Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1915-02-02
The campaign against illiteracy in

The campaign against illiteracy i
Kentucky has gathered momentur
faster than even its most zeelous an
ambitious promoters had dared {
hope. Within one year after 1t start
ed in Rowan county. it embraced
eight other counties; in the year 1911
it had extended to twenty-five coun
ties and during the year just closing
since the work has cUme under Stat'
authority and had the championship
of the press of the entire State ant
the support OF other strong and act
i've influences. it has extended 1T
lines to sixty counties. half the couu
ties in the State, and in these is wag
ing fierce and unrelentless warfa- {
against the foe. illiteracy. The brave
and noble teachers and the faithful
and valiant editors have fought side
by side this year. as it were; the
teachers giving time, strength. tai.
ent. energy. in unceasiDg effort and
unremitting toll. attacking illiteracy
afresh at night after continuous
battle ell day. and vanquishing it in
an attack in the homes of illiterates
when failing to allure the timid. the
obstinate. or the misguided victims
of this awful curse to the school; the
ediors welding the pen. even when
worn and weary, searching the col
umns of other newspapers diligently
for every item to copy that would
encourage the workers ard sire 9Th
en- the cause. giving space to the il
literscy campaign for which adver-
tisers had bid and which sometimes
could i'll be spared, chronicliDg the
Of each moonlight
school, featuring every progressive
teacher and heralding each heroic
deed that others might be in pired to
be progressive ard heroic too; dis
information. silencing
criticism, removing or neutra izing
opposition. inspiring the courageous
to deeds of gre alter valor, shaming
the Indifferent into action, re-
cruiting the ranks of the faithful
and even drafting the c)wardly and
the unwilling into service.
We are overcoming adult illitera-
cy in Kentucky chiefly by means of
the institution originated for that
purpose-the moo might school; and
the district which has the largest and
most successful moonlight school is
overcoming it with the most ease
and rspidity, while the county which
has the largest number Of moonlight
schools is stamping out iliteracy
most speedily. In such schools illite-
rates in large numbers, as well as
semi-illiterates and educated per.
sons, can be gathered together.
Here they cen be taught in six or
seven evenings TO read slmp,e pages
and to write legible letters. ard in
a few weeks time they can acquire
more knowledge of these branches
and can acquire the fundamental
principles of arithmetic. the essen.
tial facts in history, geography and
other branches as well The moon
light school undoubtedly tffords the
most effective plan for combating
adult illiteracy. That we are overcom-
ing illiterscy through the moonlight
schools is the sworn testimony of
bundI eds of volunteer teachers in
their reports and the written testi-
mony Of thousands of men and Wo-
men redeemed from illiteracy. These
letters from redeemed illiteIates,
which are flooding every mail. tell
their own story of their efforts. their
JOY ard their gratitude for their
emancipation, Some deplore their
lack of previous opportunity, declare
their appreciation of the new insti-
tution-the moonlight school-and
express their hope in it for their
further Development, and indicate
their desire that others everywhere
may enjoy the privileges which they
have so enjoyed. They usually close
with a pledge to stand forever for
education and to advance it and
themselves..at every opportunity. l
have hundreds of such letters here
with me. all legible. from men and
women known to some of you all.