1939: Kentucky

Area and Population.

With an area of 40,598 square miles, and a population in 1930 of 2,614,589, Kentucky is the 36th state in size and the 17th in population. The estimated increase in population since 1930 is 310,618, bringing the present estimate up to 2,903,200.

Louisville, the metropolis, has an estimated population of 370,000, an increase of about 16 per cent since 1930, while the outlying contiguous suburbs will add another 100,000 people. In the 1930 census Louisville ranked 24th in size in the nation, and it is believed it will hold its place in the forthcoming census. In some respects the growth of the city has been phenomenal, particularly in its recovery from the record 1937 flood. The next largest cities are Covington, about 70,000 (est.); Lexington, 50,000; Ashland, 35,000; Newport, 30,000; and Owensboro, 27,000. The capital is Frankfort, 11,626. There are 41 other cities of over 2,500 inhabitants.

The population is nearly all native-born. About 13 per cent of the natives are Negroes; the rest are mostly of revolutionary white stock with a sprinkling of new European races. There are no Indians and the Asian elements are negligible.

Education.

The number of inhabitants of school age in 1939 was 793,374.

The one-room schools are still in the majority, largely because of the difficult terrain parts of Kentucky, and the small size and consequent financial straits of some of the counties. But these disadvantages are being overcome as fast as improved roads and more progressive ideas reach these neighborhoods. During 1935-36 there were 5,367 teacher schools; in 1939 they were greatly reduced. The number of small county high schools is also being reduced rapidly as improved transportation facilities permit increasing consolidation with larger units. This promotes efficiency and reduces costs.

The appropriations for common schools in 1939 amounted to $9,695,609, or $12.19 per capita. This was the largest contribution the state had ever made to the common schools. The average salary for elementary teachers (1937-38, latest figures available) was $730; and that for high-school teachers, $1,185.

Mineral Products.

Production of Kentucky's leading mineral, bituminous coal, fell in 1938 to an estimated 38,496,000 tons, from 47,086,444 tons in 1937. Coal accounted in that year for $86,639,000 in the total value of Kentucky's minerals, which amounted in 1937 to $127,423,680. The marketed production of natural gas in 1937 was 55,719,000 M. cu. ft. with a value of $22,904,000. This was an all-time high, and preliminary figures for 1938 indicate a continued abundant flow. The output of petroleum in 1938, totaling 5,821,000 bbl. was slightly ahead of the preceding year. Production of fluorspar was reduced by about 50 per cent in 1938 to 43,000 tons, lowering Kentucky to second place for that product. Ball clay and fire clay showed an even greater decrease, from 340,335 tons in 1937 to 148,330 in 1938.

Finance.

Despite the 1938 recession, which made revenues less than anticipated, the general fund revenues for 1939 met current expenditures, including a large and ambitious program of capital outlay upon charitable and eleemosynary institutions and a new state office building, and reduced outstanding warrants by $1,090,434, or from $7,222,688 to $6,132,254.

The aggregate tax revenue was $41,395,000, exclusive of Federal grants and other revenue. Expenditures aggregated $55,000,000. The interest rate on a substantial part has been reduced to 1½ per cent.

Unemployment benefits totaled $3,500,000 for the first seven months of 1939.

Welfare and Correction.

The past year has seen improvement in accommodations and personnel in state institutions dealing with charity and correction. There are eight of these: three for the insane — Eastern State Hospital at Lexington, Central State Hospital at Lakeland, and Western State Hospital at Hopkinsville; the Institute for the Feeble-Minded, at Frankfort; State Houses of Reform (one for delinquent boys and one for delinquent girls) at Greendale; State Reformatory, at LaGrange; State Penitentiary, at Eddyville; and Kentucky Crippled Children's Home Society, at Lyndon.

Events of the Year.

The political event of outstanding interest in 1939 was the election in November of Keen Johnson as Governor, on the Democratic ticket by a record vote. The interest in this vote was increased by the fact that prior to the 1935 election of Governor Chandler, who preceded Johnson, no one, Democrat or Republican, had been followed in the Governor's office by one of the same party, under the present Constitution. Governor Johnson, who was Lieutenant Governor under Chandler, has supported the administration of his predecessor.

An earlier event was the death of United States Senator M. M. Logan, in October 1939. This was followed by the immediate resignation of Governor Chandler, and the succession to his office of Lieutenant Governor Johnson, then a gubernatorial candidate. The latter then appointed Ex-Governor Chandler to the vacant Senatorial seat.

State government has been increased in efficiency through Kentucky's new Reorganization Act. It has brought better budget control, and made possible a number of new services with little increase in total costs. It has also permitted a forward step in civil service, and economies in large-scale purchasing.

During 1939 the farmers as a whole were pleased with the prices for their products and complaints were not heard. Industry improved in the amount and value of its products and labor troubles of the past few years were practically at an end.

State Officers.

The state elective officers during 1939 were: Governor, Albert Benjamin Chandler (resigned, Keen Johnson (successor); Lieutenant Governor, Keen Johnson; Secretary of State, Charles D. Arnett; Treasurer, John E. Buckingham; Auditor, E. E. Shannon; Attorney General, Hubert Meredith; Superintendent of Public Instruction, H. W. Peters.

United States Senators.

Alben W. Barkley, Albert B. Chandler (as successor to Marvel M. Logan, deceased).