1940: South Dakota

Area and Population.

An area of 77,615 sq. mi. ranks South Dakota 14th in size in the Union. The population according to the 1940 census, 642,961, shows a loss of 49,888 since 1930. Pierre, the capital (pronounced 'Peer' in the state) has a population of 4,322. Six cities have a population above 10,000: Sioux Falls, 40,832; Aberdeen, 17,015; Rapid City, 13,844; Huron, 10,843; Mitchell, 10,633; Watertown, 10,617. The Indian population in 1939 totaled 28,578. The foreign-born population in 1935 numbered 49,375. People of German ancestry were 143,768; Scandinavians, 90,000.

Education.

The school census (ages 6-21) included 186,251 in 1940; the total school enrollment was 136,447; elementary, 98,441; high school, 38,006. There were 4,497 schools in operation in 3,429 districts, employing 8,016 teachers at a total salary expense of $6,644,623.67. The average annual elementary salary was $682.03; high school, $1,139.53. The total value of school property is $41,559,422.66.

The outstanding event in the educational field in 1940 was the defeat at the polls of a proposed amendment to the Constitution respecting the use of the permanent school fund.

Agriculture.

Crop conditions during 1940 were improved over 1939. Production was above the ten-year average. The estimated value of 1940 crops was fixed at $85,322,000, as against $74,021,000 in 1939. The state ranked second in production of durum wheat; third in barley and rye, fourth in other spring wheat, sweet sorghums, and wild hay; fifth in flax; sixth in oats; eighth in grain sorghum; thirteenth in corn and all wheat. Livestock production also made a substantial gain, and dairy products were increased.

Mineral Products.

Mineral production was again above $20,000,000, principally gold from the Homestake Mining Company at Lead. For this metal South Dakota ranks second in the Union.

Events of the Year.

The State Legislature did not meet in 1940. A law passed in 1939 which attempted to change the Unemployment Compensation Commission from three members to one, was referred to the people and was defeated in the November election, 121,786 to 117,722. At this election the voters approved a Constitutional amendment requiring all motor vehicle and gasoline taxes to be used solely for highway purposes. The voters defeated two proposed amendments, one the permanent school fund change, and the other attempting to give the Governor the right to appoint legislators to fill vacancies.

Republicans won all state, Congressional, and almost all legislative offices. Wendell Willkie carried the state by 177,065 to 131,362. In the state Legislature, the Senate will have 31 Republicans and 4 Democrats; the House, 65 Republicans and 10 Democrats.

Criticism of the management of the State Training School, co-educational, under control of the State Board of Charities and Corrections, was one of the hotly contested issues of the campaign. Governor Bushfield, reelected, promised to make the solution of this problem a legislative assignment in 1941.

Several major oil companies made extensive explorations in 1940 and secured a considerable acreage under lease. The state's huge undeveloped deposits of manganese ore were carefully examined for purposes of use in national defense.

Work was continued on the Rushmore Memorial in the Black Hills, with emphasis being given to the figure of Theodore Roosevelt. Tourists in excess of one million visited the state, primarily to view the Memorial. Highway development continued to be one of South Dakota's principal projects.

Finance.

The state's receipts, for the fiscal year 1939-1940, were $29,704,910.14; disbursements, $26,845,889.12. The cash balance, June 30, 1940, amounted to $14,940,157.46. The total bonded debt was $43,294,000. The Governor's budget for 1941-1943, recommended appropriations for all purposes: 1941-1942, $8,924,695; 1942-1943, $8,082,182. Direct taxes payable in 1940 totaled $21,533,179.

State Officers.

Governor, Harlan J. Bushfield; Lieutenant Governor, A. C. Miller; Secretary of State, Olive A. Ringsrud; Treasurer, W. G. Douglas; Auditor, W. W. Warner; Attorney General, Leo A. Temmey; Superintendent of Public Instruction, J. F. Hines.

United States Senators:

William J. Bulow, Chan Gurney.