Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1915-10-14
PROCLAMATION FOR MOON
LIGHT SCHOOL MONTH


Whereas there are in North Carolina
$4,000 white men and women bows
n girls, over 10 year of age who
cannot read and Write-an army.
greater in number than was sent nv
North Carolina to the service of the
confederate States-and Ia per cent
OF tne white voters are reported in the
census as iHiterate the State in this
particular standing practically AT the
bottom OF the roll of States; and
whereas it is largely because thew
/ lacked opportunity largely ecause.
they had nc chance that these peo-a
pie, brothers and sisters of ours are
lilterate today growing up as thew
did In the years of war and reconstruc-
ton, n the years of poverty that. fol-
lowed. before the State had provided
adequate schools or thoroughly reaIiz-
ed It's duty to provide facilities
whereby every child may ''burgeon.
u All tnere is within him: and
whereas the State ha snow come to.
a poignant realization of it's duty not
only to provide schools for the bows
n girls of today, but also to open
the doors of knowledge, of hopet and
OF opportunity for all who were neg
nected In her days of poverty; and
~ -
whereas, while. u illiCerate people
as a whole have bravely and p~ersever-
lngly achieved usefulness, good citi-
zensh1p and high character. desDite
their terrible handicap, we can but feel
now INFINITELY greater would have been
their achievements, how infinitely
richer their contribution to the life of
our Commonwealth had they had the
keys of learning fnNtneip hands: and
while our State, through patient strug-
gle has o its way out toward pros
per1ty and civic progress, we can bit
reflect upon the far, greater progress
We should make were all ouc people
educated; and
Whereas through the MOONLIGHT
School" as we are assured by the ex-
per1ence Of Kentucky and by the expe-
r1ence of numerous counties in our
own State the method is at hand. as
outlined by the Superintendent OF Pub
lie instruction and the State Commits
tee on Community Service, whereby we
may carry the immeasurahle benefits
Of education to all who were neglect
ed or ~neglectful in their youth:
Now, therefore, I,Aocke Craig, Gov
ernor of North Carolina, do Issue this
my proclamation to designate the
month of November, 1915, as Moon
light School Month" in North CARROLL
ma, and set it apart to be devoted to the
high purpose of beginning a crusade
to eliminate flliteracy from the State,
trusting that the movement then be-
gun will moi cease until every unlet t.
tered man and woman, boy and girl is
given access through reading to all
the wealth of knowledge now sealed
to thems to the end that North Carroll
ma long before another census year
may be q State without adult Hitter
ates.
l, therefore, call upon the citizens,
teachers, and educational authorities
of every county to@organizts5:or the
purpose Of eliminating adult illiteracy
from that county; and ~
l call upon the members of the
Farmers Union, the Press Associa-,
ton, the Junior Order, the Federation
Of Women's- Clubs, and all the ether
organizations that have already enlist
ed@in the-eause, to be unfaltefing in.
their splendid purpose tt carry it
through to triumphant conclusion;
and
I call upon the commercial organizai
TONS boards of trade, civic clubs, re-
ligious organizations Sunday Schools,
and all organizations everywhere to
give loyal, enthusiastic aid and snp-
port to a movement whose success will
promote the welfare of every indi i'd
nal in the State and bring new conf
dence and courage to all the people,.
and - ]
I call upon every man and every No-
man who Graves the sacred privilege.
II - hair 80 -nnok0ek nn~xySoo - kh4ro ~
greatest need to render here the in
finite service of bringing new freedom.
to a human mind.
9th day of October, In year Of our Lord
enc thousand nine hundred and fifteen,
and in the one hundred and tortieth
year of our American Independence.
LOCKE CRAIG,
| d. Aho GauornArs G~nvnrnnr