Counting Noses: Getting Ready for the 1940 Census

From the Record Journal of Douglas County, Castle Rock, Douglas County, Colorado. Friday, March 29, 1940, Page 4.


THE CENSUS ENUMERATOR WILL SOON BE COUNTING NOSES OF YOU AND YOURS


"If every family in Douglas County would devote the conversation at one single dinner hour to a discussion of the coming Census of Population, it would be a great convenience to the family, an aid to the community and to the Government," according to C.C. Unfug,  District Supervisor of the Census for this district.

"The Census man is coming to every home in April," said Mr. Unfug, "and some member of each family should be designated by the family to act as spokesman when the Census taker comes, and give all the information required about every household occupant, even including roomeys and hired help who live in the household." According to Mr. Unfug, these are the facts that the Census man will ask for at every household:

House number and street.
Home owned, or rented; home value, if owned; monthly rent if rented.
Live on farm?
Name of every person in household and relationship to head of family; sex, color or race; age last birthday; single, married, widowed or divorced.
Whether attended school or college since March 1, 1940; highest grade completed.
State or Country of birth.
Citizenship if foreign born.
Where did each person live five years ago, that is on April 1, 1935?
To get complete facts of employment and unemployment, each person 14 or over must say whether at work for pay or profit in private industry during March 24-30, this year. If not working for private industry, or non emergency government work, or regular government work, whether working for WPA, NYA, CCC for that week. If neither at work nor assigned to public emergency work, each person must say whether or not he is seeking work; if not seeking work, whether he has a job or business from which he is temporarily away.
Each person not at work or not seeking work must say whether engaged in home housework, in school, unable to work or "other".
All persons employed by private industry or on regular government work are required to give the number of hours worked the week of March 24-30, and those seeking work and those assigned to public emergency work must state the duration of their unemployment in weeks up to March 30, 1940.
Every person at work, either private or emergency, must give present occupation, industry and class of worker. Those without work but seeking work must report on whether they have had previous work experience lasting one month or more and give their last occupation, industry and class of worker. If they have not had previous work experience and are seeking work they will be listed as "new workers".
Information sough on "occupation" above, must include exact nature of duties performed, such as trade, profession or particular kind of work done. Under "industry" above, report kind of factory, store or other business in which duties are performed. Under "class of worker" above, report whether a wage or salary worker in private work; a wage or salary worker in government work (including WPA, CCC, NYA); an employer: working on own account, or an unpaid family worker.
Report the number of weeks worked during 1939 (equivalent, full-time weeks). Report the amount of wages, or salary received (including commissions) during 1939 and whether there was additional income of $59 or more from other sources during the year.
Each twentieth person will be asked the state or county of birth of father and mother; mother tongue; whether a veteran; whether a wife, widow or child under 18 of a veteran; if a child, is the veteran father dead; what war or military service.
Each twentieth person will also be asked whether he or she has a Social Security number, whether or not deductions were paid for Federal Old Age Insurance, or Railroad Retirement in 1939. If deductions were made, were they based on all, one-half, or more, or less than half of wages or salary?
Each twentieth person will be asked his or her "usual" occupation, industry, and class of worker. State as usual occupation that one so regarded, or if not sure, that one at which he has worked in most(?) during the past ten years.
The supplementary Census will also ask each woman who has been married whether married more than once; age at first marriage and number of children.