The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-03-06

II. A. uINsnAIE. ANN ARnoR,

| The census bulletin ON illiteracy recent
ly published by Hon. Washington Gard
ner, Secretary of State, is an educational
document of very unusual interest. Some
of the facts that appear in the bulletin
are the following
ID OF the total population OF the State
OF Michigan in 1894 ten years old or more
3 lilo per cent were unable to read or
write; of the native born the per cent was
2 100, and of the foreign born, 43-l00.
Express d in another form the three ratios
are 30, 81 and "a in 1000. The foreign
born illiterates, it will be seen, were four
times as numerous, relatively as the ma.
| tive born.
(2.) The ratio of foreign born persons
ten years old and over in the state at
| large, and in the cities, unable to read or
write were practically the same, viz: 8
As. 100 and s 47-100.
(3.) The per cent of native-born litter
ates in the state as whole was 2 9-l0,
but in the cities it was only 39-l00. In
other words, in the state there were 81
illiterates to the 1000, and in the cities IA
to the l000 On this basis the showing
| against the state as compared with the
cities is just so per cent. But we may
also set the cities as against the remain
| der of the state, or the rural districts.
Now the ratios are IA and "a to 1000, or
more than 10 per cent against the coun-
| try. III, therefore, the country rate OF
illiteracy could be reduced to the city
rate or, what is the same thing, if the
country level of intelligence, as measured
by the reading and writing test, could be
brought up to the city level, the number
of native born citizens ten years old or
more, unable to read or write, would be
reduced about 5000 in number.
The last comparison is certainly not in
accordance with prevailing opinion. How
far it is supported by the statistics OF 9TH
er states, if at ALL am unable to say; but
there can be no doubt that the rural dis
tricts of Michigan in respect to common
school education, compare unfavorably
with the cities. 1t may be said that
Michigan has large numbering and min
ing areas where school facilities are poor,
and that the preponderant ratio of litter
ates in the rural districts is due to this
fact. Fortunately. we are able to follow
the inquiry into the counties and ascer-
tain the precise facts. In the Oldest coun-
ties of the state as q rule the county rate
of native born illiteracy is considerably
greater than the city or town rate in the
same county. In common school educa-
ton, Kent count is behind Grand Rap
ids, Wayne county behind Detroit Wash
thenaw county behind Ann Arbor, etc.
One main reason why the native born
population of the country is more litter
ate than the same population of the cit
les, is the inferiorty of the country
schools. They are not so accessible to
pupils; they are not in session so many
months of the year, and they are not so
good as a class in several respects. For
example, the attendance is much less
ocular. Truant laws, if they apply at
all are not enforced. Accordingly, one
of the first requisites to improving the
country schools is the introduction of
policy of reasonable consolidation, there
by reducing the number of schools, the
number of teachers, and the expense,
and at the same time increasing the size
of the schools and so making it possible
to improve their quality. There now lies
before me letter of late date written by
Hon. e. j. Clapp, of Geauga county, O.,
practical business man, who las repre-
sented the county in the state legislature,
and who, in the latter capacity, as well as
at home, interests himself in the county
school problem. / shall draw from this
letter several interesting facts
Mr.. Clapp writes that in his part of the
state there is a general feeling that "the
country district school does not measure
up to the educational demands of the
day." Some people are opposed to the
new movement, "people who are always
opposed to new methods to meet the
changed conditions" Many towns are
conveying the children to central school
for instruction. Madison, Lake county,
began this movement in a small way,
first conveying the children from three
districts to the fourth, with results so
satisfactory that the people are preparing
to take in four more schools. Kingsville,
Ashtabula county, entered on the policy
OF consolidation three years ago, and has
ship together In one central graded
school. Huntsburg, Geauga county, is
now building a $4,000 brick schoolhouse
for one central school. Mr.. Clapp gives
still other instances of consolidation, but
these will suffice. When necessary,
the children are conveyed from
their own doors to and from school in
closed hacks at the public expense. The
little children are protected against
storms. He writes: "We get the inspira-
ton that comes from large numbers; we
can classify according to the advance
ment of the pupils; we are able to have
much better grade of teachers without
any increase of taxes; we receive more
uniform attendance, and pupils are never
tardy. The instruction is at once better
and cheaper" OF course it has been nee
essary to procure needed legislation in
order to secure these results. These
Ohio towns are in the line of progress
There is really no more reason for hav-
ing eight of ten district schools in an
Ohio or Michigan township than there is
or having eight or ten churches all of tn
same denomination.
Rheumatism Cured in Day.-'Mystic