1942: Virginia

Area and Population.

Virginia, the thirty-third state in size, has an area of 40,815 sq. mi. Its population (census of 1940) is 2,677,778, comprising 944,675 urban residents and 1,733,098 rural. Since the census was taken, however, the population of the state has increased by at least 500,000, owing to the war and war industries.

The principal cities are, in order: Richmond, the capital, 193,042; Norfolk, 144,332; Roanoke, 69,287; Portsmouth, 50,734; Lynchburg, 44,541; and Newport News, 37,067. In the year 1942, however, the population of Norfolk was much higher, and that of Newport News rose perhaps to 100,000, owing to shipbuilding and other industries.

Agriculture.

Virginia's leading crops in order of value are as follows: corn, tobacco, hay, apples, wheat, and peanuts.

Industry.

Business in Virginia in 1942 was curiously mixed. Industrial plants worked at full blast due to the war, and retail trade was good. On the other hand, Virginia, which is a great tourist state, was hit hard by gasoline restrictions. Many filling stations and tea rooms closed, and the hotels in some sections of the state suffered.

Education.

The school population in 1941-42 was 709,617. There were 3,784 elementary schools and 618 high schools. The state expenditure for public schools was $29,500,000. The average county teacher's salary was $798; the city's $1,255.

Political and Other Events.

In January 1942, the incoming governor and lieutenant governor, Colgate W. Darden and William M. Tuck (elected in November 1941) were inaugurated in Richmond. The session of the General Assembly that followed, and came to an end on March 15, was one of the most important in years. Governor Darden had drawn up a progressive legislative program which was accepted almost in its entirety by the Assembly.

A minimum salary of $750 for school teachers was adopted, and a sound retirement system. Legislative districts were redistricted so as to give the cities, greatly increased in size in recent years, better representation. Workmen's compensation insurance was extended to new groups of workers. The small-loan rate of interest was greatly reduced. A speed limit of forty-five miles an hour for automobiles (to be reduced to forty at the Governor's option) was established. For the next biennium the budget was balanced without tax increases.

Finance.

The financial condition of Virginia was so improved that Governor Darden ventured to call an extra session of the General Assembly for the purpose of providing for the payment of the state debt. This session lasted from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1. An act was passed appropriating $10,000,000 to the sinking fund to pay off the principal and interest of the state's funded debt. This money was put into United States bonds as an investment, pending the payment of state bonds.

This provision for the payment of Virginia's state debt marks an era in the history of the Commonwealth. Virginia was left in 1865 with a large debt, and with scant means of repayment. From 1870 to 1890 a controversy of the bitterest nature raged over the amount of the debt, which was finally settled by a readjustment on a fair basis. This readjustment, with lowered interest rate, reduced the debt greatly, and soon Virginia will be among the soundest states of the Union financially. This is the result of the excellent state government Virginia has enjoyed since the Constitution of 1902 went into effect.

Defense.

The principal development in Virginia in 1942 was in connection with the war. Camp Pickett was established at Blackstone in southern Virginia, and in northern Virginia about 50,000 acres are being taken over by the Federal government for military purposes. In eastern Virginia there are many camps and air fields; the area is constantly increasing.

State Officers.

Governor, Colgate W. Darden; Lieutenant Governor, William M. Tuck; Secretary of the Commonwealth, Ralph E. Wilkins; Treasurer, William Tayloe Murphy; Attorney General, Abram P. Staples; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Dabney S. Lancaster.

United States Senators:

Carter Glass, Harry F. Byrd.

1941: Virginia

Area and Population.

One of the thirteen original states, Virginia ranks 33rd in size among the states, with an area of 40,815 sq. mi., including 916 sq. mi. of inland water surface, according to remeasurements of the United States undertaken for the 16th census in 1940. In population it ranks 19th, numbering 2,677,773 according to the 1940 census. The largest cities are Richmond, the capital, 193,042; Norfolk, 144,332; Roanoke, 69,287; Portsmouth, 50,745; Lynchburg, 44,451; and Newport News, 37,067.

These figures do not include the floating population which, at the present time, is very large in Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Newport News. The last-named city probably had a population at the beginning of 1942 of at least 50,000.

There are six state parks in Virginia: Douthat, Hungry Mother, and Fairystone in the mountains; Staunton River in the Southside, and Westmoreland and Seashore on bathing beaches. Virginia also contains the great Shenandoah National Park, including the Skyline Drive along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, as well as military parks at Manassas, Fredericksburg, Richmond, Petersburg, and Appomattox.

Education.

The total school population for the session of 1940-41 was 712,081, practically no change over the previous school year. The total value of school property was $90,026,428. The total enrollment was 593,287, with a total attendance of 483,095. The number of school buildings was 4,568, a reduction from the previous year due to consolidations. The per capita cost of education was $47,22. There were 17,971 teachers in the schools. The total cost of public-school education, including capital outlay, was $29,491,522. Of this amount the operating costs came to $24,698,831.

Political and Other Events.

In the election of November 1941, Colgate W. Darden, of Norfolk, was elected Governor, and William M. Tuck, of South Boston, Lieutenant Governor. Their term of office runs from January 1942 to January 1946.

The principal developments in Virginia in 1941 were in connection with national defense, in which the state participated largely. A great powder plant has been erected in Radford by the Hercules Powder Company. About half of Caroline County, lying on the Rappahannock River, was purchased by the Federal Government to form the A. P. Hill Military Reservation, where thousands of soldiers are trained in field maneuvers. Camp Lee, at Petersburg, a training camp in 1917-18, was revived. In 1941 all of eastern Virginia swarmed with men in uniform. Fort Story near Norfolk was greatly enlarged. The navy yard at Portsmouth was busy constructing warships. The ship-building plant at Newport News was purchased by a syndicate, and employed thousands of men in building naval and commercial craft. The bustling activity in eastern Virginia is greater than ever before.

Virginia was a sharer in the widespread drought of 1941. Owing to the lack of rainfall — many inches below normal — farming operations were considerably handicapped and agricultural production fell off. At the same time industrial production, due in part to the defense program, was greatly enlarged. This was particularly true of the chemical industry. In many respects 1941 was a year of prosperity for Virginia.

An event of interest was the celebration in August 1941 of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of King and Queen County.

State Officers.

Governor, Colgate W. Darden; Lieutenant Governor, William M. Tuck; Secretary of the Commonwealth, Raymond L. Jackson; Attorney General, Abram P. Staples; Comptroller, LeRoy Hodges.

United States Senators:

Carter Glass, Harry F. Byrd.

1940: Virginia

Area and Population.

The thirty-third state of the Union in size, Virginia has an area of 42,627 sq. mi. The population, according to the census of 1940, was 2,677,773, an increase of 10.6 per cent over the census of 1930 (2,421,851). In the latter year 84 per cent of the population were recorded as born within the state, and 14.6 per cent in other states, leaving less than 2 per cent or 23,820 foreign-born. Thus Virginia has one of the largest native-born percentages in the United States. In 1930, there was a total population of 2,421,851, of which 650,165 were Negroes.

The largest cities of the state are (census of 1940): Richmond, 193,042; Norfolk, 144,332; Roanoke, 69,287; Portsmouth, 50,745; Newport News, 37,067; Lynchburg, 44,541.

Agriculture and Industry.

The crops in 1940 were fairly good, though cold weather damaged the fruit crop considerably. Tobacco brought a fair price in the several important tobacco markets of the state. Cigarette manufacture showed an increase. General business was good in 1940, and industry was at a high rate, particularly shipbuilding. The most important business deal of the year occurred in May, with the sale to a group of investment corporations of the great shipyard at Newport News, where many vessels are being constructed for the Government.

Education.

According to the latest school census there were in Virginia 735,198 persons of school age, from seven to nineteen years old. The average salary of all teachers was $940; the number of school buildings was 3,130; the total enrollment was 575,999.

Legislative and Political Matters.

Legislation was mainly routine in the 1940 session of the General Assembly. Perhaps the most interesting acts were the one granting Negroes who were denied admission to white colleges of the state, payments enabling them to obtain equal instruction elsewhere at the same cost; and that requiring a medical examination before the grant of a marriage license.

The presidential election of 1940 witnessed the formation of many Democrats-for-Willkie clubs, and a considerable increase in the Republican vote over 1936. Roosevelt carried the state, however, by an overwhelming majority, in the largest vote cast in many years.

The year saw the completion of the beautiful State Library building in Richmond.

Finance.

The entire budget for the 1940-1942 biennium was more than $80,000,000, including funds granted the state by the Federal government, as well as those raised by state taxation. The appropriations from state tax money were $26,451,787 for the first year, and $25,986,822 for the second year, exclusive of certain appropriations contingent on there being a surplus in the treasury. For the administration of unemployment compensation (exclusive of compensation payments) nearly $650,000 was appropriated for each year of the biennium; this did not include appropriations of more than $100,000 for workmen's compensation administration. For bank examination about $75,000 was appropriated for each of the two years.

State Officers.

Governor, James H. Price; Secretary of the Commonwealth, Raymond L. Jackson; Comptroller, LeRoy Hodges; Auditor, I. McCarthy Downs; Attorney General, Abram P. Staples; Superintendent of Education, Sidney B. Hall.

United States Senators:

Carter Glass, Harry Flood Byrd.

1939: Virginia

Area and Population.

The thirty-third state of the Union in size, Virginia covers 40,262 sq. mi. and, with its extensive water surface, 42,627 sq. mi. in all. The population, by the census of 1930, was 2,421,851, but as it has grown considerably in the interval the state now contains more than 2,500,000 people. Virginia is notably homogeneous in its population, not less than 1,486,280 whites (84 per cent) being natives of the state, while 258,137 were born in other states. The foreign-born element is very small, only 23,820 in number by the 1930 census. The Negro population (650,163) is relatively large, but smaller in proportion than in the other southern states.

Virginia is still essentially a rural community, in spite of its rapidly expanding industries. It has many small towns and few large cities. Richmond, the capital, with 182,929 people, is the metropolis. Norfolk comes next, with 129,710, and Roanoke (69,206), Portsmouth (45,704), Lynchburg (40,661) and Newport News (34,417) follow in order. The most highly populated section of the state is that around Hampton Roads, as the three cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth and Newport News are there. Richmond, the center of a Federal Reserve district, had in 1939 bank clearings of about $2,000,000,000. Its principal industry is tobacco manufacture; it is the largest cigarette-making city in the world.

Agriculture.

Virginia is an important farming and lumbering state. The total farm income in 1939 was $114,000,000. Corn is one of the leading products, but also important are hay, garden truck, tobacco, cotton, apples, fowls and hogs. Cattle-raising is engaged in on a large scale in the southwest. Oysters are still an important product of the surrounding waters.

Industry.

In addition to tobacco products. Virginia's main industries center about the manufacture of pulp, furniture, trunks, chemicals, textiles. The largest industrial development of 1939 was the inauguration of a huge rayon plant at Front Royal.

As a source of income, the tourist trade has grown to large proportions in recent years. Virginia Beach near Norfolk is one of the most popular Atlantic resorts, while the reconstruction of colonial Williamsburg draws thousands of travelers annually, as does also Shenandoah National Park. Garden Week in April also attracts many visitors to the old estates.

Mineral Products.

Production of bituminous coal, which leads among Virginia's mineral resources, compared favorably in 1938 with that of the previous year, the preliminary estimate being 12,192,000 tons as against 13,795,239 (value, $27,177,000) in 1937. Stone output too was fairly stationary, at 5,474,690 tons valued at $5,606,470. The value of these two products, in 1937, with smaller quantities of lime, slate sand and gravel, amounted to $46,019,085.

Education.

The feature in education in 1939 was the expansion of the buildings and equipment of the Medical College of Virginia at Richmond, which is now becoming one of the leading medical schools of the country. A building program is also in progress at William and Mary College at Williamsburg, the Mary Washington College at Fredericksburg, and in other colleges. A number of new school buildings have also been erected. Virginia has always been noted for the high quality of its colleges. The year 1939 marked the centennial of the Virginia Military Institute at Lexington, which ranks just after West Point as a military school.

In general, building and other construction work in 1939 reached perhaps the highest level it has ever attained in the state, as the small towns particularly are growing rapidly. While numbers of people were on relief in Virginia, as in all the other states, business was generally good. Retail trade was especially brisk.

Events of the Year.

There was no new legislation during 1939, as the Assembly, which meets biennially, was not in session. The death of Claude A. Swanson, Secretary of the Navy and a former Governor of Virginia and Senator, occurred on July 7. The Richmond Deepwater Terminal, designed to make the city an inland port, is approaching completion. The State Highway Department erected an elaborate headquarters building in Richmond, and a splendid new State Library building was begun.

Admiral Richard E. Byrd, brother of Virginia's junior Senator, left in November for another expedition to the South Pole.

State Officers.

Governor, James H. Price; Lieutenant Governor, Saxon W. Holt; Secretary of the Commonwealth, Raymond Jackson; Attorney General, Abram P. Staples; Comptroller, LeRoy Hodges; Treasurer, Edwin B. Jones; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Dr. Sidney B. Hall.

United States Senators.

Carter Glass and Harry Flood Byrd.

1938: Virginia

One of the thirteen original states, Virginia is often referred to as 'The Old Dominion' or as the 'Mother of Presidents.' It has an area of 42,627 square miles, ranking 33rd in size. Approximately 40,000 square miles are land area. The population of the state in 1930 was 2,421,851 (20th in rank); and by an official estimate of 1938 was 2,637,000. Of the 1930 population, 785,537 were rated as urban and 1,636,314 as rural. Of this population, 1,770,405 were whites, 650,165 Negroes, and 1,281 of other races. Of the white population 1,692,703 were native-born. The largest cities are Richmond, the capital, 182,929 (1930 census); Norfolk, 129,710; Roanoke, 69,206; Portsmouth, 45,704; Lynchburg, 40,661, Newport News, 34,417. Of these cities, Roanoke has probably made the most rapid growth since 1930.

Virginia contains five famous historical shrines — Mount Vernon, Monticello, Wakefield, Stratford, and Arlington. To these should be added Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg, all three included in the recently established 'Colonial National Monument.' These places, together with the scenic Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park, attract every year many thousands of tourists.

Resources.

While Virginia is properly classified as a southern state, it differs in many respects from the states of 'the Deep South.' Only a small proportion of Virginia's soil is sandy, and erosion is consequently less than in most southern states. Only eleven of Virginia's counties grow cotton. Sharecropping, absentee-ownership and tenancy are less common than in other states of the south. Likewise, Virginia is more nearly self-sustaining in home-grown foods. In manufactured products Virginia outranks all other southern states except one, in mineral products all except four. In the southern fishing industry it stands first. Virginia also ranks at the top among southern states in bank resources per capita, and in per capita property holdings and income.

Education.

On a number of educational counts Virginia stands near the head among the states of the south, ranking third in revenue available for public education, third in number per thousand population attending colleges or professional schools, fourth in average salaries for teachers and principals, and fourth in percentage of total school population in high school. The state is well supplied with institutions of higher learning, both tax-supported and on private foundation. Among the best known are the University of Virginia, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, College of William and Mary, University of Richmond, and the Hampton Institute for Negroes. Notable advance has been made, chiefly with the aid of WPA, in the equipment of publicly controlled schools and colleges. A million-dollar library building at the University of Virginia and a clinic and laboratory building costing $800,000 at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond deserve special mention.

Agriculture.

The reports of official statisticians show that 1938 crops are slightly below those of 1937, both in amount and in value, though they are above the ten-year average. Tobacco production almost equaled the 1937 crop of 107,000,000 pounds. Acreages were about the same as in 1937, except for cotton and tobacco, which were curtailed under governmental administration, but unfavorable weather conditions reduced crop volume. Cash income will be somewhat less than the $129,000,000 of 1937.

Industry.

Virginia manufactures mostly consumer goods and there has not been much change in output in the past three years. The current year will show a five per cent increase in manufacture of tobacco, and a similar increase in rayon products. Except for 1937, the current year has been the best in industry since 1931. New construction shows a four per cent increase over 1937. Employment showed some decrease in the early part of 1938, but has been picking up since September.

Mineral Products.

Coal and stone are the chief mineral products of Virginia. In 1937, production of coal amounted to 13,558,000 tons compared with 11,661,636 tons in 1936, with a value of $20,278,000. Stone shipments amounted in 1937 to 5,061,660 tons valued at $5,399,137. The total value of Virginia's minerals, including substantial amounts of sand and gravel, as well as manganese ore, and some zinc-lead ores, amounted in 1936 to $37,499,991.

Finance.

State finances are economically administered under a strict budget system. The state budget for 1938 carried $38,775,779, for current expense, and for capital outlay $1,129,375.

State Officers.

Governor, James H. Price; Lieutenant Governor, Saxon W. Holt; Secretary of the Commonwealth, Raymond Jackson; Attorney General, Abram P. Staples; Comptroller, LeRoy Hodges; Treasurer, Edwin B. Jones; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Dr. Sidney B. Hall.

United States Senators:

Carter Glass and Harry Flood Byrd.