The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1921-06-03
Decrease Of From 22.9 to 1871
Per Cent in Ten Years
Shown in Alabama.
DECLINE IN OTHER STATES
Marked Improvement Is Shown in the
Education Of the Negro PopuIa-
ton in the Southern States
Funds Are Limited.

Washington.-That illiteraey is de-
ereasing in this country is indicated by
a survey Of early reports from the CEN
sus offics by Sara l.. Doran for the
Bureau OF Education of the United
States. The figures for Alabama, Ar
kansas, Delaware and the District of
Columbia have been published and all
OF them show substantial improvement
since 1910.
In Alabama the proportion of per-
sons teii .'ears old and more who can
not write in any language has dropped
IRON - per cent TO 16.1 per cent ;
IN Arkansas from 1915 per cent to 81
Ter cent, in Delaware from 81 per
cent TO 90 per cent, in the District of
Columbia from 40 per cent to 2.S per
cent.
The condition is even more encour-
aging than the figures that relate to
uhe total population seem ID indicate, y
continues the investigator, "for it is
evident that the coming generation OF
native Americans will be practically
Tree from illiteracy in nearly every
part of the country.
Alabamans have been constantly
mindful of the evils of iliiteracy dur
Ing the last 20 years. The census OF
1910 showed marked increase in the
actual number of illiterates in the pre-
Nious decade. The figures were pub
''shed widely throughout the state anC
the people awakened to the fact thai
the public school system was not hold
ing It's own. The result was shown in
Inc census returns of 1910. The ten
dency to increase in numbers which
mad appeared previously was entirel,
overcome, the illiterates were reduced
10y 9l,SSO and the proportion of IL
hterates in the total population wa.
cut from "a per cent to 22.9 per cent
Government Helps.
These numbers were recognized n,
much too high, and the agitation TO,
universal education continued. Thi.
eliminated in survey of educationa
conditions throughout the state unde
the direction of the United States
commissioner of education and gen
eral revision of the laws in consonanc,
with the recommendations of the sur
Vey commission. Alabama's first com
pulsory education law was passed il
1919, and an illiteracy commission wa,
established in the same year. 1t ha.
since been engaged in direct effort
TO educate illiterates
The money available for these pur
poses has been limited, however TO
the finances of the state have not bee,
In an entirely satisfactory condition
and the efforts of education have bee,
hampered by that fact No state none,
mas yet been appropriated for the il
hteracy commission, although it wa
established by legislative action: ant
the only funds which the commissio,
las had came from private sources.
1T Is we'll known that the CREATE
part of the illiteracy that exists in th
southern states is among the negroes
In 1870, seven negroes in every ten il
Alabama were unable to write. Thi
proportion has been reduced at ever,
census since that time, and in 1920 |
was three in every ten. Nearly 211,OO
Alabama negroes were reported Hitter
ate In that year. A similar lack O
education prevails to an undue exten
among the native white people of tn,
state; 61,2S7 of them cannot write