1942: North Dakota

Area and Population.

Ranking 16th among the states in size, North Dakota has a total area of 70,837 sq. mi. The census of 1940 gave the state 38th place, with a population of 641,935; but migrations of workers to more highly-industrialized areas of the nation, have materially reduced that figure during the last two years.

Of the total population, more than four-fifths are native-born, although half of these had foreign parents, one or both, a higher percentage than any other state. Persons of Norwegian, German and German-Russian birth or descent make up approximately two thirds of the population; while the 20 per cent foreign-born consist primarily of Norwegians, Russians, Canadians, Germans, Swedes, and Danes. The principal cities of the state are: Fargo, 32,580; Grand Forks, 22,228; Minot, 16,557; and the capital city, Bismarck, 15,496.

Education.

The last biennial report of the Department of Education listed the following data: Inhabitants of school age (6 to 21), 189,839; pupils enrolled in the public schools, 139,629, or 21.8 per cent of the total population; average daily attendance, 130,170 — 90 per cent of the enrollment; accredited high schools, 221; high school pupils, 33,895; and total number of schools in session, 4,217. Of these, one-teacher schools numbered 3,392. There were 7,361 teachers employed, of whom 5,631, or 76.5 per cent, were women.

Although the school population has steadily decreased since 1929 — by 1940 it was nearly 14 per cent less — the value of school property has increased to $44,148,940, more than 10 per cent greater than it was in 1929. The total of teachers' salaries in 1940-41 was $5,319,292; the cost of transportation $452,102 (46 per cent of the 1929 cost); school officers' salaries and expenses $327,351; library books, textbooks, and teaching supplies furnished by the district $368,475; the total cost of elementary and high schools $9,979,781; average cost per pupil, $71.

Agriculture.

Principally an agrarian state, more than 82 per cent of the total population live outside urban areas; and three-fourths of the total acreage is farmland, with wheat the leading product.

Producing more spring wheat, flax, and rye than any other state in the Union, North Dakota's 1942 yields were among the greatest in the state's history. Abundant rainfall in recent years, particularly during 1941-42, has almost entirely erased the 'dust-bowl' ravages, both in the fertile Red River Valley in the eastern portion of the state, and in the Missouri Slope cattle country of the southwest.

In response to Secretary Wickard's request for a 6-8 per cent increase in dairy products, state dairymen raised 1942 production to an all-time high — exceeding the wartime quota by some 8 per cent, and raising the state's dairy industry income to $30,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1942. Other leading farm products, such as certified seed potatoes, sugar beets, poultry, and the lesser grain crops, likewise showed high averages for the year; but a heavy drainage of farm workers into the armed services and into higher-paid defense projects outside the state indicates a serious farm labor shortage problem in 1943 for all types of agricultural production.

Industry.

Since North Dakota is devoted almost exclusively to the production of foodstuffs, the state's industrial facilities are slight. Its primary industrial activity is the processing of agricultural produce; grains, meats, dairy and poultry products. North Dakota's extensive beds of lignite coal are, however, developing rapidly in industrial value, as are other comparatively new enterprises involving brick and pottery clays, natural gas, and deposits of Bentonite and sodium sulphate. Notable among the state's industries is the state-owned and state-operated North Dakota Mill and Elevator at Grand Forks, an enterprise established under the Nonpartisan League's progressive social-legislation program. A similar financial innovation is the state-owned Bank of North Dakota — a banking venture unique in America — which has been eminently successful since its founding.

Defense.

North Dakota's participation in the war effort has been largely limited to the production of food, because of its negligible industries. Among the state's other contributions to the national war effort are a glider-training school and officer-training program at the State University at Grand Forks; a naval technical training school at the State School of Science in Wahpeton; a Civilian Pilot Training program at Minot State Teachers College; and an officers' training center at the State Agricultural College in Fargo.

Finance.

For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1942, the State Treasurer reported revenue collections as follows: general fund, $9,004,780; cigarette stamp tax, $637,500; income tax, $961,000; beer tax, $480,500. The highway construction fund showed $5,113,307 in collections, $4,885,536 in payments, and a balance of $873,156. The teachers' insurance and retirement fund showed collections of $319,176, payments of $229,280, and a balance of $341,008. The sales tax fund reported receipts of $4,194,000 and payments of $4,210,383, with a balance of $2,829. The total of collections and transfers in all funds was $40,974,128, with payments and transfers amounting to $37,186,090; total balance in all funds, $13,999,747.

The Workmen's Compensation Fund received $1,852,335, paid out $1,982,442, and had a cash balance of $4,795,818. The Unemployment Compensation Division reported receipts of $906,061; disbursements of $909,058; deposits in the benefit account, $2,009,000; benefits paid, $2,005,890; and a trust-fund balance in the custody of the United States Treasury of $2,475,486.

State Officers.

Governor, John Moses; Lieutenant-Governor, Henry Holt; Secretary of State, Thomas Hall; Auditor, Berta E. Baker; Treasurer, Carl Anderson; Attorney General, Alvin C. Strutz; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Arthur E. Thompson.

United States Senators:

Gerald P. Nye, William Langer.