what law requires participation? -----Original Message----- From: richerson52@comcast.net To: tnlincol@rootsweb.com Sent: Mon, Mar 1, 2010 4:41 pm Subject: [TNLINCOL] two cents from a former census taker As a 1980 door-to-door census taker,* let me urge everyone to fill in your own ensus and mail it in! That will save our government (us) the money that would therwise have to be paid to census takers, who will go to an address up to hree times! Participation is required by law. lder censuses did not have forms to mail in; information was collected by oor-to-door enumerators. On the very old forms I think we are seeing the actual ollected info. If the list is alphabetical, then of course no. magine: . miles between houses out in the country. The enumerator arrives and only a 2-yr-old boy is at home. Ask him or come back? That's why I question ANY old erson's age if it ends in a zero or 5---sounds like estimating. . given dental care in the old days (many people toothless from middle age on), iteracy, and accents, the enumerator spelled names as best as he could. Our arrons became Barnes..... . same for birthplaces. I doubt that my children could correctly give the irthplaces of their grandparents. ensuses are essential for accurate representation in Congress and local overnment. As genealogy tools, they are a wonderful.......clue!!! Not a uaranteed fact. (As a census-taker, I faced menacing dogs, strange entryways with snakeskins n the floor, and a "hypnotist" who wanted me as his "assistant"! Mail in your ensus!!!) hyllis ------------------------------ o unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TNLINCOL-request@rootsweb.com ith the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of he message