SCHOOL DEBT In 1934, the total amount of bonds outstanding and other forms of indebtedness reported was $3,020,511,250, which was $101,027,021, or 3.2 percent, less than in 1932; and $594,714,811, or 24.5 percent, more than in 1930. Since some of the States reported indebtedness for cities only and not the same States at each date, the foregoing figures are only approximately correct (table XI). The amount of indebtedness per pupil in average daily attendance in 1934 ranged from $17.22 in Mississippi to $304.74 in New Jersey. The average was $134.49, and the median was $101.18 (fig.11). In 1930, the average was $114.08, and the median $104.62; in 1932, the average was $140.3 and the median $94.76. The interest on the indebtedness in 1934 was $137,036,525. This amount is, however, only approximate, since several of the States reported interest payments only for city school districts. Interest payments per pupil in average daily attendance ranged from 83 cents in North Dakota to $13.58 in New Jersey. The average was $6.10 and the median was $4.64 (fig. 7). SOME URBAN AND RURAL SCHOOL STATISTICS In this section of the report cities having a population of 2,500 or more are considered urban and the remainder of the country rural. The collection of educational statistics for urban communities as thus defined and for the country as a whole is not a very difficult matter, but the collection of such statistics from rural communities to show totals by States and for the entire country for the nonurban area has been found to be most involved, since many of the State departments of public instruction in compiling educational statistics do not separate urban and rural, or, if they do, they use a variety of bases in separating these communities. Probably the most reliable method thus far used in obtaining rural school statistics for the entire country is to subtract the totals for cities from the State total reported by the several State departments of education. Since practically all cities having a population of 2,500 or more furnished school statistics in 1934 it is possible by the process just mentioned to obtain rather complete statistics for the remainder of the country generally classed as rural. It is evident, however, that educational statistics for rural areas cannot be obtained exactly by subtracting urban totals from State totals, since the boundaries of some of the urban school districts extend beyond the boundaries of the municipal corporation and thus include some rural territory. Furthermore, the enrollment figures for many city school systems include some nonresident pupils, especially secondary-school pupils who live in rural communities, and in several of the States the cities are not independent of the county school systems, thus making it difficult to separate urban and rural |