Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-02
.|Ll|TERACY RATE BEING
VERY RAPIDLY REDUCED
Progress in Remote Rural Districts
OF Virginia Little Short of
Phenomenal.
BUCHANAN COUNTY FIGURES
In 1p<.a."usus Showed Thirty -Four
O,yfsSN o Unable to Read and
VIII NIliteracy Rate in This
County Is Now S.4.

Educational progress in the remote
rural districts of Virginia has been
little short of phenomenal, according to
statistics compiled by Professor J. w.
Everett, editor Of tho Virginia Journal
of Education. tho official journal OF the
Department of Public Instruction and
the Virginia Cooperative Educat lon
Association.
For the past two years the depart
ment has waged persistent fight
against illiteracy in this State En-
ploying effectively every means at lis
disposal, the men and women who gave
their time and talents TO this work
have witnessed with cXaltation the
splendid results obTaIncd Through their
efforts. - -.
Reports now coming in from the
school census taken last spring give
further occasion for citation. For cX-
ample. In the County of Isle OF Wight
in 1910 the illiteracy percentage was
III white and a7.2 colored, In 1915
the percentages arc respectively, 20
REsfAREABBE RESULTS
IN MANY SECTIONS
In the city Of Portsmouth in 1910
the number OF children between the
ages OF ten apd twenty who could not
read Ahd write was III. This year
it is 81.
In the city OF Danville in 1910 tho
number OF children unable TO read and
write was 451, against 23s this year.
In Alexandria city there were ninety
nine children in 1910 unable To read
and write. while this year there arc
but three.
Probably the mos, amazing figures
showing Improvement come from
Buchanan County. The report received
from this division, as given out last
night by Professor Everett. reads in
part as follows:
Possibly no county in Virginia has
been in the eyes OF the public from an
educational standpoint so much as
Buchanan since the census OF 1910
100 above the age Of ten years. 3l3
were unable TO read and write This
was the hiFhest rat. OF illitcracy in
the State. and the highest in the South
lone county In Kentucky excepted
The census Of 1915 shows that we
have reduced the rate OF illiterncy more
than 400 per cent, having now n rate or
only s.4 per cent If all tho counties
In the State nave reduced ill!teracv ac-
cordingly, Virginia is now entitled to a
place among the foremost States Of the
Union.
ILLITERACY CAN BE
FURTHER REDUCED
Snould TINS county make the same
rate Of progress during the next five
years, the census OF 1920 viii show q
rate OF only . per cent. This can be
done. We hop" 20 see schoolhous.
placed IN reach OF every child in tho
county this year When this is done
with tho assistance Of the teachers and
advanced pupils, we can reach the
adult illiteratcs and teach them how 10
read and write"
If the above mentioned figures are
prophetic OF the Improvement through.
ont the State, the friends OF education
in Virginia viii have every reason tc
he proud Of the advancement made !,
should be remembered that the fght
against illiteracy Is n very difficult and
very costly one, and that the State.
officials have waged the battle with
very limited means and against odd!
nf which the average layman has it'll,
conception
Superintendent r.. G. Stearnes is OK,
ceedingly gratined over the Ccnsu.
hgures already AZ hand and believe,
that the excellent results thus far at
tained are but An earnest Of attn NOR.
encouraging advances to be made ir
the near future.