The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-07-15
Very Few Of the Old Colonial Pa
triarchs Were Able to Write
Their Names According
to Records.
DUTCH WERE WISE ONES
Numerous Drownlngs Of Naval Off
GERS During Past Few Year,
lsSs Led to New
Rules.
UNITED press Special Service. j


WASHINGTON, July 10. Some OF
the experts OF the bureau OF education
have been putting in the hot days
this summer examining the signatures
or old documents OF colonial days to
see how many of our forefathers could
write their own names. They found an
astonishing amount of illiteracy among
our best people that Is, astonishing
to us in these days OF Compulsory edu-
oation, but not so astounding consid-.
ering the difficulties OF getting an edu-
cation 200 years ago.
After counting nearly 100 900 sigma
lures and marks. the experts found
that the people of Massachusetts were
best educated. and those OF Virginia
least. The New York Dutch and the
Pennsylvania Germans were above the
average In education.
In Massachusetts IL per cent OF the
men who attested legal papers made
their marks instead Of signing. In
the middle Of the seventeenth CEN
fury SO per cent OF Massachusetts
women could not write their own
names. BY the end OF the century th,s
percentage had fallen to So
In Virginia OF over 1000 men who
signed Jury lists in the seventeenth
century As per cent made their marks
and Of over 10000 who signed legal
papers 40 per cent made their marks.
An examination Of legal papers
flied by Pennsylvania Germans show
ed that 26 per cent Of the men were
illiterate. Among the Dutch Of New
York illiteracy declined from 40 per
cent in 1915 to six per cent in 1888.
In all the colonies women possessed
the scantiest Quotations In Virginia
&c per cent OF the wome. were illit,
crate; in New York 60 per cent. In
Massachusetts So per cent.
Numerous drownings OF naval ON
GERS during the last few years, has led
the navy department to adopt a new
plan for increasing the swimming
ability OF its men. A new form for re
ports on ship inspection has just been
issued, with space for report on the
percentage of officers and crew who
are able to swim FIVE minutes without
exhaustion, and how many are able 10
swim completely around the ship
without evidence OF fatigue.
Swimming has long been included
in the curriculum at the Annapolis
Naval Academy, and great pains are
taken to make the young officers a,
home in the water But the suspicion
has been growing lately that few of
ficers keep in practice This led this
academy authorities recently to re
quire higher standard of effieienc,
in swimming tests Of graduates, SC
high in fact that last month severa
midshipmen We're refused diplomas
because they failed to meet the tests
It Is now proposed to make the swim
ming standard even higher, and TO re
quire officers at sea to keep in prac
tice. AS yet no specific orders L
this end have been issued, but 1t Ii
hoped by the navy department .ha
ships pride will stimulate officers an,
men to greater aquatic exercise, il
order to prevent any bad entry in tb,
inspection reports.
Another innovation in the inspectio,
report hits at ships where officer
and men, In their anxiety to lead il
the maintenance allowance" compel
t5on-a race TO see which ship cal
make a record for cheap maintenance,
have permitted the vessels fitting
Or equipment to deteriorate, 1athe
than have their economy record MARI