Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1895-01-31
Entered at the Post Office at Colds
boro. N. c.. as Second-Class Matter.
wEsn WE GO FoRwARD.

The best scale by which to
measure the progress Of apeople
is by their advance along educa-
tional lines.
Some highly interesting and
eye-opening statistics have re-
Gently been collected and pub
lished by the New York mdepend-
ent as to the number and loca-
ton of illiterates in the United
States at the dates of the last
two ceEsuSeS.
The figures show, of course,
the greatest rate of litter acy to
be in the South which is eli fly |
due to the large negro popula-
ton in these States, but they
also disclose the fact that the
decl ease of illiteracy has also
been greatest in the Southern
States.
The independents table en-
braces all the States and Terri
tories whose illiteracy is 25 per
cent. among the population of
ten years old and upward.
A review of the figures of the
table demonstrates that Of the
thirteen States and Territories
twelve are Southern States. The
reason for this is, as stated above,
on account Of the colored pOpu-
lation. It is shown further that
in every one of the twelve
States, without exception, there
was a decrease of i~lliteracy dur
ing the decade 1S80-90: some of
them, like Texas, Florida, Ten
nessee and North Carolina,
showing quite d large decrease;
others again, like Louisiana,
showing a smaller decrease.
Looking at the sum total of
the illiterates in the two census
years, it is seen that the number
of illiterates in the said States and
Territories was almost 225, O0C
less in 1890 than it was in 1880;
and this is a singularly good
showing, when it is remembered
that in the course of the ter
years the population in all these
States was largely increased
There was not one of them il
which i~lliteracy did not decrease
in proportion to the population
but there are four of them, Ala
bama, Arkansas, Georgia anc
Louisiana, in which the numbe
of illiterates absolutely in
creased.
The table of the Independe1
contains some further points O
interest. It is shown that i
two States, Kentucky and Ten
nessee, the number Of illiterate
among whites is greater tina
the number of colored illiterates
The reason for this is that ther
are many'times more whites tina
negroes in those States. 1t
seen that in Mississippi the co
ored illiterates are to the whit
as seven TO one: in South Care
lima the colored illiterates al
five to one of the white; in AL;
bama, Florida, Georgia an
Louisisna, three to n of tt
whites; and in Virginia two
one.
1t may be seen, also, from tt
totals that in 1890 there wei
Ill, 916 fewer white illiterat'
than in 1880, and 112. 500 few
colored illiterates in than 3
but as there were twice as mar
colored as white illiterates
1880, the decrease of illiterat
among the whites during the d
cade was about twice as great
among the colored folks. Z
put it exactly, the decrease
illiteracy among the negroes
the ten years was $50 per Ger
while among the whites it W
7.76 All Of which is We.
gratifying, when account is h;
at the same time of the large a
ditions to the populations duril
the same period.
It is very gratifying, mol
ever, when consideration
taken of another fact; that ia
being that, while in no State
the South was there an increa
of illiteracy during the Gems
decades, there was an increase
illiteracy in States elsewhere
Maine, Vermont, New Har
pshire. Michigan, montana, n
vada, New Jersey and Wisconsi
The South has made go'
strides in educational auvant
ment during the past decade a
it's prospects are very fatterir
Wilmington MESSENGER: