The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-01-14

mLdTERAOx AMONG CHILDREN.
Miteracy id the United States II
doomed. Statistics compiled by the
United States bureau Of education Tor
use at the Panama-Pacific Exposition.
show that Of children from 10 to II
years of age there. were in 1910 only ~
out of every LOCO who could neither
read nor write. In 1900 there were OF
the same class ~ Per 1.ooo II reduction
in illiteracy is still proceeding at even
the same rate. the illiterate children In
this country between the ages OF 10 and
IA. inclusive. now number not more tnaD
Is out of every 1000.
From the standpoint of proportional
reduction Of illiteracy Oklahoma ieaos
all the states Of the union. In 1900 TINS
state had 124 illiterate children OF the
ages named. In 1910 1t had but II; Del
aware had 20 in 1900 and but in 1910;
New Hampshire reduced from to 1;
New Jersey from to 2: Missouri from
IS to IL: Montana from to I; Oregon
from to /: Vermont from to 2; New
Mexico from 1872 to 60. and Idaho from
5 to q,
The following states report only
child in 1000 between the ages OF ~
and IA as illiterate: Connecticut, Dis
trict of Columbia, Massachusetts. Min
nesota. Montana. New Hampshire.
North Dakota. Oregon. Utah. and
Washington.
Some Of the states have reduced their
illiteracy by one-half or a little more.
These states are Alabama. California.
Colorado, Connecticut. District Of CO.
lumbia, Kansas, Maryland, Massachu-
North Dakota, Tennessee. Utah. and
West Virginia.
Only one state. Nevada. has lost
ground since 1900. It's illiteracy was
then 4; in 1910 it was 5. Two states,
South Dakota and Nebraska. each hav-
ing the low rate of per 1000 report no
reduction in illiteracy between 1900 and
1910.
The states having the largest proper
ton of illiterate children per 1000 are
Louisiana, with lis (from ia in 1900;
South Carolina, So from $50; Alabama.
u from ISL: New Mexico. So from 1872;
North Carolina. So from 1e7: Kentucky.
So from 20; Georgia, 81 from 106. and
Virginia. 81 from 81; Tennessee, "a from
119: Florida, so from Is: Arkansas, AZ
from 113.
It is evident that the public schools
| will in a short time practically elimin-
ate illiteracy among children. But ac-
cording to bureau Of education officials
| there are between 4 and millions OF
adults that are illiterate and that can
not be reached by the public schools.
To wipe out illiteracy in the United
States one Of two things must happen:
Either the country must wait for the
generation of present adults to die off
or by some extraordinary means reach
these illiterate millions.
On the basis of these figures. DR.. p
p. Claxton, United States commissioner
! ayerAge annual expenditure of $50 o.
for 10 years he could put forces to work
that would. by means Of night schools
and other agencies, eliminate illiteracy
among the adults Of this country. The
Abercrombie Illiteracy Bill, now pend
ing before congress requires the bureau
OF education to undertake this work in
any state upon request of the proper
state authorities and makes an appro-
| priation of $4,000 for 1915. So, 500 fol
each succeeding year until 1920; and
81. 500 for each year thereafter until
4 1925. at which date. it is believed, illit-
eracy would be eliminated