The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-07-26

Sykes school district in Barbour county.
l had some wonderful experiences in or
ganizing and conducting an adult school
at that place and am so glad to relate
my story. Upon my arrival l found one
man who wanted to enroll just to review
arithmetic. L waited 80 minutes and no.
body else came; an hour passed and still
no one came young man who had
taught in this community a year before
had driven out with me from Clio that
morning. l finally said to him, You
know where everybody around here lives,
so if you will go with me | will start
out to see if l can find somebody to
teach He readily agreed, and we went
to see seven families before noon. In al
most every home where we went one
of two things was said, either, L would
love to know how to read and write, but
| amt never had no chance, and 1 am
ashamed to go to school now, or, / am
too old; J. can't learn nothing
After many experiences like this"
Miss Foster said, Il organized an adult
school, with nine members. The next
day our enrolment was II; by the end of
the week it had reached 90, and by the
next week, 81 had enrolled. OF this
number, II were over 40 years old; five
over 50, three of whom were 81, and the
oldest, II. Eight of the pupils were to-
tally illiterate and seven could read a
little, but could not write. The others
came to study arithmetic and to review
subjects they had formerly studied.
Many have asked how 1 started with the
work. In general, l used the same meth
DDS and principles in teaching these
adults that 1 used in school. 1 found,
however, that on account of their prac-
teal experience they were able to do a
great deal more work than the younger
pupils. In teaching reading, I used the
phonic, word and sentence methods, but
also allowed the pupils to learn the al
phabet. This was necessary in order
that they might begin writing at once.
In teaching them to write let them first
learn to make the letters in their names
and then write their names. After this,
had them copy short sentences and
later write from memory. A great deal
of time was spent on letter writing, first
copying the form and then composing
the letters. / began with some oral
problems in arithmetic and made the
work more difficult from day to day as
they were able to take it.
There is absolutely no limit to the
work which could be accomplished by
the Alabama Illiteracy commission"
Miss Foster said in conclusion, ''if we
only had the workers and the funds. The
real work of removing iliteracy was
hardly begun before the commission was
confronted with the necessity of securing
additional funds with which to finance
the movement. The donations made by
liberal-hearted citizens had been used
and there were outstanding obligations
to be met and no funds with which to
meet them. Funds were also needed for
the publication of literature; to keep up
a growing correspondence; for the pur-
chase of stationery and stamps; to meet
the necessary travelling expenses and sal
airy of the field agent who was giving
her entire time to organizing and in
structing volunteer workers, and to an
swer a demand for a textbook for use
in the schools. The demand for funds
has, of course, grown as the work has
grown, and if we can secure enough
funds, the condition of illiteracy in this
state can be helped materially and Ala
bama need not occupy the humiliating
position of nearly foot, as the children
say, in this respect"