The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-07-08
MOST ILLI1ERATE
OF ALL COLONIES
Bureau of Education Not Com.
plirnentary to Early
Virginians.

Washington. July 7.-Virginians
throughout the country are expected to
challenge tho charge OF the United
states bureau OF Education that dur
ing Colonial days thcre was moro il
literacy in the Old Dominion than in
any other state.
ne data of iliiteracy in this country
during that time was gathered by an
examination OF signatures to the cx-
tent legal ana other documents of
Colonial days. for the purpose or as
oo"taining tho number of signers who
had to make their marks.
The Bureau OF Education says that
Tie data gathered is not altogether con
elusive. but seems TO Indicate that
Massachusetts occupied tho most ad-
vanced educational position in tho
seventeenth century. while virginia
brings UP tho rear.
What Burenu Says.
The bureau has issued bulletin on
tho question as follows;
AT Albany OF $50 mems names ex-
anined. covering the years from 1874
to 1875. p per cent made their
marks. or 23l mems signatures at
Flatbush. covering longer period
- per cent. made their marks. OF the
German male immigrants above six
teen years OF ago VINO came to Penn
tcenth century ll.s23 names gave been
counted. % per cent of these 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 pei ccntage OF IL
iitGracy decreasing gradually from 40
per eent. in 1876 to about per cent
in 1855"
\ most palns.aking coun, OF the
seventeenth century virginians indi-
Gates that OF 2.lG5 male adults who
signed Jury lists. 80 per cent made
their marks. and OF l2.4i5 male adults
who signed deeds and DISPOSITIONS. 40
per cent made their marks
"Of the 1874 signatures Of Dutch
women In New York which We're avail
able. an illiteracy OF TO per cent. was
Indicated OF 3.o6s women signing
deeds and dispositions In Virginia. IS
per cent made their marks.
"By way OF comparison with these
results. study was made OF tho sig
naturcs TO deeds executed in SUFFOLK
county (Boston) Mass. for two periods
IN the seventeenth century n genera
tion apart" says the bulletin Two
volumes OF tho published deeds were
used tho nrst covering the period 1853
1866. tho other iSS6-i697"
In both tho former and tho latter
period the percentage OF men who
made their marks remained constant
at ii per cent. while tho proportion OF
iiliteracy among the women decreased
from IS per cent 10 IS per cent.
High Percentage
These data ar. exceedingly inter
estiur and TN n measure do Indicate
tho educational conditions OF the col
onios." said lanes c. Boykin. editor
~ tho United states bureau ~ Educa-
ton, to-day Thus. the nguros from
undoubted Significance. As rule. per
sons who sign deeds arc Or tho more
prosperous class. therefore. II - per
cent. OF these documents are signed
with cross. as VIC and in colonial
virginia. we may he sure that the pro
portion ~ illiteracv in tho entire pop
ulafion was FAR greater
TT must he horne IN mind that
these data hy no means offer hnal
or adequate measure OF educational
conditions either as between the
colonies or as between the past and
the present Neverthe!ess the Aguros
gathered arc suggestive. and viii
probably stimulate further investlga-
,on along the Same line
Ths bulletin OF tho Bureau ~ Edu-
cation which deals with Colonial nit
cracy. is an historical monograph en-
titled. The Dutch Schools OF low
Netherland and New york. Tho
writer. Dr. william Heard Knpn;rick
assistant professor of the history Of
education in teachers college Colum-
bia University New York. makes tho
iliiteraty comparison incidentslly to
his main theme for tho sake o: show
Ing tho educational status of the
American Dutch for the period COW
cred in his monograph