1. Two sub-samples of 10 towns each, one being towns that 

 had increased from 1920-1950; the other, towns that had decreased 

 during the same period. 



2. The increase or decrease should hold for each decennial 

 period. 



3. The net change through time should be substantial percent- 

 agewise as well as numerically. 



4. The towns should have a population between 300 and 1,000 

 in 1950. 



5. The total population of each sub-sample should be approxi- 

 mately equal to facilitate computation. 



6. The towns, if possible, should not be concentrated in any 

 one part of the State. 



When the towns were actually selected it was found that all the criteria 

 could not be met. Criteria 1, 3, 4, and 5 were met for each town in the 

 sample. Number 2 could be met only for the sub-sample of increasing 

 towns and number 6 could be met only approximately since the population 

 shift in the State has in general been from North to South. As a result 

 there are more of the decreasing towns in the northern half of the State 



Tab!e 1. Population of Towns Composing Increasing and Decreasing Samples 



Source: United States Census, 14, 15, 16 and 17, Vol. 2, Characteristics of the Population. 



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