The farmer and mechanic., 1915-10-19
NIGHT SCHOOLS FOR
|. ADULTS LONE HOPE
Take Half Century To EIiIni-
nate Il|iteracy By CompuI-
sorry Attendance Law


the compulsory attendance laws of
the State, it will require a full half
century to wipe out adult illiteracy in
North Carolina according to the esti-
mate of Mr.. w. G. Crosby secretary of
.he State Committee on Community
Service. The opinion is expressed by
Mr.. Crosby in the bulletin issued yes
lerday from the office of Superinten-
dent Of Public instruction on Com
nunity Service and North Carolina
Day set for October 20 preceding the
opening Of Moonlight Schools i'm No
vember.
According to meager statistics
gathered last year." says Mr.. Crosby,
"the average age Of adult illiteratas
in North Carolina is forty five. The
expectation of life at that age, ac-
cording to the American Mortality Ex-
perience Table, is 24.54 years Since
forty-five is the average age, there
must be many who are much younger
chan that, which would materially
iengthen the time when we should
expect death to remove them. From
ihis, 1t will be seen that if we wait
tor time alone to remove the stigma
of adult illiteracy from the State, a
full half century will probably be re-
auired. Can we afford to wait? A
vigorous campaign for the moonlight
school Is the only alternative, and
that should be our answer to the
question"
The strategic and most difficult
point in this crusade against adult il
!iteracy," he continued, will be to
induce the illiterates to enroll in the
might school and attend it's sessions
regularly. They are timid and sensi-
tive and many of them almost utterly
hopeless of being able to learn at
their time Of life. even if they should
avail themselves of the opportunity
They must, therefore, be approached
with great tact, sympathy, and con-
siderate patience. If failure attends
one effort to enlist them, anothe,
should be resOrted to; no refusal must
oe accepted as final. Quietly. without
bluster or parade, and with tactfu
opportunity they must be won, en-
rolled, and taught
"A most important step before be
ginning moonlight school is to MAKE
an accurate survey of all adult il
iiterates in the district. This shoult
Oe done not only with the view o
locating them, but reliable informa
tion should be sought as to just wha
person or persons might be able t
influence each one most, and Wha
motivation would be apt to be mos
powerful in stimulating them to de
sire to learn to read and write. Their
is no one who cannot be influenced b
the proper person or motive, if onl
the person or motive is known. On
principal reports that he visited
certain iliterate several times, tryin
to enroll him in q, moonlight schOC
which was being conducted in tn
community, but failed completely t
get him in. He finally sent anothe
illiterate who had already entered tn
school--and he brought him to schot
that very night. There is alway
some way to reach any person, if onl
we use judgment and patience.
may be the love Of q little child
may be the influence of a friend;
may be the desire to write letter
an absent loved one; it may be prid'
Ii may be the wish to read the Bibl
But no hard and fast rule can
given, for each one is a law unto hin
self The means by which illiterat
are brought into the school does n
matter; the all-impOrtant thing is n
to give up till you get them in al
interested"