town superintendents. In 1879. out. of 49.562 children between the ages of five and fifteen. 32.793 N. ere reported attending public schools: 4,374 attending Roman Catho.lie schools; and 1,782 attending private schools. Altogether there were 819 schools and 888 teachers. The number of schoolhouses was 446, and the estimated value of school property $2,654,148. The appropriation from the state amounted to $92,923; from the towns. $340,237; and from other sources about $84,000, making a total revenue of over $500.000. The higher institutions are a state normal school in Providence, which gives free tuition to all who intend to teach, and Brown university (q.v.). The newspapers and periodicals published include 6 daily papers, 19 weeklies, and 6 month lies. The leading church organizations in 1870 were as follows: Baptist, 109; Congrega tional, 27; Episcopal, 42; .Friends. 17: Methodist, 33; Roman Catholic, 22; Second Advent, 17; Unitarian, 4; and Universalist, 4.
The constitution of Rhode Island provides that voters, in addition to the ordinary qualification of residence and the usual exceptions of disqualification, must either have real estate of the value of $134 or property for not less than $7 a year, or must pay a tax of at least $1.00, or have done military duty during the year. The legislature
consists of a senate of 36 members (1 from each town) and a house of representatives not exceeding 72 members. Two sessions arc held annually, the principal one at Newport. and all aajonrned one at Providence in October. The state elections are held annually, Under the apportionment of 1872 the state is entitled to two members of Congress and has 4 electoral votes. The electoral votes have been cast as follows: 1792, Washington end Adams.. 4; 1796, Adams and Ellsworth, 4; 1800, Adams for president, 4, while the vote for vice-president was broken; 1804, Jefferson and Clinton, 4; 1808, Pinckney and King, 4; 1812, De Witt Clinton and Ingersoll, 4; 1816, Monroe and Tompkins, 4; 1820, Monroe and Tompkins. 4; 1824, John Quincy Adams and Calhoun, 4; 1828, John Quinev Adams and Rush, 4; 1832, Clay and Sergeant, 4; 1836, Van Buren and Johnson, 4; 1840, Harrison and Tyler. 4; 1844, Olay and Frelinghuysen, 4; 1848, Taylor and Fill more, 4; 1852, Pierce and King. 4: 1856. Fremont and Dayton, 4; 1860, Lincoln and 4; 1864, Lincoln and Johnson; 1868, Grant and Colfax, 4; 1872, Grant and Wil son; 1876, Hayes and Wheeler, 4; 1880, Garfield and Aoilmr, 4.