The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-26
Two Women Placed on Body. Feagin Member by Vir-
 tue of Position
MARKS BEGINNING
 OF NEW CAMPAIGN
Governor Henderson in Making Alp point Issues Statement Urg- ing All Efforts to Promote
 States Education

Montgomery, March 25--(Special.) l Governor Henderson this afternoon ap-
 pointed former Gov. William D. Jelks
 of Birmingham. J. B. Ellis of Selma
 Mrs. w. K Linscott of Mobile and Miss
 Mary N. Moore of Athens members of l the Alabama illiteracy commission.
 which was created at the recent session
 of the legislature. William r. Feagin.
 superintendent of education, is the fifth
 member of the commission, who holds
 office by virtue of his position. l The appointment of the commission
 marks the beginning of campaign to
 remove adult illiteracy from the state
 Statistics of the educational department show that 26 per cent of the popula-
 ton of the state over 21 years of age
 can neither read nor write.
 Following the appointment of the
 commission by the governor Superin-
 tendent Feagln gave out the following statement:
 l At the recent session of the legisla- ture, law was passed authorizing the l governor to appoint a commission for
 the removal of adult illiteracy in Ala
 bama. It was stipulated that this com | mittee should be composed of both men and women to be selected for their fit
 ness. ability and experience in matters 1 of education. and that the state super intendent of education should be ex- l officio member thereof
 Personnel Announced It was further provided that the com
 mission should be body corporate with
 power to make research, collect data, receive and disburse funds, and perform
 any other act which in it's discretion
 would contribute to the elimination of the states adult illiteracy
 It is evident from reading of the act that service on the commission will necessitate not only the highest type
 of intelligence and culture, but along
 with these lofty patriotism and an
 unselfish spirit of service. The person
 mel of the commission as announced by GoVernor Henderson today is as fol-
 lows: Hon. w. D. Jelks, Birmingham:
 Hon. J. B. Ellis Selma Miss Mary N.
 Moore, Athens; Mrs. w. K. Linscot., Mobile, and Hon. William F. Feagin. Montgomery
 That the percentage of illiteracv in Ala
 bama is abnormally large is well known to those who have given any study to the question, and that organized efforts are now to be initiated will be a cause Tor general qualification. It may be stat ed In extenuafion of our humiliating il- literacy conditions that the population of Alabama is largely rural, which makes it exceedingly difficult to provide and maintain adequate educational facilities. and that we have in addition thereto an excessive negro population, which re- qulres the maintenance of a dual sys- tenn of schools
 The magnitude of the problem confront ing this commission will appear from the fact that there are 1,051,07o persons in Alabama H years of age and over of whom 26b,273, or 26 per cent, can neither read nor write, while of this number 3O.-
 633 are males of voting age and more than 34,000 are women
 Nor do these illiterates live only in rural districts. While the ratio of illiteracy among native whites is six times as great
 in the country as In the city, the condi- tions even in our cities are such as to | require relief. To go on without some such agency this commission would
 mean that with the growth of the urban population the extension of school facii-
 ties and the gradual dying off of our adult , population we should be rid of illiteracy in something more than half century But this means the utter neglect and disre- gard of mature men and women in the cities and rural districts of Alabama, equalling the total male population of voting age in Birmingham, Mobile and Montgomery
 Illiteracy in Birmingham The illiterate males of voting age In the state is three times as great | os. L4 fafo | ing age in Birmingham. The percent age of illiteracy for the people as a whole is greater in Birmingham than in any other city in the United States having a population of 100000 or more, | except Fall River, Mass, and for the native white population. Birmingham l is exceeded in percentage of il1iteracy only by Atlanta, Fall River and Nash vile. Nor are the conditions in Bir- mingham unusual. In cities of popula- tion ranging from 25,000 to 100000 10 years of age and over, Montgomery is | exceeded In the percentage of illitcracy among all classes only by Savannah. Shreveport, Wilmington, N. C.. and Shenandoah Pa and it should also be
 said that Mobile Is close competitor The state department of education
 has prepared the way for this com mission by collecting specific data about the illiteracy conditions in the several districts of the several counties | of the state and in addition thereto | has secured through many county su- 1 perintendents goodly number of
 teacher volunteers who will give at | least one months service during the | spring and summer season to the teach
 ing of illiterate men and women. If the people of the state will rally to | the support of this commission, if those | who can will cheerfully render serv- | ice and if those whom if is the pl1r- | pose of this commission to serve with avail themselves of the opportunities soon to be offered them, the appoint ment of this commission will doubt | less go down in history as the begin | ming of an era in which Alabama be- | gan seriously to wipe out adult illit- eracy