CITIES. The population of the 12 largest cities in 1900 NV?1?: New York, 3,437.202; Buffalo, 352. 387; Rochester, 162.008; Syracuse, 108,374: Al bany, 94,151; Troy, 60,651; Utica, 56.383; Yonk ers, 47,931: Binghamton, 39,647: Schenectady, 31,682; Auburn. 30.345. The State sends 37 members to the National House of Representa tives.
Rmicios. The large immigration into New York has resulted in a very rapid increase of the Cathidie and the Jewish populations. Particu larly in New York City have these two elements become prominent. Among the Protestant de nominations the Methodists are the most numer ous, followed by the Presbyterians. Baptists Protestant Episcopalians. Lutherans. and Con gregationalists. Protestantism in New York City is characterized by the prominence of the Prot estant Episcopal Church. this Church being mite stronger there than elsewhere in the Union.
EntTATiox. Several school teachers we brought to New Netherland by the DMA W India Company. but under the English rule polo tar education was neglected by the Covernmen ln the eighteenth century several private aca tallies were established, and in 1754 King's Col lege was founded. and was reorganized in 1784 as Columbia College. At the latter date the Re gents of the University were constituted a super visory authority over higher education. file first step toward public common schools was taken in 1789. when two lots of land were as signed to each township for gospel and school purposes. But it was not until 1812 that an ac tive movement set in to establish a State system. In 1854 a State Department of Public Instruction was organized, and Soon afterwards the plan of free common schools was adopted, and State taxes for schools were very largely increased. The various schools are under the immediate direction of district trustees, and of boards of education in the towns and cities. The State superintend ent exercises a general supervision over the com mon 'Amok. The Regents of the University, a board of nineteen members elected for life, with four State officers rx-officio, continue to super vise secondary education. This board incorpo rates all higher institutions... distributes the State grants to academies and high schools, and for this purpose conducts a system of secondary school examinations and certificates which em braces this phase of public education throughout the State.
School attendance is compulsory between the ages of eight and sixteen years. The illiterate population of the State is 5.5 per cent. of the total populat• of ten years of age and over.
The proportion of illiterates is 12 per rent. for native white, 14 per cent. for foreign white (12.5 in 18S01. and 12.8 per pent. for colored. Accord ing to the school census of 1901 the school age I five to eighteen) population of the State was 1,620,287, of W110111 1.212,1111 were enrolled in the public. 'schools in the saline year. The average at tendance in 1901 was 873.157, as against 642,984 in 1890. There were 35.591 teaehers employed in Ilse public ...hoots of the qtate in 1901. of whom 5147 were males. The percentage of male teach er: has shown a constant decrease since 1880, when it amounted to 26 per cent. The total school revenue was $38,469,27/ in 1901, of which $36, 451,363 was derived front local taxes, $3,500,000 from State taxes, $272,477 from the perma nent school fund, and $8.245,437 from other sources. The expenditure per pupil of average attendance in 1901 was $41.68—the highest ex penditure of any State in the Union. education is provided by 16 public normal schools which had 5426 students in 1901. The State maintained in 1901 3S3 high schools, with 63,549 students. There were besides 109 private high schools and academies, with an attendance of about 11,000.
The most important as well as the oldest uni versity is Columbia, in New York City. There is no State university, but CornelFUniversity. in Ithaca, awards certain State scholarships on ex aminations. The other important institutions are Union College, in Schenectady; New York University. New York City ; Hamilton College, Clinton; universities at Syracuse. Rochester. and Buffalo; Colgate University, Hamilton; Hobart College, Geneva ; the Catholic colleges of Man hattan, Saint Francis Xavier, and Saint John's, all in New York City; and the College of the City of New York. Vassar College, at Pough keepsie. and Barnard College, now part of Columbia University, are two of the leading women's colleges in the conntry. Among the fifteen theological seminariesthe most noted is the Union, in New York City. There are seven law schools, twelve medical schools, three dental, and four schools of pharmacy. In each of these professions there are systems of State examina tiOTIS required of all who wish to practice in New York. The New York Society Library, founded in 1700, claims to be the first in the State. In 1838 the Legislature set aside part of the income from the United States deposit fund for the establishment of a district library system, and this State aid is now distributed by the Regents of the University.