data.
All data for this project was found through the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction's biennial reports on education. These reports were first created in the late 1800s, and they contain descriptions of improvements/work needed in the North Carolina public school system, as well as information on student enrollment, teacher qualifications, and financial information.
​
The data of the biennial reports is not found in a digital format, so data for this project was transcribed into a Google sheet here.
​
Data ranges from 1901 - 1950.
students.
Data on enrollment and attendance can give us a glimpse at ease of enrollment over time. We see a general trend of increased enrollment and attendance over time for both white and non-white students.
In 1921, we see a large increase in enrollment/attendance for non-white students. This jump is impressive, particularly since the Whitted School burned down in 1921 - allegedly over anger due to disproportionate funds dedicated to white instead of non-white schools. This school was the first to educate non-white students of Durham, North Carolina. It was replaced with Hillside Park High School. [1]
In 1905, the biennial reports begin to split Durham into the rural areas of Durham County and the city of Durham.
We see a tremendous increase in city living in 1927. While this increase was due to a redefinition of what the "city" of Durham was compared to rural areas, it can still be seen in both the previous and next visualization that white families began moving outside of Durham, while non-white families were moving into the city.
A page from the 1904-1905 Biennial Report on Education in North Carolina, focusing on white school population, enrollment, and attendance.
Will graphs of attendance be similar to the original graphs if the data is split into city and rural?
In the city of Durham in the1920s, there are more non-white students enrolling and attending school than white students.
Meanwhile, in the rural county of Durham, enrollment is similar but attendance of white students is higher than attendance of non-white students.
teachers.
To start, we will compare hiring of white and non-white male and female teachers.
More white teachers are hired than non-white teachers, for both male and female. This is expected for the time. However, how does this hiring compare to the number of white and non-white students attending school?
​
Note that axes have been shifted.
Male teachers made significantly more than female teachers, and both men and women who were white made more than non-white men and women.
​
​
Hiring follows a similar pattern for white and non-white females, as well as a similar pattern for white and non-white males. However, while increases in students generally resulted in increases in faculty, was there a difference in student-teacher ratio between these schools?
​
​
Student teacher ratios were surprisingly similar between white and non-white schools.
​
​
In 1920, there were 32 white students for each white female teacher, and 31 non-white students for each non-white female teacher.
​
​
In 1944, there were 29 white students for each white female teacher, and 34 non-white students for each non-white female teacher.
​
​
Significantly fewer male teachers were hired than female teachers, and fewer non-white male teachers compared to white male teachers
​
​
To end this exploration of teachers, we will observe the limited data found on teacher salaries by race and gender.
property.
Below is a graph on the funding of schools compared to school attendance.
Funding changes with attendance at a similar rate for all schools.
The above graphs show the number of high and elementary schools in Durham County. The data for high schools is stable, with more white high schools but also more white students. Two additional schools are added in 1943, and subsequently one or two are removed, but overall the number of schools stays constant and corresponds to population size.
​
​
The elementary school data shows much variability. Durham had more non-white elementary schools than white elementary schools until 1938.
​
​
Similar to the high school data, white elementary schools remain relatively constant, with a school addition or removal not common. This consistency was not found in non-white Durham schools.
​
​
With frequent school additions and closures, elementary schooling in Durham for non-white students would likely result in students needing to change schools.
​
As previous data has shown, funding for schools corresponded with attendance rates. More schools equates with fewer funds per school, potentially resulting in the need to frequently close schools.
sources.
Background photo, main: Hillside, 1970. Preservation Durham. <http://www.opendurham.org/buildings/whitted-elementary-school-hillside-high-school>.
​
Background photo, data: Sketch of Morehead School, 1892. Preservation Durham. <http://www.opendurham.org/buildings/first-durham-graded-school-morehead-school>.
​
[1] "Whitted School - Ramsey Street (1893-1921)." Preservation Durham. <http://www.opendurham.org/buildings/whitted-school-ramsey-street-1893-1921>.
​
Data (found at http://digital.ncdcr.gov/cdm/ref/collection/p249901coll22/id/259346):
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1900-1902, 1902.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1902-1904, 1904.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1904-1906, 1906.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1906-1908, 1908.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1908-1910, 1910.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1910-1912, 1912.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1912-1914, 1914.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1914-1916, 1916.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1916-1918, 1918.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1918-1920, 1920.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1920-1922, 1922.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1922-1924, 1924.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1924-1926, 1926.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1926-1928, 1928.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1928-1930, 1930.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1930-1932, 1932.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1932-1934, 1934.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1934-1936, 1936.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1936-1938, 1938.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1938-1940, 1940.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1940-1942, 1942.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1942-1944, 1944.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1944-1946, 1946.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1946-1948, 1948.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1948-1950, 1950.
Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of North Carolina for the scholastic years 1950-1952, 1952.