The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-04-05
MLITERACY A CRIME.

school attendance laws in the south
ern states is made by William II,
Hand. state high school inspector for
south Carolina, in bulletin just is
sued by the United States bureau OF
education. After pointing out that the
six states still without compulsory
laws South Carolina. Georgia, Ffori-
! da, Alabama. Mississippi and Texas.
and the four states with compulsory
laws that apply only PARTIALLY Mary
land, Yirginiai Arkansas and Louisi.
ana--isll are southern states. Mr.. Hand
presents statistics showing that al
though illiteracy has been reduced
rapidly In these states within the last
two decades, they still have the high
est percentage Of illiteracy among the
white population.
"Thr figures have but one mean
ing declares Mr.. Hand. "They show
that compulsory education reduces il
iiteracy
"rlie opponents of compulsory edu-
cation insist that the people will send
their children to school without being
Obliged to do SO, IL only they are
shown their duty and their obliga-
ton to their children. These oppo-
nents declare that the younger gene
ration OF white children are already in
school. Neither contention is true.
In 1910 the ~ southern states had
7SS,S99 native white children between
the ages OF and ID not 1 nschoo1.
Who are these illiterate white chill
dren, and why are they not In school?
some OF them are sons and daughters
OF parents themselves ignorant and
unable to appreciate or understand
what an education means to their
children and to the state. Some are
the children of sordfd fathers aud
IIuotners who are willing to make
wage earners and breadwinners out
of their untaught offspring at Guilt
waiting crops, harvesting crops. and
again planting crops. Some are at
ss7siE IN stores or shops orsengaged as
messenger boys at a small wage
Many are employed in the nerve-dull-
Ing and blood sapping environment OF
the mills receiving good wages as
children in exchange for yigor OF body
and training CT mind as men and wo-
men; while thousands of others are
RAINING the streets and country lanes,
The ::ssiains ss5t,ssii 6or idlefs. va
grants, and enemies to law. order and
decency.
lNhen the ate has provided schools
for all itsfcliildrens it has performet
only a portion cf It's duty. If 4 mt.
yersal school Tax is jnstlfiable ON the
ground that popular education IS d
Necessity compulsory atteneace by
the state is also justifiable. l,he
state has no right to levy and collect
e;; t. .;; =ESisiS purpy-se anu tfieffl tfeffl
permit that purpose to be defeated at
The hand OF Indifferent or selfish pa
ranas. q s. ~
: Objection is often made that COM
ns,laegss attendance would work hard
ships in the homes os she poor. Is It,
mot q fact that the poor child is the
very one who most needs the aid of
the state 70 bring him into possession
|of Ills own? He It iG who must soon
face the complexities OF modern life
and The inslstent demands OF citizen
ship with none Of the advantages COM
mon IN birth nr Y, " sseaish The ;;- s;sar
child is the very one whom the state
ought to help. because he himself Is
iIeipless.
The argument against compulsory
attendance on accnant of the negro
has been worn threedbare; surely the
time has come to drop 1t. Some
phases OF ltSsre pathetic. Is it wiseI
OF expeuIent to permit thousands of
white boys and girls to grow up In
Ignorance lesl!!::.. L. EiiIis sE0F1iIis them into
school The aspirations OF the negro
child should be awakened? Shall the
white man remain ignorant in nrderl
TO encourage or 70 compel ihs negro
70 remain ignorant, Is it better for
white and black to remain ignoFantI
than for both to become intelligent?
i yield to no one in the matter of
pride over what has been accomplish
ed eaucstionally IN the past 40 years.
We have planned better schools, iny
,sipsed the taxpayers to vote taxes for
schools encouraged the people toII
build mode seh6Ji hoGses. 10 iengthen
their school terms. to employ better
teachers and 10 pay them better SAL
aiEos, as.ia s;.a s. s: make their aehools their
pride. But What has been accomplish
ed IN the way Of Substantial decrease
in The fiiileyaSts ~ chs cfttgs,, \, ?, )