The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-04-23
.|LL|TERACY AMODG
OUR CHILDREN

Statistics compiled by the United
States bureau of educatin for use at
the Panama-Pacific exposition show
that of children from 10 to IA years of
age there were in 1910 only % out
of every 1000 who could neither read
nor write In 1900 there were of the
same class AZ per 1000. If reduction
in illiteracy is still proceeding at even
the same rate, the illiterate children
in this country between the ages of
10 and ID 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
II; Delaware had 20 in 1900, and but
in 1910; New Hampshire reduced
from 4 to l. New Jersey from to 2;
Missouri from 35 to IL; Montana from
to /; Oregon from to l Vermont
ITOUl D 10 lNtW llOIll lOE W
So, and Idaho from to 2.
The following states report only l
child in 1000 between the ages of 10
and Ia as illiterate: Connecticut, Dis
trict of Columbia, Massachusetts,
Minnesota, 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, Dis
trict of Columbia, Kansas, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,
Mississippi, North Dakota, Tennessee,
Utah, and West Virginia.
Only one state, Nevada, has lost
ground since 1900. It's illiteracy was
then 4 in 1910 it was S. Two states,
South Dakota and Nebraska, each hay
ing the low rate of 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 lis from ia in
19OO) South Carolina, SO from $50;
Alabama, II from 1877; New Mexico,
50 from 1872; North Carolina, 6S from
1877; Kentucky, SO from 49, Georgia,
81 from 1O6; Virginia, 81 from 81;
m
from 70; Arkansas, AZ from 113.
Many IIIeterate Adults.
1t is evident that the public schools
will in a short time practically elimi-
nate illiteracy among children. But
according to bureau of education Off
Gals, there are between 4 and 5 mil
lion of adults that are illiterate and
that cannot 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 pres
ent adults to die off or by some eX-
traordinary means reach these litter
ate millions.
On the basis of these figures, DR..
P. P. Claxton, commissioner of educa-
ton, estimates that with an average
annual expenditure of $4,000 for 10
years, he could put forces to work that
wuld, by means of night schools and
other agencies, eliminate illiteracy
among the adults of this country. The
Abercrombie Illiteracy bill, H. R. 49,
470, now pending before congress, re-
quires the bureau of education to I'M
dertake this work in any state upon
request of the proper state authorities
and makes an appropriation of $15,-
90 for 1915, $22,5OO for each succeed
ing year until 1920; and $1750O for
each year thereafter until 1925, at
which date, it is believed, illiteracy
would be eliminated.