Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1900-02-17
EDUCATION IN Esw MnxrcO.
lliiieraey Has Rapidly Decreased and
More People Are Speaking BaElish.


- More People Are Speaking Hagllsh.
- The annual report Of X. Q. Dc Fac,
superintendent Of public instruction, ia,
Issued, gives many interesting fact
= showing the progress Of education an
" the decrease Of illlteracy within the Ter
Y risory, says the New Mexican. In con
= cluding the general statement on thi
; subject, the superintendent says:
The large percentage. ~ ~. IL Rlveu
BY the census report Of 1890, IL 70 larR,
extent due TO tbs fact that in 1890 sher,
we're still living many OF ths origina
Inhabitants, who were living IN the ter
ritory before I, became q part OF chs
United States. II can BE- safely sstimaled
that at least 22 per cent Of the a per
cent can be- asciibed 10 them. This cless
Of pioneers Is fast disappearing. aud Che
new generation. without exception. ow.
ing to our excellent school system, IA ca
loying all the benefits Of modern sdaca
tton, and this elemsnt has made
excellent use Of the facilities az.
foFded during She last seven years, as a
total enrolment Of isi 900 ls ..hse district
schools alone proves. ThiA enF0'ImsNt
gives an average OF 20 per cent. Of the
total school census Of $4,000. and con
sidering that BY the laws Of the territory
this census embraces ali persons Of the
ages OF between and "a years. while
the majority attending school Ia Of s TO
III years; aud further considering the
fact that At least ~ per cent OF the TO-
700 new arrivals are above % years, Il
may be safely asserted thae there Is nos
child In the territory between the ages
OF 8 and 10 wh0 fails 10 attend school.
Taxing $1,000 ~ tho number Of persons
OF school age, 30 per cent is a consarya.
tive estimate OF those able 10 read and
write. Taking ~ Ss.is tho census OF
1880, with 10000 inhabltants, tbs terri.
tory has had. during ths last seven years.
an increase OF $1,000. for the actual
number Of iIs inhabitants Ia to-day 9as..
OOO
OF this Increase OF 5000. 10000 may be
assigned to births and 7O.OcO 20 lmmi- |
grants from other states OF .ae Union.
Of these last 10000, At least 5000 are
able 10 read and write, which leaves only
Il per cent Of iiliteraoy among tho new
arrivals.
Deducsing the increase Of $1,000 from
the total population OF $4,000 leaves
lbs.0"c OF which $1,000 are OF school age
and l0J.O0o sbove u years Of age.
OF the Older inhabitants there were,
according 10 chs last cen ius. lr round
numbers. 60 per cant able to read and
write, but, laklug into confederation the
deaths OF persons above school age oecul.
ring during the period Of seven years.
and the increase OF this class By those
who. during their minority, attend school
this percentage can now be oonseEvatively
iy estimated at 20 per cent.
Consequently. the matter Of persons
abls 20 read and write 10 New Mexico
can be represented BY The following lie.
ures;
heS arrivals, 1890 e7.. 10000 80 Der cent
fefsous school age, . 10 N'
Persons above school 'O''O W p'' cent
ase''..,...,'...........ioa.o0o 90 per cent
q Totals .,...,... ..,.... aao,oOO ass Ger osai
age..",,.........-..... 10000
i"iai'~''s's ,2f3,O0O 4
Of An average, ia round numbers, OF
~ per cent abls 10 read and write, leRv. 4
Ing only 81 per cent OF illiteraoy. q
La reference 10 the knowledgs Of the b
knglish language, the following facts 9
Nill explain themselves aud dlspsl the :
dea that kagllah only 10 q slight extent q
= spoken In the territory o
Ihe census Of 1890 gives Gil ~ tho q
,efeentag' 0s those unable 10 speak l
fnglishl the same factors proving the I
decrease Of illiseraey also prove the Ia a
Fease OF the kngilsh language. O
FIRST, there l. the death rate Of the a
FlginAl sellleni second, an immigra. =
ION Of 10000, sil Of which. with hardly !
q exception, speak English and afs Of b
'nglo-saHon descent; third, a total On X
oilmeni embracing seven years Of l5l. q
W Ia $50 schools; laugh. BY 7s5 teach
n, ea'h and every one speaking aud
saohing KnRlish. ci
Fsom the above facts a conservative n
,limate can BE- made, proving that 10. Al
~ the percentage Of the inhabitants OF AZ
le territory unable 10 speak KnRlish "a
'ill not Al this utmost exceed rs psr Da
snf