EDUCATION. The per cent. of illiteracy is not nearly so great as in most Southern States, being. in 1900, 14.5 of the total population ten years of age and over—whites 6.1 and blacks 36.0. The State is exceptional among the States of the South in that the public schools have a heavy endowment—a fact largely responsible for its educational progress. In September, 1902, the permanent school fund aggregated $42.503,229. Of this. $10,638,951 was represented by bonds; $15.549.277 by land notes; $16.250.000 by school lands; and $125,000 by cash. There was a county permanent school fund in August. 1902. aggregating $0.590.500, of which nearly $2,000, 000 represented lands held by the counties. The permanent free school fund had in 1902 received from the State a total of 43.986,131 acres of land. of which 22,080,225 acres were still unsold. In addition to the State endowment. each county has an independent endowment of four leagues of land. The Governor's report of 1903 estimated the State receipts for public schools for the fiscal year at $3,581.100. the sources of which were the ad valorem tax of 18 cents on the $100. one quarter of all occupation taxes, the poll tax ($1). the interest in bonds and notes. and the land rentals. This was supplemented in the counties by the receipts from their own school lands: and many districts also levied local school taxes. The total receipts for the year ending August, 1902, was $0,021,830, and the expenditures on public schools, $4,599,630. There is a striking difference in the condition of schools in different localities. There are two distinct forms of school organization. Thirty-three of the 224 counties retain a form of organization known as the community system, under which there are no metes and bounds to a school community, and therefore no local school tax can be imposed. The school community is organized de nor() each year. This system was applied tentatively to all counties after the adoption of the present Con stitution. Under it the schools are often too small, and since there are no local taxes, the school buildings are usually rented. A law of
1884, providing for districting the counties, is gradually being applied. This district system has a continuous hoard of trustees chosen by the people, and makes possible the levying of local taxes. Cities and towns may be constituted in dependent districts with the right to levy a tax of 50 cents on the $100 for the maintenance of public schools• and may vote a bonded debt for buildings. whereas the latter right is not al lowed the rural districts, and this tax levy is limited to 22 cents on the $100.
In 1900 there were 261 independent school dis tricts, 100 of which were municipal corporations. High-schools are common iu the towns, and in 1899 there were 150 schools whose graduates could enter the State University without exam ination. There is a uniform text-book law which applies generally, except to cities of 10,000 inhabitants and over. The scholastic population in 1901 was 729,217, the enrollment 571,786. and the average attendance 383,900. There are over 1500 teachers, more than half of whom hold State certificates, a large number of the certificates being for life. To enable teachers better to qualify themselves, the State provides summer normal schools with a term of four weeks, there being. in 1900, 118 such schools, with an aggre gate attendance of 5100. The regularly main tained State normal schools are at Denton, De troit, Huntsville. and Prairie View. The State receives aid from the Peabody fund. The State University is located at Austin, with a medical branch at Galveston, and the Agricultural and Mechanical College at Bryan. There are a large number of denominational institutions, among which are the Polytechnic College (Alethollist Episcopal South), Fort Worth; Southwestern University (Methodist Episcopal South), George town; Texas Christian University (Christian). Hermosa ; and Baylor University (Baptist 1, at Waco. There are a number of colleges for col ored students.