Daily Republican., 1881-07-14
Increase OF Illiteracy.


Increase OF Illiteracy.
The annual convocation of the Stat'
University OF New York met at Albany
on Tuesday last. The most interesting
part of the exercises and that OF the
most general importance in Nationa-
ASPECT was the reading of a paper by
Professor Gardner upon "N ational Edu
cation-relation of the General Govern
ment to the education of the people. "
As general thing we have been led to
believe that education in this country
is making rapid progress and that the
people are becoming more enlightened
az year aftee year rolls around. II
seems however that those who have had
this idea are mistaken it what Professor
Gardner says is true, and We have no
reason whatever to doubt his word. The
paper alluded to, showed an alarming
amount of illitsracy in the United
States. 1t presented statistics showing
that in 1870 the voting population of the
United States was 7,775, 900, and the
illiterate voters we're 1.5eO. 600 or within
195, 900 of one half, find the same class
of voters in the Southern States were
1,123,0O0. Twenty per cent. Of the en-
tire voting population OF the United
States and forty-tve per cent, Of the
Southern States could not read their
ballots The total vote cast and count |
ed at the last general election in the |
whole country was 8, 297, 600. Advanced !
sheets Of the census reports and care
full estimates say that from twenty-one
to twenty-five per cent. of that vote was
illiterate, and by illiteracy is meant
those who cannot read and write. The
strangest thing in all in Professor Gard.
ner's researches is the fact that not
withstanding all that has been done for
the Cause of education, illiteracy is on
the increase. In 1870 only one voter in
five was iliterate, but the proportion is 9
larger now than then.
Sixteen Southern States contain one
third the entire vote of the country, and Z
three-fourths of that vote was illilerate.
There are 457 900 iliterate votes in the q
Eastern, Northern and Western States.
New York has 77,12O illiterate voters, II
Pennsylvania, 67,l0S; Illinois, 44,47S: IL
Ohio, 4S,970, aad other States with II
large cities about the same in propor II
tion to the population. These 457 900 n
illiterate voters showed their dis
tinguished power IN the riots of 1877.
and they can decide every contested ~ m
election. 1t will not do to lay all the ~,
rloting in this country to the door of %
the illiterate, for many of the most in |,
telligent and educated citizens of the g.
north are worse than the illiterate, but r.,
as general thing rioting, excess and oo
crime are the indigenous growth of ig- u,
norance. The rapid growth of city 80
populations and illiteracy is an evil ~
omen for Republican government, :,
and if the institutions prded by Ameri -
cans would be prevented from filling .
into decay, the educational institutions -,
OF the nation must be strengthened and ~,
general education be made more gen. :,
eraL In 1870 illiteracy had grown to va, m
one-slxth of our population, and in ,,o
1880 1t had grown to one-ffth. In New
York State it was found that fifty per
cent. OF the litter lte lived in the cities in.
in that State. tlo
The increase of illteracy is aitribrta- Int
BILE to several causes. In the North the on
large cities are overrun with emigrants th1
Though as general thing the class of gr:
coming to this country now gr;
are more intelligent and better educa- M
ted than the class that years ago pre- TN
ceded them, the large ma ority Of them fii
belong to the class termed illiteratc tn
Emigration alone keeps up the pre-. ge
punderance on the side of iliiteracy in ev
tue Northern States. Turning to the ''s
South we regret to say that there aye ia
other and more serious causes, and these ,
CAUSES grow ont Of the prejudces ret
against the colOred race There is no ins
denying the fact that though an alarm no
ing number of the whites of the South th;
are ignorant the greater proportion of era
the weight of illiter,cy is wi h the COL MI
ored people. This however is not to NOT
their discredit They are responsible ha,
Tor the illiteracy that prevails amongst ais
them to the extent that they neglect to nee
make use of the educational privileges
and facilities provided for them. 1t is I
not yet twenty years since three -fourths on
ol Them were slaves and teaching them for
70 read was punishable with fines and ma
In the early days of agr
tec"nstruction, attention was paid to wo
-e.e education Of the coored people and 'os
liberal provisions were made to estab- liel
isn schools IN all the States. These SIN;
worked well for time or as LONG as the left
States We're under the political influence be
OF the friends Of the colored people. But u
q change occurred during the decade,
from 1s7o IN 1890 Th. s.,,o - You
ments Of the Southern States passed IVA
nto other hands and the plan for the .'i'
education Of the colored people Was '0a
interfered with. The funds '"'
provided for education were used for
other purposes. This accounts in '
Ga .t,, .,., - gre
,ducation in the South since 1870.