School expenditures per child in 3 states over-66.65

under - 9.71

These figures are for the year 1920, the last for which complete figures are available.

THE WEALTH OF THE STATES

The subsequent three tables give figures on the wealth of the States and their ability to support public education.

The calculations are based on the 1912 Federal Census of Wealth: Distribution of Income by States, National Bureau of Economic Research, and 1920 Federal Census of Population.

TABLE 3.-The States and estimated wealth, 1920, and income, 1919, per teacher,

Mr. ROBSION. What do you mean by the yearly income; what do you mean by that statement?

Mr. NORTON. The National Bureau of Economic Research recently made some epoch-making studies, in which they estimated the national income and divided it up by States. Income is the amount of services rendered and commodities produced in a year. They studied it by two different methods. First, they estimated income received salaries, wages, etc., then they studied it from the angle of income produced, using the statistics on production, and then they averaged their figures. The two different estimates brought results showing less than 10 per cent disagreement.

Mr. ROBSION. You mean by that figure there that in three States there is an increase of wealth, or an income of efforts on the part of the person, or increase of produce behind each child anywhere between 5 and 20 years, between $3,100 and $900?

Mr. NORTON. Yes. The States are given in detail. Income per child from 5 to 20 years of age. I will read a few. The United States as a whole, $1,992; Alabama, $895; evidently Alabama is one of these States [indicating on preceding chart].

Arizona, $2,100. You can see where they fall in between these two extremes [pointing out on chart].

Mississippi, $901. It is one of these poorest States.

California, $3,371. Evidently one of those three States.

Colorado, $2,159. And so on. I will pick out a few more extremes. Nevada, $3,566; North Carolina, $991. Evidently one of those three. And so on.

In other words, some States have an enormous ability to support schools, and some have very little ability to support schools.

Another thing-school expenditures per child. Three States spent $66 or more per child attending school in 1920 [indicating on chart]. Three States spent $9.71 or less in 1920 per child attending. That is a direct result of inequalities in wealth. Many studies that have been made throughout the country reveal similar inequalities. It is an old story to men who have studied educational systems; it is found repeatedly. You can not expect a community that is living right up against the edge of existence to provide much for its children; they can not do it. If you have merely enough to provide clothing and food and shelter, you can not build splendid schools, and you can not give your children opportunities, and therefore you have these tremendous differences in educational opportunity.

We hear of equal educational opportunity. That has been a watchword; but equal opportunity in education is a myth in the United States. That has been proved by repeated studies, and this fact here brings it out as well as any one fact could.