The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1905-04-06
MOUNTAIN ILLITERACY

Not every man who can not read .
and write is a menace 20 the country j
nor devoid Of ability 20 make good
citizen. Too much is made of the '
iliteracy of the Appalachian region
of the Sonth True. illiteracy exists 4
to a deplorablc extent. Unqnestiou'
ably the region would be far better
"a were IL not so; but for one 20 hold
up hands Ia horror Of these Hitter /
.te. and pretend 60 quake out OF fear /
for the region where they have voice
/ In affairs. is sure sign that either
.he performer does not know what hc
is talking about or else purposeiY.
misrepreseuts, that be may work
design Of his own
Il has been the custom Tor halt a f
century for some cducator, who have F.
interest. Co serve IN the mountain re- +
rion of the south. 70 overwo X fear T
iulno.- Of ihe regions iilncracy. O. /
1 draw the dark shades in the picture.
heavier than ihe situation warrants.
that they msy make touch oi the
rocket books of some man of means
p ana pailauihropic turn ol heart
! Tho southern mountain region is
getting lurid Advertising of this very
sort az nearly every noted education
2 nj meeting where southern education
} comes up tor discussion 10 leaves
G false impressions A. we have sus
J., rcstcl. % is sometimes Intended o..
Il leaves a false impression some
times because only ouc-haii 90 the
Il truth Is told by well meaning people
e TO those who know iiiteracy only in
- city .lums. associated with immoral
litv. or among the degenerate foreign
ers. 20 speak of ilhtcracy oi the pro
ME of the southern mountHin region
u without adding that morality. hou.
10 e,tv. religion. and indcpenieuce pre-
h. dominates. would be base injustice
r To say that because they cannot
read and write that an iilitetstcs col
the mountains aye unequal Co the de
'n manas of citizenship aud are men
1T ace 60 good government, h. Co speai
D. without knowledge ot Niiiiully false
10 That nitcracy does not alwayi
imean Ignorance Is nowhere iu Ga
country $50 we'll aud generally demon
ne strated ~ Ia tine mountain region To-
er the south For getting sanely az th
ep Truth Of some oi the great question
~ Of the dav. some OF toe so-csilei ''il
=. litcrate," mav put some oi the ''pro
~ fessors" who mistcpresent them @
AT shame That a mountsineer has nu
had an opportunity o. learn 60 res
and write. has aeVor meant Co hii
ar that he Is not % exercise his mint
,. some of the most elaborate arga
meats on the Bible have issued frol
y these minds The questions of "a
er' patton and Of the state are discusse
s." with a sincerity aud a grasp OF int
ii lligcnce that many lettesed people d
.sh not exercise.
No. the mouniainccr is not a los
=" browed, ihoughsless and vieio'
III creature. because he has not lcarus
tie to read and write. lie is Ear supe
We Tor ia intelhgen 70 many who
;.o know how 10 read sud write. tie
not a menace O. good government
e's lie has been the most reliable deien'
ing or Of good government. from a
] TO founding Of tie states 20 ,his time.
hey The day Of the illiterste Is passiE
h.. IN the south The illiteFate appre'
ates that his children must hs'
'"s schooling. he has felt his restriction
has by reason Of his iliiteraey aad
rim needs no great preaching bnt
en-; school house and opportunity, for q
H., next generation TO get book lear
:, lag"
s"e Mesa~hile Il il aaiair to go'
ess- people 90 make ont their ignoTsn
,wu worse than il is Figures on illiS'
go acy are liable TO he without "a
-. sose o. explanation, when these Z
ures are made up about the moa
9 OF tsieeers 81 the Soath--kao1sil
Jorrnai and Tribune