The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-12-02
u. S. nLITERACY
Cenous Bulletin Discusses
the Educational Statistics
Of the Country
ONE IN TEN IGNORANT
YOUNGER GENERATIONS SHOW
A DECIDED IMPROVEMENT
EFFECT OF THE CIVIL WAR.

The Bureau of the Census has just
published bulletin discussing statistics
of illiteracy. This bulletin was written
by DR.. Joseph A. Hill, chief of the divi-
sion Of revision and results in that bu-
reau.
According to the census use of the
term an illiterate is person not under
10 years Of age who is unable to write
either in English or any other language.
In most cases the illiterate is also un-
able to read.
At the census of 1900 the number of
illiterates enumerated in the United
States, exclusive of Alaska, Hawaii, and
all other outlying territory, was 6, $780,
069. This was approximately one-tenth
of the population at least 10 years of
age, the exact mathematical proportion
being 1866 illiterates to 1000 popula-
ton.
The fact that one-tenth of the popula-
ton above 8 years have failed to obtain
even the little edu,sation that is implied
in the ability to read and write seems to
indicate rather surprising degree of ig-
norance, reflecting upon the boasted eff
ficiency of the common school systems.
Therefore the patriotic American will
naturally inquire whether this is not
mainly due to the presence in our popu
lation of the foreign born and the negro,
and will be somewhat reassured to find
| that when the comparison is restricted to
the native white population, the proper
tion of illiteracy is reduced % 46.4 per
| 1000, or less than one in twenty. For
the foreign born white the proportion is
1885 per 900 and for the negro 444.7.
| Moreover International comparisons, re-
stricted so far as possible to correspond
ing classes of the population, are on the
whole favorable to this country, indi-
eating that in most European countries
illiteracy is much more prevalent than it
| is here, although the United States is
still far behind Germany, Sweden and
Norway, Denmark, and Switzerland
There is also grouhd for satisfaction and
ar,,ar,,,., sro,,, o,4 - H., r+,4e+;ooI
that illiteracy is steadily being reduced.
In 1890 the number of illiterates per
LOCO was 1884 for the total population,
62.3 for the native white population,
1906 for the foreign born white, and
567.6 for negroes, including Indians and
Mongolians.
There is additional evidence of pro
gress in the fact that the older genera
tions whose illiteracy registers the in
adequacy of school systems or the iaxity
of educational requirements in former
days, are more illiterate than the
younger generations, who passed through
| the school period of life under the pres
ent systems of public elementary in
struction. In fact, it will be found that
in the total population illiteracy steadily
increases as the age period advances
Beginning with 715 illftsrates per 1000
| in the population group 10 to Il years of
| age, the proportion reaches 1885 per
1000 in the population group IS years of
age and over. But this steady increase
| is not common to all classes of the popu-
| lation. The illiteracy of the native white
| population born of native parents is
lower IN the age groups Is to II, 18 to
20, and 81 to "a than in the age group
10 to II In this fact there is, it is be-
lieved, evidence that considerable mum
Der of persons who failed to learn to
read and write in the period Of childhood
make up for this deficiency in latter
| years. But after the age of 25 the mum
| Der is not barge enough to- overcome the
handicap to which the old generations
are subject by reason Of poorer educa-
tional opportunities.
In this bulletin special attention is de-
voted to the illiteracy among children
which, as already remarked, reflects
present educational conditions and thus
affords basis for comparison of the
efficiency of public elementary schoo
systems in different parts of the country
and among different classes of popula
4tion. The state in which there is the
least illiteraey among children 10 to i
| years of age 3.4 per 1, 600 is Nebrask
in 1890 this honor belonged to Iowa
Some states are Handicapped BY the lars
proportion Of negroes, or of the foreig
born whites in their population. In
comparison confined to the native white
children, the state Of Washington leads
with Connecticut a close second, while i
1890 the State Of Massachusetts, was
FIRST ia rank and Nevada second Al
states SHOW progress between 1890 an