The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-04-16
SUBMITS REPORT
ON ILLITERACY
Nearly Eight Thousand Pupils Enroll
During Session and Over Two
Thousand Taught to Write.

The problems in the elimination
of illiteracy is largely a negro ques-
tion," says Miss vii Lou Gray, adult
school supervisor of the state depart
ment of education, in her report OF
/ the work done during 191S-19l9. In
/ the introduction to her report she
gives the percentage of illiteracy as
! recorded in the census of 1910.
Twenty-three counties registered
over 25 per cent. illiteracy, and dur
! ing the operation of the draft law
/ during the war, it was ascertalned
that large percentage of adults
within the draft age were unable to
read or write.
| After giving the causes which
brought about such conditions, among
which she mentions the Confederate
war and the extreme poverty which
followed in it's wake, the low price
of cotton and the lack of efforts made
| to reach the illiterate, the report
says:
"The problem in the elimination OF
illiteracy is largely negro question.
Of the 276,98O illiterates, 226,24
are negroes. The younger generation
is taking advantage of their educa-
tional opportunities, meager though
they are, but what shall be done with
this adult group which comprises
about one-ffth Of the states popula-
ton, ten years Of age and over, not
a member of which can read the
Bible or papers, study the laws
which govern him and which pro-
tect health, keep accounts, write
letter or follow written or printed
direction? This wholesale ignorance
has been and is the states chief bur-
den, for it means low salary wage
which forces low standard of living,
not only for the negroes, but for the
whites who are compelled to compete
with them for living. 1t is estl-
mated that ability to read and write
increases the earning capacity at
least so cents per day, therefore, the
state is losing in its productive
power s113,12l per day on illiterate
negroes.
Skilled Labor in Demand.
"The industrial life of today de-
mands Skilled labor in every field.
On all sides the negroes are called
upon to act and expected to act intel
ligently, yet they have had no train
ing. The future common good of the
state depends not only on the progress
of one race, but of both. The cure
of white illiteracy will fail to make a
literate state for the great mass OF
illiterate negroes will continue to
keep the status low. It is the duty
of the state to provide all its people
with an elementary education which
makes for better living. During the
past year the supervisors initial ef
fort was made with the white schools
: but, recognizing that the illiteracS
among the negroes lowered the state:
standard, limited number of school:
for negroes were organized, and
with the approval of the legislature
it is hoped that the work, which sc
successfully demonstrated its worth
may be extended.
''In only two counties, Charleston
and Cherokee, was the organization
of schools pushed and yet during the
lay-off' schools, the enrolment
throughout the state was 1854 with
an average attendance of ~ per
cent. The county superintendent
and organizers report that the
negroes clamored for schools and
were pathetic in their desires for
white leadership. Limited funds
made it impossible to grant permls-
sions for all requests which were
made for the organization of schools.
"The supervisor visited several OF
the schools and found the teachers
and pupils getting excellent results.
The rapidity with which the pupils
learned was astonishing. One teacher
wrote that his pupils received the
school with glad tidines of great
ioy;' another that the people were
anxious and accepted the opportunity
gladly and thanked God and the gov
ernment for the privilege; another