Americus times-recorder., 1919-11-16
CAMP PAICN ON
TOOPEN WORLD
TO ILLITERATES
Classes Of Adults To Be
Be Organized In Sum
ter, Starting Today

81 don't believe there is one of
you but who, were there blind per-
son in your community, and you
knew that by massaging his eyes or
ministering to him for six or eight
weeks his sight would be retored,
and a new world opened to him,
would gladly undertake the task. The
question now is, will we undertake
this work to bring sight and hearing
to the minds of our people blinded
and deafened by illiteracy? Are
we afraid?"
This was the essence of a talk to
the white teachers of the Sumter
county and Americus schools by F.
E. Land, state school supervisor for
this district, at the Carnegie library
yesterday forenoon, followed by a
similar talk in the afternoon at the
Mckay Hill school to the colored
teachers.
1t was the opening of the state
wide campaign in this county against
adult illiteracy, in which the teach
ers were appealed to to organize
classes for teaching these people of
their school districts that world
now shut from their vision may be
opened to them, and they made
bigger. broader and better citizens.
At the conclusion of his talk Mrs.
Elizabeth Williams Moore, of Meter,
state organizer in this department,
made a talk to the teachers, explain
ing to them how to organize and OPP
crate these adult classes. Mrs.
Moore will remain here for several
days getting the work started in thf
community.
Leading Citizens Absent.
Mr.. Land, although pleased at the
number of teachers present, express
ed regret that the leading business
men, bankers, ministers, lawyers and
men of affairs of the county were
not present, as he said he had plan
ned at the meeting to organize
county illiteracy commission, to work
under the direction of the state or
ganization. awe want a county il
literacy commission said he, land
a paid county illiteracy supervision
whose duty it shall be to see that this
work is carried forward properly.
He declared it was up to the local
citizens entirely, and that the re-
sponsibility for carrying on this
work. after it had been initiated by
the state officials, was entirely with
the citizens.
"The teachers are willing to do
their part, and Sumter county ought
to take up this work and carry 1t
through like other counties have
done We are going to expect some
definite action to come out OF this
meeting" he declared.
Mrs. Moore, who stated that she
had taught approximately 500 classes
of ilIiterates in Georgia, whose ages
ranged from ID to SO years, said
that the 1910 census showed 152
white illiterates in Sumter county
In the same census the number in
Georgia was 81 900.
Could Have Wiped II Out.
"If each teacher in the state has
taught one illiterate to read and
write each year there wouldn't be
one in the state today" she suggest
cd She went into some details on
methods to be employed in the WORK
of organizing these adult classes
and securing the cooperation of the
people.
'tYou must be like them-be one
of them she said, (which, after all
is what you should be at all times as
teacher anyway. This will be no
elk stocking parade. 1t must be
snrions business, too You won't
want anv of the sport type in these
classes: there's little room IN the
world for that type. Neither do you
wort +be dolls. They are no good
for ANYTHING but to look at, and II II
won don't look but pretty soon you IL
he painting your cheeks and iips
inst like them. But get close to
these hes people. 1t is serious business,
Onon their lives to the rest of the
world and humanity-to world they
haven't known before-througn
their ewes and ability to read ana
write. writ and you will be doing them a
1ost;np service. and winning TOT
Yourselves lasting cooperation from
your community in your work
Starts Work Today.
Mrs. Moore will begin today organ
;v;ro classes in Sumter county. MT
Continued on page 90