The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-12-01
Owing - \ hy-

- eWIEk z n.y.
persenSiuvcne~ Of our institution
known as slavery 20 all forms % ags-
ta1lo0. diffusion Of Intelligence Wa
ahhorTcrt 10 the privileged classes %
during all the life of that peculiar In
s'ftltion there was a process Of Sc
or elimination going on a
showing back Of the -unambstious and
the unrt.
These relies from a past ag.. these
LASgard IN the march Of the human
race still hover On the cdge 81 back
ward communities or venture luto
ouSler places Just as one world 70
on a oyage Of discovery. Bat IL
would be = mistake 10 charge or con
clude that all iIllierat.s ar. backward.
degenerate STOCK Many OF them are
frank Of speech. vigorous or const4t4-
ton and good citizens They list
ialled OF opportunity or drift~d out hy
accident Now. some arr fathers ~
families and hearty patrons 81 ;he
public schools Their sons and danEh-
ters have mad. i name for them
selves in competition with the right
est minds in the marts and in the pro-
feSSionS.
What considerations are there that
would arouse man or woman TO tai.
up cudgels and light illlteracyr The
percentage of illiteracy in Kentucky
Is very large Cl2 per cent? and state
pride Is Inundated when our State =
compared with other States and
brought face to face with the rgarex
In the second place our State gov
eminent being based on nho suf-
frage. the larger the number Of Hitter
ateS, the less influence the returns 1T
the polls have in shaping the real
course OF the ship OF state. One po-
litical doctor would say the cheapest
and easiest way In solve this problem
would be To lop of all iIliterates from
the right of suffrage. but 4 much
higher and nobler way would be the
course to educate iiliterates up 10 their
high privileges. Incorporating them
into the body polite. Besides il i
un-democratic and un-American 20
establish castles or TO form classes in
a nation where all are free men. The
State acknowledges its obligation 10
educate all its minors between : and
30. Why may not the State reach ont
beyond the 30 years old for adult IL
hterates, and thus unity the system OF
education
Teaching illiterates how TO read and
write seems to be a work Of purest al
truism. The illiterateS. a neglected
class. not wholly free from envy and
malice towards higher and richer
classes. are sought for and become Il
some consideration in the community.
The deadly monotony Of their lives Is
broken into by visits Of iisintercstod
people and learners are assured that
better things are in store for the la
dustrious.
Mental growth Is Al ~invariable re-
suit Of thought. If agitation. Of free
discussion. Widespread agitation
versus illiteracy has beneficial results
upon day schools. Attendance Is in
creased. regularity OF attendance inn
proved; an appreciation Of benefits OF
education is felt in every home. Thus
the work of teaching is made easiei
and many of the problems OF aisclp-
!, line disappear entirely,
When all the educational forces o.
the State are directed in a common
channel to a common end, they vii
!. prove a tremendous moral force, like
? ly to shake the State from center {,
circumference such a force vii
l prove Irresistible and could bring tn
! State of Kentucky out from under ID
domination of material interests ans
prove to the world hat spiritua
forces are stronger and more endur
: ing than material.
d 1t would seem incredible that III
large and generous heart Of hentuCk,
would allow the Kentucky uliterac,
II Commission TO fail in its work 70
3 want Of funds A few cents suftc
to pay Introductory supplies TO on
= illiterate. Three or four dollars sup
ply an entire rural subdistrict on
or two hundred dollars pay expense
IoI d Wloie Guilty., Jul Nn' tAp'iir
Of maintaining headquarters must y
supplied, a force Of st~enogrGpher
daily engaged in issuing and answer
ing correspondence must have com
pensation. Large postal and station
airy bills must be met, all OF whicI
takes ready money. May those VIII
" approve our case and desire TO co
operate send in liberal contribution
The campaign against iliterac
should be prosecuted With great vigo
y to the end that no illiterate shoul
n escape the gentle importantly OF som
n agent of the Kentucky IlliteraCy Com
a mission to come to books and begi
ee work in the field Of letters.
d