The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1916-03-22
Misleading and Unjust.

'
The following item is going the
rounds of the Georgia press. The group
ing of Wilkes among the six counties
of the state having the highest per cent
of illiteracy ought to bring blush to
the face of every person in the county.
1t is positively humiliating, ii true.
The Savannah Press says that these
percentages refer only to whites. If so
then we do not for minute believe
that the figures are correct as to Wilkes
county We do not believe that any
thing like A out of every one hundred
white people in Wilkes county can
neither read nor write:
IlliteraCy in Georgia
Mr.. NJ. L. Britain, state superin-
tendent of schools, has recently issued
a circular dealing with illteracy in
Georgia that is appalling in the showing
it makes. He has been investigating
the question very closely with the hope
of finding some remedy for the situa-
ton, and he has issued a circular upon
the subject that is very frank in its
utterances and should be convincing in
its conclusions. According to the fig
ures of MIR. Britain and those of the
census department of the United States
government there is county in Geor-
gia where the population is within
three-tenths of one per cent of being
half illiterate. Lee county illiteracy is
rated at 49.7
"There are six other counties, besides
Lee, in which the illiteracy is more than
40 per cent Here they are: Calhoun,
43.5; Quitman, 40.4; Dougherty, As;
Putnam. 42.3; Terrell 424: Wilkes.
44.6. And yet in those counties are
some of the best and most ambitious
in cto 10 In tn
counties enumerated there are twenty
seven other counties in the state in
which the illiteracy is above 80 per cent.
These statistics are based on the 1910
census.
Chatham county has an illiteracy
percentage of 100. This is greater
than that of Richmond, which has 1876;
of Fulton, which has SO; of Bibb,
which has 1926. 1t is less, however
than that of Muscogee, of which Co
lumbus is the county seat. This county
has an illiteracy percentage of 1873.
Yet MuscOgee shows a smaller percent
age than most of the other counties
where agriculture is the principal pur-
suit of the people.
These figures, it must be borne in
mind, are the records not of the ne
groes, but of the whites"
,tually slanderous, and does the counties
question a grave injustice. Just why &
'oup of counties that are among the mos
telligent, progressive and prosperous il
lie entire state, but located in the negro
elt and having from two to four times a:
UGH negro population as white, should bt
ngIed out as horrible examples of ignor
Ice we are at loss to understand.
Fortunately, the official figures of the las
nited States census showing percentages
illiteracy are available, and thest
atistics show that the counties in question
'mpare most favOrably with other repre-
ntative counties of the state, not except
g those in which the newspapers that hay'
ven publicity, accompanied in some in
ances by rather caustic comment, to thu
legged undesirable condition.
An investigation made by The News show
at the white illiteracy in Calhoun county i
lily 80, in Quitman county 1926, in Dough
ty county is, in Putnam county Al, il
erreIl county 80, and in Wilkes count,
,.
This is much more creditable shown!
an that made by representative and lead
q counties in other sections of the state
)r instance. the white illiteracy in Hal
unity is 1870, in Coweta county Is, ant
Spalding 81 1t even shows less illiterac,
an is found in the counties in which thu
rye cities of the state are located, whel
@ fact is taken into consideration that tht
iterates among the foreign born white pop
alton are not included. Excluding thu
reign born white illiterates the percentag
white illiteracy in Fulton county is "a pc
MT, in Chatham county Is, in Richmond
unity SO, in Bibb county 3, and in Musco
,e county As.
The Atlanta Constitution and one or TIVE
her newspapers that have taken specia
inns to call attention to alleged gross ig
,rance in these splendid counties owe then
! apology They will compare most faYora
v with any other counties of the state il
llightenment, refinement, thrift and al
her things that make a high order of citi
enship.
TLz-a Doos- i4%1a C,,Io117 ori0RC