Valley of the Shadow
The Eve of War
Fall 1859–Spring 1861

1860 Census and Summaries

School and Literacy, 1850


This table compares in 1850 the numbers of students and teachers in schools in both counties. The 1860 census did not capture similar data. Augusta’s investment in schools and education fell far below Franklin’s in every category, except private academies.

Augusta Franklin
No. public schools 23 177
No. teachers public schools 23 177
No. students public schools 745 8,579
Total annual funding public schools $1,423 $19,764
No. academies 7 7
No. teachers academies 18 13
No. students academies 226 174
Total annual funding academies $210 $3,574
No. persons attending school 939 9,386

U.S. Census Office, Seventh Census [1850]. Population of the United States in 1850, Compiled from the Original Returns of the Seventh Census. Washington, D.C., 1854.