Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1915-01-09
|LL|TERACy AMONG
CHILDREN DOOMED
SAY j. s. EXPERTS
STATISTICS COMPILED BY DE.
PARTMENT OF EDUCATION
SHOW THAT ILLITERACY is on
THE DECREASE.

|, Illiteracy in the United States is
doomed. Statistics compiled by the
United States Bureau of Education for
use at the Panama-Paciic Exposition,
show that of children from 10 to IA
years of age there were in 1910 only 22
out of every 1000 who could neither
read nor write. In 1900 there were of
the same class AZ per 1000. In reduc-
ton in illiteracy is still proceeding at
even the same rate, the illiterate chill
dren in this country between the ages
of 10 and IA, inclusive, now number
not more than Is out of every 1000.
From the standpoint of proportional
reduction of illiteracy Oklahoma leads
all the States of the Union. In 1900
this State had 124 illiterate children of
The ages named In 1910 it had but It
Delaware had 20 in 1900 and but A in
1910; New Hampshire reduced from
to 1 New Jersey from Z to 2; Missouri
from 35 to II; Montana from to ;
Oregon from 8 to 1 Vermont from s
to 2; New Mexico from 1872 to 50, and
Idaho from to 2.
The following states report only !
child in 1000 between the ages of 10
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 little
more These States are Alabama, Cal
ifornia, Colorado, Connecticut, District
of Columbia, Kansas, Maryland, Mas
sachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mis-
sissippi, North Dakota, Tennessee, 1
Utah and West Virginia.
Only one State, Nevada, has lost
ground since 1900. Its illiteracy was
then 4 in 1910 it was 5. Two States,
South Dagota and Nebraska, each hav-
ing the low rate of 2 per 1000 report
no reduction in illiteracy between 1900
and 1910
The States having the largest pro-
portion of illiterate children per 1000
are Louisiana, with 115 (from 174 in
1900; South Carolina SO from $50;
Alabama, n from 157; New Mexoico,
SO from 1872; North Carolina, 6S from
1877; Kentucky, 50 from 70; Georgia, 81
from 1O6, and Virginia, 81 from 81;
Tennessee, "a from 119; Florida, 80
from 73; Arkansas, Al from 113.
1t is evident that the public schools
will in short time practically elimin-
ate illiteracy among children. But ac-
cording to Bureau of Education ofic
ais 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 ad-
ults to die off, or by some extraordin
airy means to reach these illiterate mil
lions
On the basis of these figures DR.. p.
p ClaXton, Commissioner of Educa-
ion, estimates that with an average
annual expenditure of $4,000 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, H. J..
547C, now pending before Congress
requires the Bureau of Education to
undertake this work in any State upon
request Of the roper State author ,'os
L't makes an appropriation of $500
70 1915. $2a 200 for each suac sei'ng
yea unit, l!c0; and s17,5OO for c.ch
year tntas fler until 1925, at which
date it is believed, illiteracy wodid be
eliminated.