Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-07-10
mLITERACY IN COLONIAL DAYS

llliteracy in this country in colonial
days is a subject discussed in an his
torical bulletin soon TO be issued for
free distribution by the United States
bureau OF education. The data were
gathered by an examination OF sigma
lures 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 alto
gether conclusive they seem 70 indi-
cate that Massachusetts occupied the
most advanced educational position in
the nth century. while Virginia
brings up the rear. The Dutch of
New York and the Germans OF Penn
sylyania occupy middle positions.
These are all the colonies for which
data have been compiled in the bu-
reau of educations bulletin.
The monograph says, in part:
AT Albany of 800 mems names ex-
amined. covering the years from 1854
20 1915, p 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 l6 years of
age who came to Pennsylvania in the
first half OF the 18th century, 1l,S23
names have been counted. with the re-
suit of &c per cent who made their
marks.
a significant result appeared from
our study OF illiteracy, namely, 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 lG75 to about per cent
in 173S."
A most painstaking count OF the
nth century Virginians indicates
that OF 2,165 male adults who
signed jury lists. 46 per cent made
their marks: and of 12,445 male adults
who signed deeds and dispositions, a
per cent made their marks
ain the case OF the Dutch women
b fewer names We're collected, and the
showing was not so good" OF the
1874 signatures Of Dutch women IN
New York which were available. an
illiteracy OF so per cent was indicat
ed. OF 3,066 women signing deeds and
dispositions in Virginia, 75 per cen
made Jheir marks.
by way OF comparison with these
results study was made OF the sigma
lures 20 deeds. etc, executed In SUI
folk county (Boston). Mass. for two
, periods in the 18th century
generation apart" says the bulletin
Two volumes OF the published deeds
/. were used. the first covering the peri
! Cd OF l652l656, the other, 16S6-I697.
In both the former and the latte
period. the percentage Of men whC
made their marks remained constan
AT II per cent, while the proportion
OF illiteracy among the women de
, creased from IS per cent 10 IS De
cent
These data are exceedingly inter
esrng and in a measure do indicate
the educational conditions OF the col
3 onies,' said James c. Boykin, edito
3 OF the United States bureau OF educs
= ton, recently. Thus. the figures from
{ Virginia and Massachusetts posses
e undoubted significance. AS a rule per
5 sons who sign deeds are OF the NOR,
5 prosperous class; therefore II 30 De
( cent of these documents are signe,
!. with a cross, as We find in Colonia
D Virginia, We may be sure that the pro
{ portion OF illiteracy in the entire poi
ulation was far greater.
5 1t must be borne in mind tina
e these data by no means offer a ina
S or adequate measure OF educationa
2 condition either as between the colo