The Worthington advance., 1896-03-05
PROGRESS in LEARNING. !.

PROGRESS IN LEARNING. e..
Illiteracy In tho United States - Shown
by Oflcisl Report. '@5'' '&'
Some pertinent facts as to illiteracy
in this country are brought out in the
report of the national commissioner of
education, recently printed. The fig
ures, and, of course, the deductions,
ore oil based on the census of 1890,
and, while changes have taken place
since, allowance can be made for them
and pretty accurate idea of the pres
ent situation as to illiteracy gained.
To some neighborhoods and classes of
the population the figures will be found
encouraging, while to others they will
be just as discouraging. The amount
of illiteracy in the country, taken as a
whole, is, however, appalling.
In 1890 there were 47,413,599 inhab-
itants in the states and territories 10
years old and over, and of these 1884,
7O2 could not read and write. So the
i.literates composed 1873 per cent. OF
the population 10 years of age and
over. According to the census of 1890
the population of the same age was &c.
761, SOY, of whom C,239,95S, or II per
cents, could not read or write. Be-
tween 1880 and 1890 the population of
the whole country increased IL, ,466, ,467,
or nearly 25 per cent; but the rate OF
iiliteracy fell from II per cent. in the
first year to 1873 per cent. in the second
year, decrease of 81 per cent. Had
the same percentage of illiteracy pre-
vailed in 1890 as in 1880 there would
have been in the former year 8,060, ,3O5
>illiterates, or /, ,735 ,cO3 more than there
actually were. This is a gratifying de-
crease, indicating more than twice the
progress in education made between
1870 and 1880.
:. OF: the male population over 10 years
OF age 1874 per cent. are illiterate, and of
the female population of; the same age
14.4 per cent. showing q. 2 per cent.
greater illiteracy. among, the. females
than among the males. Both sexes show
gain over 1880, the males of 3.4 per
cent. and the females of 3.8 per cent, or
o. per cent in favor of the females.
But it is not so encouraging to see that
the percentage of illiteracy among the
males in the North Atlantic division of
states, which includes all New England,
New York, New Jersey and Pennsyl-
vania, increased 0.5 per cent; although
female illiteracy in the same states de-
creased 0.5 per cent. In the South At
lantic and South Central divisions of
states, which include all the southern
states, the, decrease in the illiteracy of
the sexes maintains about the same
ratio, showing that the colored women
ere, keeping steady step with the col
ored men in gaining an education.
Some of the facts brought out are sur
prising, and if the figures were not Off
cial there would be hesitancy about
accepting them. Nebraska, for in
stance, ranksyat the head of the states
in literacy,<5 only: 81 per cent of, its
population being unable to read and
write. In fact, no state west of the
Mississippi river, with the exception of
the four southern states; ranks as low
as Massachusetts, in.the number of il
,iterates in its population. No one of
them has over per cent. of illiterates,
while Massachusetts has '6.2 per cent.
In Pennsylvania 6.S, per cent. of the
population is illiterate. twill be a
matter for regret to learn that such
states as Maine, New Hampshire, Yer
mont and New Jersey increased the
percentage Of their illiterates between
1880 and 1890, and that Pennsylvania's
illiterates decreased only AZ per cent.
in the same time. This shows how large
II percentage of the better educated ele-
ment in these states had emigrated to
the far western states, their places be-
ing taken by illiterate foreigners. p
Perhaps the most encouraging fact
brought out in the report is the prog
ress shown among the colored people
Of the south. In 1850 there were 4,6O1,-
207 colored people over 10 years of age,
of whom 1920, ,s7s, or 70 per cent, could
not read and write. In 1890 the col
ored population over 10 years numbered
5,4s2, ,4s5, and of these 3,112,12s, or 56.s
per cent. could not read and write.
This is decrease of over 13 per cent. in
10 years, a rapid and gratifying de-
crease; but it must not be forgotten
that the colored illiterates still make
up very nearly one-half the total num-
Der of illiterates in the United States.
Louisiana stands at the foot of the
column, with 45.s per cent. of her total
population unable to read and write.-
Philadelphia Press.
A Natural Mistake.
She is a very affable woman, and she
would invariably say the right thing at
the right place if she were not near
sighted.
II see," she said, as she entered the
drawing-room of her friend, "that you