The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1884-09-24
IGNORANCE.
Alarming Increase of llIiteracy In
This Country.

In rummaging through some late sta
tistical documents 4 Cincinnati re-
gMiyer reporter has derived some USE
full and interesting information on edu-
cation in the United States. How
many people would ina gine that there
were more illiteratc people in the coun-
try in 1880 than ten years previous to
that time by 5sl Sl4? All OF thess are
over the age OF IA and unable to read
and write. Altogether there are now
6, 239, 95S densely ignorant people in
this enlightened country. while in 1870
there were but 5.65s. IA. This in
cludes the negroes. the Chinese. and
the Indians. In every division of the
country ignorance and iiliteracy has
increased with the exception Of the
northern division of states. Kansas,
Ohio. and Indiana decrease their illit-
crates more than 3 per cent, and the
other states about per cent, making
falling Off in the decade in the maj jor-
ity, and leaving the actual increase but
15,jO6 The southern division, where
the negro llourishes, increased in illit-
crates sol, POI, and the Pacific division
ing the foreigners and Indians. The
progress Of the negro race is not glow
ing when 81. id figures are taken for it.
nr. Charles Warren, of the national bu-
reau of education, in an interesting PAM
phlet on the subject, says that the Gen.
susss of 1880 showed 220, 900 more col
ored than white illiteratcs in the coun-
try, although the white population of
the same age outnumbered the others
more than 27.5OO,O00.
In this connection the doctor re-
marks: ''Surely this is dangerous to
the colored people themselves, to the
communities in which they are resident
citizens, property owners, and voters,
and to the nation of which they form
part. Only one in four of the colored
persons 10 years old and over in the
southern division could write. The
colored illiterates in this part of the
union, in spite of all that has been
done by local religious, state. and vol
untary effort, increased 365, ,041 in the
decade. This illiteracy is weak spot
in our national life. Should not the
nation help to educate the surplus of
ignorant child-life in the south which
is growing up to manhood without any
sufficient knowledge in letters, indus
try, morals, law, and citizenship" It
is gratifying to learn that illiteracy is
steadily decreasing, and in the north
and west is confined mostly to the Chi
nese and Indians. In 1870 Ohio had a
population of 1865. 800, and in 1880
had increased to 3,198.O62. OF this
population in 1870 there were 1888, OIL
native males, 1,153, 796 native females,
1913. $40 male foreigners, and 1881
female foreigners. In 1880 the native
males had increased to 1.4O1, 800; fc-
males, 1.4O1, ,22O; foreign males, 212,-
O46; females, 1S2, $40. In the United
States and territories in 1870 the entire
male native population was 16, 1856, 622;
female, 16, 504. 500; foreign males, 3, O06,-
943; females 1850, 2S6; making a grand
total OF 3S, 1868. 81.
In 1880 the entire population had
swelled to 50, 155, 7S3, the native males
numbering 21, S87, 254; females, 81, 49,
$50; foreign males, $3.50, 566; females,
{, 3,O49, 377.
In point of male population COM
pared with that of female population, /
Texas is the most ungallant of all the
states. In 1870 the males outnumber-
ed the females 10, and in 1880 the state
boosted Gl, 900 more men than women.
Missouri comes next with 40 more he's
than she's in 1870, and 81. 600 in 1880.
In 1880 there were 1000 more men
than women in Kansas, Al, ZOO in Col
orado, $4,000 in Nebraska, $4,000 in
10000 in Iowa, and 81, 900 |
in Michigan. Ohio acts very decently
by showing up but 1000 ahead on the
male side in 1880, while ten years pre-
viously the females were in the lead I
10, 600. New York, Maine, Pennsyl- |
vania, and most OF the eastern and |
southern states indicate a majority on
the weaker side in 1880.
New York shows SO, 900 more native
than men. Virginia "a, 900, Geor-
yia $4,000, South Carolina 10000,
North Carolina $4,000, and Massachu-
;etts $4,000.
With the foreign element the males
are largely in the lead in every state
except in Massachusetts,. where the fe-
males have u majority of 10000, and
n New York, where they outnumber
males $4,000. This is probably due to
he shop girl element.
1t appears that there are more male
han female illiterates in the country
oy a very large majority. In 1880. in
| total examination of 5l9. 1874 of chill
iren between the ages OF 10 and IA
iears who were unable to write 1929. 302
If them we're boys and 256,S92 were
,irls, leaving the male youthful litter
ties in the majority by 65,4l0. 1t is
painful fact that in the decade this
,lass of illiterates increased nearly
hundred thousand. Yet 4 great many
hink it rarity to find a white child
n this country aged 10 or l4years who
IAN not read and write. 1t is :: matter
If great solici;uie, in spite of the inn
proved school facilities, the tax bur-
lens levied for educational purposes,
md all the pains taken in this direc-
ion, that IS white children out of every
100 escaped the combined influences of
church, day school. Sunday school, and
amily teaching in 1880.
Millions In 1t.