Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-15
STARTLING FACTS ARE
GIVEN ABOUT |LL|TERACY
State Department OF Public Instruc
ton Prepares Handsomely Illus
trated Bulletin.
f. II. CHEsTERMAN IS AUTHOR
Publication Voices Belief That Edu-
cational Campaign Now in Prog
ress Will Uproot Illiteracy, and Is
Already Making Influence Felt.

Startling figures concerning illiteracy
in Virginia are given I'm bulletin
which has just been printed by tho
State Department OF Public Instruction.
The title OF this beautifully illustrated
bulletin is "Litcracy in Virginia" 1t
was prepared by Evan II. Chcsterman.
secretary to the board. and while Its
revelations nre startling, tho publica-
tion has an optimistic note, and voices
the fixed belief that splendid results
will follow the educational campaign
now In progress throughout the Com
monwealth. This campaign, above all
things, is designed to uproot illiteracy.
and Is making it's influence felt in every
part Of the State.
Tie people Of Richmond will be par
ticulnrly interested in the article en-
titled AN Effort to Abolish Illitcracy
In Virginia." which was written by DR..
j. a. G. Chandler, superintendent Of
schools. and furnishes n closing chapter
for the pamphlet. DR.. Chambers ar
ticle shows that wonders are being
worked here by the night schools.
which now have total attendance Of
3,54S, of whom vast majority are be-
yond school age. The minimum age
at which persons are admitted to these
schools Is fourteen years. The total
number OF night schools Is distributed
as follows: White. 2.167: colored.
1881.
STATISTICS REVEAL
DISAGREEADLE TRUTHS
Secretary Chestcrman writes with
great earnestness about illitcracy In
Virginia. While he sets down naught
I'm malice" he likewise refrans from
concealing actual conditions, and fur
nishcs statistics which reveal some dis
agreeable truths 1t is his opinion that
the situation is one which demands the
concerted action OF all right thinking
people In short. he calls upon citizens
| OF every class and station to lend their
, support in the fight against illiteracy.
! The pamphlet Is illustrated with
seventeen pictures. which portray the
progressive school work now being
done in number of isolated or remote
| sections. -
| For those who love figures the
pamphlet offers "A liberal but not repel-
liant display OF statistics. which treat
| of illiteracy from number OF view :
! points. In 1910 there were 7l,5S0.o70
| persons ten years OF age and over in
were unable to read or write The last
mentioned number represented ~ per
| cent of the entire population.
| VIRGINIA FURNISHED
The native whites had i'iih1 er smmaiIessi
"a iiiibeiblcS. Der
| cent. The foreign born whites had
t,6oo'36l illiterates. or 1871 per cent. The
/ soiored had 2.22f,73l. or 304 per cent.
Or the illiterate whites mentioned
ABOVE Virginia furnished S3,S25. OF
thcse s3.s25, 2,36S were foreign born
ana SO were OF foreign or mixed paren-
,ase. More lamentable still, S1.1O5 OF
me s3.S25 were native born whites
while 1907 were children. or the ma
mons 2.22','a negro illiterates. vir-
ginia furnished 14S,95O.
In 1910 there were 21.e17 children
'White and colored) between the ages
OF ten and fourteen. inclusive, who
| could neither read nor write-e4 ner
cent or the total 232.775 illirerates In
the State.
Tho pamphlet in no way takes i,
despairing view OF the situation. II
proves mat much in the way Of reduc
Ing illitcracy has been ACCOMPLISHED
since 1910, and that the Department ~
Punhc Instruction, as we'll as other
school officials Of the Commonwealth.
to-day Is thoroughly alive to the neces.
sity for vigorous action