Evening journal., 1912-09-10
MUCH ILLITERACY
In COLONIAL DAYD

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10.-Illiteracy
In this country in Colonial days is a
subject discussed in a historical bull
letin soon to be issued for free dis
tribution by the United States Bureau
of Education The data we're gather
ed by an examination of signatures TO
the extant legal and other documents
of Colonial days for the purpose Of
ascertaining the number Of signers
who had to make their marks. While
the data are not altogether conclu-
sive, they seem to indicate that Mas
sachusetts occupied the most ad-
vanced educational position in the
Seventeenth Century, while Virginia
brings up the rear. The Dutch OF
New York and the Germans OF Penn
sylvania occupy middle positions.
These are all the Colonies for which
/ data have been compiled In the
Bureau Of Education's bulletin.
The monograph says, IN part:
"At Albany of 800 mems names ex-
amined, covering the years from 1854
TO 1875, 81 per cent made their marks.
OF 231 mems signatures at Flatbush,
covering a longer period, 10 per cent.
made their marks. OF the German
male immigrants above 16 years OF
age who came to Pennsylvania in the
first half of the Eighteenth Century
1923 names have been counted, with
the result of 26 per cent who made
their marks.
"A significant result appeared from
our study of illiteracy-na that
the male Dutch inhabitants Of Flat
bush made continuous improvement
In this respect. the percentage Of IL
literacy decreasing gradually from 40
per cent in 1875 TO about per cent.
in 1888"
Large Percentage in Virginia.
A most painstaking count of the
Seventeenth Century Virginians indi-
Gates that of 2165 male adults who
signed jury lists 46 made their marks
and Of 12,445 male adults who signed
deeds and depositions 40 per cent
made their marks.
In the case of the Dutch women
fewer names we're collected and the
showing was not so good OF the 15s
signatures of Dutch women In New
York which we're avilable an Hitter
acy OF 60 per cent. was indicated. OF
3066 women signing deeds and deposit
tions in Virginia 75 per cent made
their marks.
''By way of comparison with these
results a study was made of tse sig
natures to deeds. etc. executed in
Suffolk county (Boston), Mass, for
two periods in the Seventeenth Cen
tury a generation apart" says the
bulletin, two volumes OF the pub
lished deeds we're used. the first GOV.
ering the period 1653-1656, the othei
16S6-1697."
In both the former and the latter
period the percentage Of men who
made their marks remained constant
at IL per cent, while the proportion
| of illiteracy among the women de
, creased from So per cent 10 SO pei
cent.
+ Interesting Daat
, These data are exceedingly inter
: esting and In a measure do indicate
! the educational conditions Of tn
colonies" said James G. Boykin
editor of the United States Bureau o
Education, yesterday, Thus the fig
ures from Virginia and Massachusett
possess undoubted Significance. As
= rule, persons who sign deeds are {
: the more prosperous class; therefor
il 40 per cent of these document
S are signed with a cross, as we find 4
q Colonial Virginia, we may be sur
that the proportion of illiteracy Il
4 the entire population was far greater
1T must be borne in mind tha
these data by mo means offer a fina
a or adequate measure Of educationa
! conditions either as between tn
colonies or as between the past AM
present. Nevertheless the figure
gathered are suggestive and probabl
: will stimulate further investigation
along the same line"
The bulletin of the Bureau Of Edu
cation, which deals with colonia
illiteracy. is an historical monograph
entitled "The Dutch Schools of Ney
I. Netherland and Colonial New York.
T. The writer, DR.. William Heard Xii
patrick, assistant professor Of the his
tory of education in Teachers Col
= lege, Columbia Univerity, New YoFl
makes the illiteracy comparison in
q cidental to his main theme for tn
K sake of showing the educationa
status of the American Dutch for tn
o period covered in his monograph. tn
S bulletin will be sent free upon reques
i to the United States Commissions
Of Education, Department Of the In
l. terror, Washington, ID. G