The following statistics and account of dif ferent State educational institutions will en able the reader to estimate somewhat intelli gently what kind of education is offered the youth of the State and how the people view educational interests and results. There are seven higher institutions of learning maintained by the people of the State. These are State University, State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, State School of Mines and four normal schools.
The State University is located at Vermillion in the southern portion of the State, at the junction of the Vermillion with the Missouri River. The university has seven buildings; a faculty of 60 members and a student body in 1918 of over 600. The organization includes the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Law, College of Music, College of Medicine and College of Engineering.
The State College of Agriculture and Me chanic Arts is located at Brookings in the east ern part of the State only 17 miles from the Minnesota border. The institution has some well defined lines of work assigned to it as fol lows: research and special scientific investiga tion; instruction along special lines; agricul tural extension to include farm and home dem onstrations. The work of the institution is carried on in the 10 buildings on the college campus and the large college farm connected with the college also at the several sub-stations operated from the college. These are located as follows: Highmore, Eureka, Cottonwood and Vivian. In 1917 there were 620 students enrolled and a faculty of 75 instructors.
The State School of Mines is located at Rapid City in the western part of the State. There are four buildings on this campus and the legislature in 1919 appropriated $100,000 for a fifth one.
The four normal schools are located as fol lows: Spearfish Normal in northwest section of the State, Lawrence County; Aberdeen Normal in Brown County, north section of the State; Madison Normal in Lake County, the eastern part of the State, and Springfield Nor mal in Bon Homme County, the southeast sec tion of the State. These four normals and the three higher educational institutions of the State are all under one board of management. This board is made up of five men appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate. Their term of office is six years.
In addition to these higher educational insti tutions supported by taxation, there are a num ber of denominational institutions, which are growing in favor and influence. Among these are the following: Dakota Wesleyan Univer sity at Mitchell, maintained by the Methodist Church. This institution had, 1918, 225 stu dents and 25 members in the faculty. Huron College, Huron, is maintained by the Presby terian Church, and reported 107 students in 1918 with 22 members of the faculty. Yankton College at Yankton is supported by the Congre gational Church. It reported 133 students in 1918, with 25 members in the faculty. Sioux Falls College at Sioux Falls is supported by the Baptists. It reported an enrolment of 100 students with 12 members in the faculty. The Catholics of the State support a number of schools; also Notre Dame Academy at Mitchell and Presentation Academy at Aberdeen. The Norwegian Lutherans have a Normal School and College at Sioux Falls and also at Canton.
The following educational statistics may serve to further reveal the educational activity of the people in this new State: The legislative appropriations of 1917, for period of 1917 to 1919, were $1,246,600 general, for higher institutions; $707,570 special, for higher institutions. Out of the two items the Agricultural College received $312,000 from the general fund, and $243,000, special, and the ex periment stations received $8,000.
The census of 1915 gives 3,134 illiterates, or .72 per cent of the population.
Penal and Charitable Institutions.— These are the State Penitentiary, located at Sioux Falls; the State Insane Hospital, located at Yankton; the State Reform School, located at Plankinton; the School for the Deaf at Sioux Falls, and the School for the Blind at Gary; also the School for Feeble Minded at Redfield. All these are under the Board of Charities and Corrections, composed of three men appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate.
Religion.—Religious liberty is fully en joyed by the people of South Dakota, and is guaranteed to them by a specific section in the State constitution. Nearly all sects and creeds are represented in the religious organizations of the State, and none are prevented from fol lowing that form of worship they deem most important and helpful.