New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-17
NATIONAL ILLIThRICK.

| SOME SUGGESTIVE FACTs AND FIGURES, CULLED
FROM THE LAST CENSUS.
| To the Edftor Of The Trt6ane.
| SIR: It is well enough Mt times TO encourage
the ride OF people, and strengthen their faith In re-
publican by pointingout rapid growth in
population and wealth but IL is also the duty OF jour
nas pose the dangers that menace us and to urge
the policy md necessary to protect us from
their consequences. Your remarks on Freedom anu
Growth " in THE TRIBUNE of July answer tine former
purpose. To complete the picture, and nix attention
upon the dangers which environ to prick tue bubble
OF pride and expose weakness 10 m0rfy the vanity
which makes overlook the destruction that threatens,
call OF your readers TO the facts stated in
the speech Of senator Blair before the United states
senate on the 18th OF last month upon education in the
United IL merits the earnest attention OF every
American, and doubt not will be read with mingled
feelings of astOnishuent, shame AID alarm.
AS the result OF Nj Blars study Oi the recent census
compared with the reports OF progress in education
abroad he finds that within twenty-five years unless
we advance We shall be far behind the Englshspeakng
any other part OF the earhald 1t will not be long
the and OF Europe will reach aud pass
his kindred on this side Of the Atlantic" He adds fur
To-day ouly If per cent Of the Immigration com
ing shores from Europe ierate being subsan
italy OF the grade Of Intelligence as onr general
population In other words immigration no longer adds
esscnt ALLY to American illteracy."
Mr.. Blair then gives what he calls with fearful EN-
phasis the cold steel OF reliable statistics" to tn
actual condition Of inc American people in respect Of
education, which he says demands the profoundest
study of every citizen or the laud" He reminds those
Judge hopefully Of our condition, because majority
Of people read aud write that these qualldca-
large extent nominal. sufficient to accom-
psh the ordinary business OF life but not the Of
knowledge the means OF the Interchange Of hought
that The figures oil every far more favor
the facts to the real mental condition Of the
people"
noO IL tai md hat
than 2,OOOOOO are iIiterate, and ono voter in
his lie is the prey OF the dema
ROgue, The victim 81 prejudice, but he holds the bal
of power in almost every state, and I'm the Nation
large" II This extent Of liteacy be- "a must be to
every thoughtful citizen. appalling what must be his re-
Elections considers The statistics OF the census re-
-pecng school population, and the proportions
ceiying Instruction!
Mr. Blair believes it to be "a low estimate which
places the whole school population OF the country at
i5JOO.OOO," and while he knows Of reason 10 be-
Tat the number OF pupils receiving instruction has
essentially Increased since 1870. expenditures for edu
cation have certainly not increased and in some states
fallen Of" We charged with the education
5000 900 Of chiran and youths, who IN less than
years VIII be the Nation. or these, 100000, or five
twelfihs Of the wAoo, are growing up in absolute
suorance Of the English alphabet This seems incred-
iplc, but hose the figures:
this before another censu. there will be more
children 0nt of the schools Than IA hr and before NAN
a century ignorance aud ia consequences VIII have
Uosrd TO- nay scao,l facilities than tue country
and to Immediately influence the course OF aiflrs,
well study Their condition, as they are az great
a source OF danger the ,norant rural population OF
The south. Elghly-siX cities contain S.3OO,Osl nhaO
ltant-. and al aggregate schOOi population OF
2,O52 923, OF whom more than 0nethrd never enter
the at ALL and only twohiths fuzzy avail
themselves of the ADVANTAGES provided In thirty-four
Of these cities from % 10 - per cent the children are
enrolled at all tnat i. they will never know now 10
read write. New-York mas Il school population OF
3oOOO oil Whch tho average attendance AT school IL
l32OUO and 1000 are not enrolled AT all In Clncin
nau the average atenda &c IA less than oneihr the
whole number and $1,000 are not enrolled AT al 1t
docs not relieve tae ddk picture to say that these
state Of O4io only 2s,65o are in private
schools There are more than 10000 children III
TIE great city Of Cincinnati to-day VINO are growing up
IA norancr a. dense as mat OF tne Jungles OF ATca
ened culture Of civilized vice In CHICAGO THIS
81 per cent OF her children. never ateud school at all
IL ST. Louis 10000 half. growing up iii
ae -tac. In milwaukee % per cent are not even en-
rouod and might a. well have been born III heather
cOuIuy In New 81 leans out o. $1,000 scnOol pOpla
ton, $4,000 have no ecnool advantages
revelations of the census Ought to Oycrwhelm us
with sham. and stimulate every power OF the National
neect to proyde remedy equal the terrible disease
The suffrage is universal, ana that means universal
rum unless the capacity to use 1t telgen 10 created
by universal educaUn This work belongs 20 the Nation
Tue issue cannot eyaded; common senoot education
NUT become universal OF tHe IoIIn oi Oul oS cIhuIct
must changed The next ten years will dechir the
question. National ad 10 schools s indispensable To the
National existence 1t must Be given now, and given
literally, aud applied where most required
The bill offered in the by SIR Blair appropriates
large sun, annually beginning with Sl5.OO0,OO0 aDd
decreasing Sl,0O0,OOO eacn year following until ten
annual contributions nave been male. These sums are
to distributed the III proportion ilteracy
and the bill contempates the gradual increase OF ability
and disposition among the states support their own
schools, the natural consequence Of greater intel
hSencc until necessity for the appropriation shall
pass away The general belief in the want Of such
National remedy l. cvnced BY the introduction of other
similar bills Tor the samc purpose III Doth branches u
Congress II is hoped that efectual measures Will be
sposy aGop,Hu' n 10 t W ne sn Naion
IIalI l4lk flp
action. RI respectfully, EDw ARD H. AMMIDOwH.
NOrristOton, ". j., July 4, 1882.
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