Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-11-24
NEw NExIco's PROBLEM


( formed in the mountains OF her homl
state While me problem in Sew
Mexico differs somewhat from tha
in the Kentucky mountains II Is IN rs
fundamental nature much the same
and similar principles ought to npph
In correcting the situation
prof j. H. Vaughan in his inaug.
/ ural address before the state Educa-
tional association, placed his indoy
finger right upon the spot that -
sore and that must De healed If ~
litercy is 10 De stamped out In Sew
Mexico.
However. he census figures on
iliteraoy Ia New Mexico are not just
to the state. The problem is grave
enough and the fact that the Hitter
atcs OF New Mexico number possibly
only ten or twelve per cent Of the
total population, instead Of more
than twenty per cent. as the census
has ". in no way alters the situation
nor makes unsuitable the plan Of
campaign which Mrs Stewart finds
50 successful, or the work that the
department Of education ana with It
the county suporIntendents are doing
TO wipe out the blot upon New Mex
ico's name Tho reports that county
superintendonts like John v. CON
way Of Santa re county, have al
ready established night schools in
each school district which are at
tended by adults ana he is b0nishing
ilhteracy from one county at least,
are Just as significant even though
the santa Zee county percentage Of
ilteraey has been only one-half what
the census made Il In 1909 ana 1910.
Suffice It to say that The illiteracy|
statistics gathered by County School
superintendent Conway bear out the
assertion that illiteracy in santa re
county is not near as great as the
census indicates.
The difficulty ia taking the cen
,us OF New Mexico In 1910, as well
an ten years before, was one Of Ian
}uages and the lack OF a clear nm
Outstanding Of the scope Of questions
asked hy the census epumerators or
printed upon the census schedules /
rhe census cnumerators approaching
spanish speaking individual would /
isk whether he could read ana write, I
and the answer would often be no, /
whom as matter Of fact the indl-
yiduol could read and write in span
sh aud therefore was not an init +
crate This in Mckinley county
where in the coal camps. SluvonIans. /
Ruthenians and other
nutionalities are working, who are
OF the English language hut
are not altogether illiteratc. Yet
when questioned. the foreigner, /
through the imperfect interpreter. I
would always answer mo when ask.
"a whether he could read or write, (
Tor he understood tho question to
beg. Can you read ana write Eng .
lsh2"
Every observer has noted how
imid "A foreigner is in applying hisI
newly learned English, Even thcI
ndian who understands English per
.cctly and speaks it, at least broken
~. VIII often pretend that he does
Tot understand The census cnum-
rator therefore. who worked in aI
spanish speaking precinct. or i'm the
oal camps Of Mckinley county or
~ the mining camps of Arizona, of
on marked as initcrate the person
Who IN his own language was quite
Us proficient os the average Ameri-
AN in English.
II is natural therefore that Nc
lnley county makes the poorest
hnuing Ia the census returns as to
ucocY In that connection IL must
.lso De remembered that the popu-
alton of mining camps is largely
loatiug aud condition that exists
~ 1910 may not exist at an tn 1915. #
Even IN the rural districts OF New
deNico. nlteacy is confined gener-
lily only to the older people who in
heir day had no school facilities.
'Iany OF these have picked up q
neagcr knowledge OF English reading
md writing and In most cases can
cad Spanish and perhaps write a.
'he story OF the spanish American
chool teacher ia san Miguel county.
Who signed the receipt Tor his school
warrant with cross may be a myth,
nat q is often found that a spanish
american who writes a poor hand, is
o sensitive about It, that be prefers
q sign with a cross.
However. the eagernoss Of young
nd old In the rural districts Of New
feNico is often pathetic. Almost
very teacher In Albuquerque this
week could recite instances That