1941: Mississippi

Area and Population.

Admitted to statehood, Dec. 10, 1817, Mississippi ranks 31st in size among the states, with an area of 47,716 sq. mi. of inland water surface, according to remeasurements of the United States undertaken for the 16th census in 1941. The state has a population of 2,183,766, according to the 1940 census, which is an increase of 8.7 per cent over the 1930 census. Of this number, 432,882, or 19.8 per cent of the population is urban, and 1,750,914, or 80.2 per cent of the population is rural. The urban population increased 27.8 per cent during the period 1930-1940, while the rural population increased only 4.8 per cent. There are twelve cities with a population of 10,000 or above, but only one of these has a population in excess of 50,000. Jackson, the state's capital, is the largest city in Mississippi, with a 1940 population of 62,107. Meridian, 35,481, and Vicksburg, 24,460, rank next in size. The 1940 census showed Hattiesburg with a population of 21,026; Laurel, 20,598; Biloxi, 17,475; and Gulfport, 15,195. However, with the establishment of Camp Shelby at Hattiesburg, and a large air-training school at Biloxi, the population of these cities was greatly increased during 1941.

Education.

During the 1940-41 school session there were 864,000 inhabitants of school age in Mississippi. Of the 610,150 enrolled pupils, approximately 50 per cent were white and 50 per cent Negro students. Of the total number, 533,467 pupils were enrolled in the elementary schools, and 76,683 students in high schools.

There were in operation in Mississippi, during this same school year, 5,100 white and Negro elementary and high schools. The state's expenditure on education for the school year 1940-41 amounted to $14,500,000. The average teacher's salary was about $500.

The 1941 session of the State Legislature provided for the distribution of free text books to pupils in the elementary schools of the state. The books were purchased by the State Text Book Commission and were distributed in all grades from the first through the eighth.

Agriculture.

Agriculture is the chief interest in the state. Cotton is the principal crop, and Mississippi is the second ranking state in the nation for this product. The broad level reaches of the Yazoo-Mississippi delta are the world's premier cotton country. Other important crops are pecans, sweet potatoes, corn, rice, wheat, oats, sugar cane, peanuts, tung oil and fruits.

The size of the average farm in Mississippi is sixty acres. The average farm income for 1941 was estimated at $500.

Industry.

There were 1,241 manufacturing concerns paying taxes in Mississippi during 1940, according to figures released by the State Tax Commission.

The sales value of the products manufactured by these concerns during the year amounted to $179,144,430. This was an increase of $22,854,046 over the 1939 figure.

A total of $166,869,000 in defense contracts have been awarded in Mississippi by the Army, Navy and Maritime Commission.

Mineral Products.

Aside from sand and gravel, coal, gypsum, and rich clays, of which Mississippi produces limited amounts, the state's only important mineral product is natural gas. Resources in this regard are however apparently declining, after a spectacular rise from 1936 to 1939. The amount produced in 1940 from the state's only field, at Jackson, fell to 6,449,000 M. cu. ft., compared with the peak amount in 1939 of 14,527,000 M. cu. ft., with a value of $3,300,000.

Political Events.

A special election was called by Governor Paul B. Johnson on September 23, 1941, to fill the seat in the United States Senate left vacant by the death of Senator Pat Harrison on June 22. Congressman Wall Doxey, of Holly Springs, was elected to fill the unexpired term. James Eastland, of Rule-ville, appointed by the Governor, served until after the election.

State Officers.

Governor, Paul B. Johnson; Lieutenant Governor, Dennis Murphree; Secretary of State, Walker Wood; State Treasurer, Lewis S. May; State Auditor, J. M. Causey; Attorney General, Greek L. Rice; Superintendent of Education, J. S. Vandiver.

United States Senators:

Theodore G. Bilbo, Wall Doxey.