The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1915-01-29
ADDRESS OF
MRS. STEWART
How Kentucky Is Overcom-~
ing Illiteracy.
President Of Illiteracy Commis.-''
sion Before the Kentucky
Press Association.

The campaign against illiteracy in
Kentucky has gathered momentum
faster than even its most Jealous and
ambitious promoters had dared to
hope. Within one year after it start
ed in Rowan county, it embraced
eight other counties; in the year 1913
it had extended to twenty-five coup-,
ties and during the year Just closing,
since the work has come under State
authority and has had the champion
ship of the press of the entire State
and the support of other strong and
active influences, 1t has extended its
lines in sixty counties, half the coun-
ties in the State, and in these is wag-
ing fierce and unrelentless warfare
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; Che
teachers giving time. strength, talent
energy, in increasing effort and IN
|
afresh at night after a continuous
battle all day, and vanquishing II in
an attack i'm the homes of illiterates
when failing to allure the timid, the
obstinate. or the misguided victimy
of. this awful curse to the school; the
editors welding the pen, even when
worn and weary, searching the col
ums of other newspapers diligently
for every item to copy that would
encourage the workers and strength
en- the cause, giving space to the IL
literacy campaign for which adver-
tisers had bid and which sometimes
could i'll be spared. chronicling the
establishment of each moonlight
school. featuring every progressive
teacher and heralding each heroic
deed that others might be inspired
to be progressive and heroic too;
disseminating information. silencing
criticism, removing or neutraliztng
opposition, inspiring the courageous
to deeds of greater valor, shaming
the Indifferent into interest and 90
ton, recruiting the ranks of the faith
full and even drafting the cowardly
and the unwilling into service.
Most notable and valuable sefv-
ice was rendered in the recent brill
liantly conducted campaign inaugu-
rated by the Kentucky Society Of
Colonial Danes, with Mrs. Gilmer
Adams at the head. a campaign
which included all women under tho
name of the Woman's Forward Move
ment. and which had as it's aim the
raising OF 10000 for the Kentucky
Illiteracy Commission. to enable the
Commission to do it's work more ef-
fectively and to properly equip the
moonlight schools.
We are overcoming adult illiteracy
in Kentucky chiefly by means of the,
institution originated for that pur-
pose-the moonlight school,; and the
district which has the largest and
most successful moonlight school is
overcoming 1t with the most ease and
rapidity. while the county which has
the largest number of moonlight
schools is stamping out illiteracy
most speedily. In such schools illit-
crates in large numbers. as well as
semi-illiterates and educated persons.
can be gathered together. Here they
can be taught in six or seven even
ings to read simple pages and to
write legible letters, ami in a few
weeks time they can acquire more
knowledge of these branches and can
acquire acquire the fundamental
principles of arithmetic, the essen
tial facts in history, geography and
other branches as well. The moon
light school undoubtedly affofds the
most effective plan for combating
adult illiteracy. That we are over
coming illiteracy through the moon
light schools is the sworn testimony
OF hundreds 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 illiterates.
which are flooding every mail. tell
their own story of their efforts. their
JOY aud their gratitude for their
emancipation. Some deplore their
lack of previous opportunity. declare