Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1915-08-05

the light: yonder at our doors are our
brothers, thousands OF them, in the
shadow OF the world, in the bitterness
of darkness, in the bondage of Hitter
acy-mature men and women, old men
and women, but children still
children crying in the night,
Children crying for the light,
And with no language but a. cry.
That cry, from the depths of some
divine despair, rising from mountain
top and cove, from plain and valley,
ring in theears of men, ascending
to the courts of heaven-shalf we o
heed it? Duty points the way, con-
science lights the path. Shall we go
down to them, these grown-up chill
|dfen, these lame onesIame of mind,
lame of soul, lame, SO many of them,
from their mothers womb; lame most
of them because, in the language OF
one of them, they "hain't eve had
NO chance? Shall We not go down to
them, and bid them in the name of
Jesus Christ ~of-Nazareth, Rise up n
walk? Shall we not take them by the
hand and lift them up, that they may
gather strength to stand alone, to
walk alone. to live in the light, to
dwell in the darkness no more for
ever?
Editors of North Carolina, you have
it in your power more than any others
to get these facts before the people,
tG hammer them into their minds and
souls until they are aroused to their
manifest duty to these less fortunate
brethren of theirs, to help in the pre-
sentation and the successful execution
Oh the plans for the elimination OF HIT
erdcy in North Carolina.
l do not need to remind you that you
would be great gamers in the increas-
ed circulation, the appreciation, and
the influence of your papers from the
elimination of illiteracy and the dis
semination of intelligence. l make
my appeal on higher grounds to this
body of men, confident that now, as in
the past, they will respond promptly
and enthusiastically to the high call
for the betterment of their fellowmen
All dthe honor and safety of their State,
l do not need to say more, then, than
simply in conclusion to outline in brief
our plan for the elimination of illit-
eracy and indicate how you may help,
through your papers, in the successful
execution of these plans.
We have now In press for general
distribution through the State Depart
nent of Public instruction a bulletin
of Information giving the facts about
i~lfiteracy in the State and in each
county, containing short arguments
and appeals from the heads of a mum
Der of professional, civic, social, in
dustrial, and agricultural organiza-
tons and orders of the State hat haV
pledged their enthusiastic cooperation
i'll this work. This bulletin will be
used for carrying on the publicity
campaign for getting the facts before
the people and arousing them to &C
ton. 1t will, of course, be sent tc
every newspaper in the State first, the
contents to be used by the editor as he
sees fit, supplemented, of course, b5
editorials from week to week.
This bulletin will be followed by an.
other that will be a handbook for tbs
teachers and workers. This will con-
tain twelve lessons, three a week fol
-four weeks, in reading, writing, and
arithmetic for adult illiterates, togeth-
lea with suggestions to the teachers
BY an amendment to the SCHOOL, law
1915, the names of all adults as wei
as non-adult i~lliterates in each schoo,
district are required to be reported in
the school census of the district. Per.
sonal invitations and solicitation from
friends, neighbors, associates in lodges
and other organizations, and all other
tactful means will be used to induce
these illiterates to enroll in the Moon.
light Schools" which are simply night
schools, conducted on moonlight nights
Eif possible, for the convenience of the
country people in reaching the school
These schools viii lbe conducted IL
the sc~hoolhouse or, if more conven
lent, in some other place, at least three
nights a week for at least four weeks
OF course, we shall have to rely main
Iy upon the public school teachers t.
volunteer for the teaching. Many o
them have alreadH indicated their will
Lingness to do this. Others will b,
gwen opportunity to volunteer at sum
schools and teachers Institutes thi
summer and later at county teachers
associations. The teachers can al
ways be relied upon to do their part il
every ~altruistic movement for com
munity improvement and civic better
ment. This part of the work will nee
essarily be largely under the direction
CT the county superintendent, tn
teachers, the county board of educa
ton and committeeman, as it, is dis
tiEctly educational.
The Moonlight Schools" have prov
!, ed successful in dealing with thi
problem of adult illiteracy In othe
places, notably in Kentucky, wher
they were first inaugurated about tire
years ago, in Rowan county, by Mrs
Cora Wilson Stewart, at that time su
perintendent of schools of that county
. The story of the movement in tina
State under her wonderful leadershi
Is inspiring and the results have bee
marvellous. Largely as the result o
the discussion of this subject at tn
annual meeting of the State Associa
ton Of County, Superintendent. at tn
Teachers Assembly last Novembe
eighty-tWo sMopnlight Schools" wer
conducted tWenty-nine counties /
this State st year, enrolling sfxtee,
I,godrod fI1yForofos of on ouoro Co o