Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1919-09-20
NIGHT SCHOOLS
SUGGESTED BY
MISS PUSEY

Editors The messenger:
Iho fifty-sccord annual lcpoti OF
tn, state Board o. Education con
tanned the following significant state
mcnt: In Jew of the revelations of
III, recent draft with regard to the
number Of selected men who were I'M
III fol service hccau~c they could not
read and write. 1t i, important TO note
the number Of illitcratc> in the ,cv-
clal counties Of Maryland as given
by the Dnitcd States census of 1916"
Following this was a table giving the
arrangement of the counties in the
order Of the pen cent Of their white
population over 10 years of age who,
according To the Federal census. can
neither read nor write. Hartford
County heads this list. having only
81 per cent Of lltcratcS. Worcester
County has 1903 per cent. Of its adult
white population being listed as w.
literatcs II seems To me that this
should be a matter Of deep concern to
oul progressive, and intelligent citi-
zcnship. \ government by the peo-
pie demands that its citizens be men
who read. think ana act for them
selves. and how can this be possible
with large pen cent. Of our pop
ulation iliteratc"
Shall Worcester County longer con
tinue to occupy the position which it
now does on the illitcracy list. or shall
the blight of ignorance be lifted. in
part at least. from our locality?
Shall there remain among US lon
ger so large group of unlcttercd men
and women or Shall these folks be
taught the rudimcnts of education
which they missed in youth?
am sure il the teachers. editors
ministers, merchants. physicians and
club women of the county a. we'll as
the Board of Education. the Super
intcndcnt and Supervisor of public
schools would get busy on the job this
winter much could be done to wipe
out this recognized public evil.
The matter of some concerted-cffort
for the abolition OF illitcracy in Mary
land was discussed al a recent meet
ing of school superintendent held at
Mccoy Hall. Baltimore. and it seems
to me that there could be no better
way for us to help answer the ques-
ton. What can be done TO eradicate
this evil. than by making a vigorous
drive to wipe il out of Worcester
County.
If We agree as think every one
will. that something should be done
to remedy this state OF affairs the
question that naturally presents it.
self is. How shall we direct cur
efforts in order that they may be
most effective in. accomplishing our
aim?
The experiment of the Moonlight
Schools of Kentucky taS well as of
several other southern stateS) where
il was demonstrated forcibly that men
and women are eager to learn sug-
gcsts the idea that what has been ac-
complishcd in Kentucky and other
places could be accomplished in Wor-
ccstcr County. | bel;vc that many
teachers in the county would volunteer
to teach the unlcarncd adults in their
school districts for one night in the
week AT least through the months of
December. January and February if
the plan was made clear to them and
il they received the encouragement
OF trustees. superintendent and pat
rons.
have been told that uncducatcd
men and women would be inSulted if
approached upon the subject of max
ing up lost opportunity
a friend OF mine, who is a mem
Der Of the lllitcracy Commission of
Nouln 1dIbllild, lplu nv tildt WIN
She started out to make house to
house canvas for the purpose of get
ting an expression from the unedu-
Gated folks OF her district in regard
to their willingness to attend night
school, that She went with fear and
trembling having been previously
warned that she might expect to be
treated with rudcness If not actually
insul,cd To her great delight and
surprise the first man she addressed
on the subject said to her: 81 would
give half | expect to make this year
to learn to read and write" and that
while she did not always receive such
encouragement aS this Yet on the
whole the idea was warmly received.
This proves that often the more edu-
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