were in 1918 48,429 children of school age in the State. The enrollment in the public schools was 38,271, with an average daily attendance of 27,960. The teachers numbered 1,965. There is a normal school, which is con nected with the University of Wyoming, at Laramie. The University also in cluaes an Agricultural College, School of Mines, College of Mechanical Engi neering, School of Music, and a Depart ment of Home Economics.
strongest denomina tions in the State are the Roman Cath olic; Methodist Episcopal; Lutheran, General Council; Protestant Episcopal; Presbyterian; Congregational; Regular Baptist; and Mormon.
receipts for the fiscal year 1917-1918 were $3,041,549, and the disbursements $2,404,903. There was a balance on hand of $2,058,894 at the end of the year. The bonded debt amounts to about $100,000. and the assessed val uation of real estate is about $300, 000,000.
Charities and Correebions.—The in stitutions under State control include hospitals at Evanston, Rock Springs, and Sheridan; the penitentiary at Raw lins; Soldiers' and Sailors' Home at Buffalo: School for Defectives at Lan der; Big Horn Hot Springs Reserve at Thermopolis, and an industrial institute at Worland.
Railroads.—The railway mileage in the State is about 2,000. The Union Pacific, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, and the Chicago and Northwestern rail roads have the longest mileage.
State Government.—The State officers are elected for a term of four years. The
legislative sessions are held biennially in odd years, beginning on the second Tuesday in January, and are limited in length to 40 days each. The Legislature has 27 members in the Senate and 57 in the House, each of whom receives $5 per day and mileage. There is one Rep resentative in Congress.
History.—The greater part of the area of Wyoming was included in that of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, though the W. section formed part of the Oregon settlement. It was organized as a Terri tory July 25, 1868, from what was then the S. W. portion of Dakota, the N. E. part of Utah, and from the E. part of Idaho, to which the name of Wyoming was given. This territory was admitted to the Union as a State July 10, 1890. The oldest white settlement within its confines was Fort Laramie, on Platte river, which was made a fur trading post in 1834, rebuilt by the American Fur Company in 1836, sold by them to the United States and garrisoned as a fort in 1849. It was long an important base of operations against the Indians, though it is now abandoned. Settlement took place very slowly till recently, the In dians occupying the more fertile districts. As the latter were removed, settlement became more rapid. The N. W. corner of the State, remarkable for its natural beauties and wonders, has been set aside as the Yellowstone National Park.