The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-05-03
HLITERACY IN THIS COUNTRY.
An Interesting Address by tho Hon. John
Eaton.


The Hon. John Eaton, United States
Commissioner of Emigration, in lecture
on "llliteracy, as Shown by the Census
OF 1880" said that according to the last
census there wore in the United States
over 100000 colored persons, over
2,2O0, 900 native whites, and over 700,-
OO0 foreign born whites over ten years
old who could not write.
Although this WAS relatively an adj
vance OF three per cent over 1870 in the
number who could writo it was an i'll
crease of 58J 900 in the number who
could not wllto
The lecturers first proposition was
that greater activity was needed on the
part of all the agencies that promote
education. Greater activity was needed
i'll the family, for there was a large in
crease in the number Of neglected chill
dren. In the church there should be
more activity. The Sabbath schools had
only about 6,250,000 children. If they
held only the youth Of tho land they
should have from 100000 to 100000
600. The churches would require 81 ,OOO,-
600 additional sittings to accommodate
the population, and to give one religious
paper to each family would take a circu-
lation of 100000 900 copies. 1t was ab-
slTd to ask the church to cope with the
illitcracy of the country. There were
over 3,7OO,0O0 children who did not at
tend the public schools. Allowing 7OO,-
GOO as attendants at private schools there
were 8, 000,0 600 out of school. To pro-
vide sittings for these would require
500, 100000. Thirty thousand addi-
tlonal teachers would be needed, costing
$40 O0O,O 900, so that for the first wear
SllO, ,OOO,OO would have to be spent.
Tho average absentecs from school in
our cities was nearly two-iifths of the
school population, but the abscntccs
were mainly concentrated in the South
ern States.
In tho South thero were 400 600
White and colorcd persons over ten wears
old who could not write. Should we ask
the churches to educate them? Tho
rh''r'hrS wrrH constantly appealing to
MS for aid for themselves. Should we
ask the States? The States were i'm
porcriShcd and loaded with taxes.
Mr.. Eaton gave n mass of interesting
figures, from which he reached the con-
clusion that if the illitcratcs were all
taught to read and write the value of
their Labor would br SO increased that an
lhclcHleHt ol wealth. amounting to S4SS.-
757, 900 II year would he added to tho
whole country. There were, he contin
ucd, 1,S7O,2lG adult males who cannot
read. These were substantially voters.
In II States the illitrrate voters outnum-
hcrcd the votes Of either political party.
and III five States, there were enough
lllltcrate voters to have reversed the re-
suit Of the last election in each State.
There were 1923, 900 persons over 10
years of age who could not read the ar
E1ments, warnings, and appeals made to
them by the press. Mr. Eaton spoke of
many thousands Of children in the Terri
tories who must be educated, and then
urged that tho Nation was the only
agency equal in power and ample in
means to successfully grapple with the
problem of illit"racy. Ali the present
agencies were overtaxcd. The Nation
had given millions for roads and rivers
i'll the States, great grants of lands to
railroads. grants III aid of agricultural
colleges, and had given aid to the blind
and deaf and dumb. Only the general
Government could meet the greatness of
the present emergency by aiding the
States i'll helping and extending cstab.
lished agencies.