There are about 200,000 enrolled pupils in the elementary schools and about 6,000 teachers. There are 100 public high schools with about 7,000 pupils. The total annual expenditure for educational purposes is about $4,000,000, The institutions for higher education include the University of Florida at Gainesville, the State College for Women at Tallahassee, Rollins College at Winter Park, John B. Stetson University at De Land.
Churches.—The strongest denominations in the State are the African Methodist Episcopal; the Methodist Episcopal, South; Regular Baptist, South; Regular Baptist, Colored; Roman Catholic; Methodist Episcopal; Protestant Episcopal; Presbyterian; Disciples; and Congregational.
Finance.—The receipts during the fiscal year 1919 amounted to $6,334,025, and the disbursements to $6,369,753, There was a balance on hand January 1, 1919, of $1,861,628, and on January 1, 1920, there was a balance of $1,825,899. The public debt amounted to $601,567.
Transportation.—There are about 6,000 miles of steam railway and about 200 miles of electric railway. The Atlantic Coast Railway and the Louisville and Nashville Railway run through the State. The Florida East Coast Railway with an extension to Key West was opened in 1912. A large trade is carried on through Pensacola and other ports. Harbor improvements have been carried out at Jacksonville.
Charities and Corrections.—The charitable and correctional institutions include the State Institute for the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind at St. Augustine, Hospital for the Insane at Chattahoochee; Industrial School for Boys, at Marianna; Prison Farm, at Raiford; Industrial School for Girls, at Ocala.
State Government.—The governor is elected for a term of four years. Legislative sessions are held biennially, beginning on the first Tuesday in April, and are limited to 60 days each. The legislature has 32 members in the Senate and 75 in the House. There are 4 representatives in Congress.
History.—Florida was discovered by Juan Ponce de Leon, March 27, 1513, on Easter Sunday, after which the peninsula was named. He and his successors explored a large part of Florida in search of gold and “the fountain of perpetual youth.” He was killed in a fight with the natives in 1521. A Spanish force of 400 men under Panfilo de Narvaez landed in 1528, and all but four perished. In 1539 a force of 600 under Fernando De Soto landed at Tampa Bay and moving to the N. and W., overcoming the natives by treachery and violence, passed beyond the present limits of Florida. A settlement of French Huguenots was attempted in 1564, but two years later was exterminated by the Spanish. From this time the Spanish were in absolute control, and settlements were made at Pensacola and elsewhere along the coast. In 1687 the first large consignment of negro slaves was brought to Florida. From 1702 to 1748 there were continued hostilities between the Spanish, French, and British along the coast, during which St. Augustine was twice besieged by the British. A truce lasted from 1748 to 1752, when war was again renewed, resulting in the exchange of Cuba for Florida, the British immediately taking possession. Shortly after the American Revolutionary War Florida was re-ceded to Spain. West Florida was sold to France in 1795. During the War of 1812 the British occupied Pensacola with the consent of Spain. In 1814 it was captured by the United States forces under Andrew Jackson. Then followed a long series of wars with the natives, the whole of Florida being ceded to the United States by Spain in 1819. In 1822 Florida was organized as a Territory of the United States. From 1835 to 1842 the Seminole Indians were in active hostility and on their final surrender they were removed to a special reservation. Florida was admitted to the Union as a State in 1845. At the outbreak of the Civil War the principal government posts were seized by the State forces. Fort Pickens, however, was held by a Union garrison, and after being re-enforced was used as the base of operations in the vicinity. Jacksonville was several times occupied by the contending forces, and many minor engagements took place along the coast. Florida was given full civil government July 4, 1868.
FLORIDA KEYS, or REEFS, in Florida, a chain of small islands, keys or reefs, and sandbanks, extending S. W. from Cape Florida, about 220 miles. They are very considerable in number, but only a few are of any importance. Among these may be mentioned Cayo Largo, Indian Key, Long island, Old and New Matacombs, Cayo de Boca, and Key West, on which the city of Key West is built.
FLORIDA, UNIVERSITY OF, a State institution for higher education, established in 1905. It is organized into a Graduate School; College of Arts and Sciences; College of Agriculture; College of Engineering; College of Law; Teachers' College; University Extension Division; and an Agricultural Experiment Station. It has an income of over $100,-
