The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-08-31
Should Free COun-
try" Apply Also
to Education
by
NORA COLE SKINNER

GU ttTnf fHDtr NGlhN Nhth '''"
Ferguson VIZ governor OF Texas,
just before being impeachcd and
assisted out of tho executive
chair by tho ALUMNI Of tho state
university, no made this remark
characteristic OF his 'tyle OF
speech:
The people OF Texas havo
gono hog wild over education.
II the e1 governor was 50 dis
posed no could make moro
sweeping statement today ana
take In the whole OF tho United
States.
The war has aroused the nation
20 The value of book lcarnin.,
and / believe there are thousands
OF men who would grasp the OPP
portunity 10 go TO school now
who either never had a chance or
wouldn't take IL when they had H.
There are b,blGlG3 persons IN
the United States over 10 years
OF age who cannot read or write.
or this number 100000 are 20
years OF age or mors. over On
per cent are white, and or thcse
1900. 00Q are native Americans.
Over four and n half million
voters who cant read and write
II Is Eing.
We have compulsory education
between certain youthful ages,
splendid law, and ono that VIII
place our next generation OF voters
on a higher plane. but what or our
mesent voting citizens. must We
wait until this age has died out
before we have an Intelligent
voting population2
am awnre that compulsory
education, for these grown men
and women would never carry
-A-for there In tho ever-ready plat
form addict who would come for
ward TO cry that this is free
country" and such "a compilation
would be taking mans liberty
away from him. But popular or
not, night schools for tho 4,6OO,-
600 men and women who cannot
Rad and write. and n clause com
pelling them TO attend until they
can read and write. would he
benefaction and great stride
forward for this republic.
Most OF them, hd1leve, would
GLADLY avail themselves without
being compelled, but there would
ea,er he those who avail them
Selves of nothing good. even
though free. and this type needs
enlightenment for the safety or
dShers Too. Il would force those
who know better" but let false
pride keep them from reverting TO
school days
II has come out that somc 600
0oa Of our soldiers, the picked
men of the earth na America sees
It, could not read or write, Now,
for healthy. grown men not to be
able % read and write In hor-
rible---there Ia no gentler word for
IT, There must hove been many
more hundreds of thousands who
were illterates. Hclp 9f some sort
should come to them.
A mnn who won the u, 3. C. In
France remarked to me that he
believed that II the war had lasted
n little longer he would have been
commissioned II haven't got
much education" he acknowl-
edged. but believe with my
record and military knowledge I
might have gotten by n ia been
careful OF my examination"
Poor fellow. He had walked up
20 see that education was essential
even though he had all else that
went TO make a good officer. And
from his defective English I felt
that more than the ending OF the
war interfered with his commits
sion.
l heard an editor ot n great pa
per say that he wished he could
10 TO school" He explained that
ne Just know enough to make the
most OF ~ II he had tho chancs
again.
II IL true that we are sent TO
school Mt period OF our life
when we don't give hang
whether we ever learn anything or
not. In fact, In many cases, It's
when we already know u all" and
are hopeless until we find on that
we don't know anything.
II ts after It's too late" that
we'd give anything In the world
for another chance. But why TOGO
later Free nlght schools for the
public, compulsory for those who
can't road and write. would be n
blessing othe man md woman
who have walked up TO the fact
they missed what proves to be tho
best foundation for success In life,