Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 68, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1909 — WHERE ARE THEY ? THE SCHOOL CHILDREN. [ARTICLE]

WHERE ARE THEY ? THE SCHOOL CHILDREN.

Jasper County Shows { Another Astounding Reduction as Result of School Enumeration. Is race suicide responsible for the great reduction in the number of school children in Jasper county or are all the parents with children going west to grow up with a new counery? Last year the assembled reports of the school enumerators sliowed this county to have 317 less people of school age than the year before, and this year there is another shortage of 224, making a total decrease in two years of 541. To be sure, many have moved away, but not enough to account for the great discrepancy in the enumerations. And others have come in to take the places of those who moved away. There are more acres of tillable land In this county than ever before and it would seem that the population is greater than ever before. Only two townships In the county showed an increase, viz. Walker with an increase of 25 and Wheatfleld with an increase of 2. Rensselaer city had an increase of 1. The accompanying table shows where the losses are. The most astonishing of these In the decrease of 71 in Union township. This loss will materially affect the available money for school purposes In that township, while the entire county, aside from the townships that have made gains, will have less money for school purposes. Remington and Carpenter township show a loss of 60. It seems almost incredible that the loss in Union township should be almost 15 per cent. That township has probably progressed more than any township in Jasper county in the past five years. The river drainage has made many more acres tillable, and these are being farmed and consequently the population of the township is greater than ever before. The loss over the county Is a great disappointment to the county superintendent and to all who are interested In educational matters. Here is the table by townships and corporations: Enumeration Report. 1908 1909 Loss Barkley 398 362 36 Carpenter 310 . 277 33 Gillam 218 206 12 Hanging Grove 134 128 6 Jordan 214 205 9 Kankakee 171 149 22 Keener 207 205 2 Marion 309 305 4 Milroy 82 74 8 Newton 156 140 16 Union'-..; 476 405 71 Walker 259 284 *25 Wheatfleld 157 151 6 Remington 289 262 27 Wheatfleld 106 108 *2 Rensselaer 648 649 *1 Totals 4134 2910 282 Net loss, 224. Loss 1908, 317. •Gain.