The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1921-09-07
FIGURES ON ILLITERACY
IN SOUTH CAROLINA

III IOtai reputation IcrCenlHg0 Is 1871,
Showing Decrease Since 1910 OF 25.7
Percent. More IlIiteratcs in COun.
try Than in City.
Washington, Aug. 2G.-According to
the census of 1920, there are 22O ,667
illitcrate persons 10 years OF age and
over in the state of South Carolina,
lllitcratc" meaning unable to write
OF this number 3S,639 are native whites
OF native Darentage, 1903 are Of for.
eign or mixed parentage, and 391 are
OF foreign birth. The number of illit-
crate negroes is 1922. In the total
population 10 years Of age and over
the percentage of iliteracy is 1871,
which 1T is gratifying to note, shows
dlminution since 1910, when it was
2o.7. In the case of the negroes the
percentage declined from 3S.7 to 1913,
and in the case Of the native white OF
native parcntagc from lO.5 to &C.
There is much more iliteracy in
the rural districts Of the state than
IN the cities, the percentage being
700 for the rural population and 1913
Tor the urban. For the native white
population Of native parentagc the ur-
ban percentage of illteracy is 2.S,
while the rural is ~. In the case OF
the negro population the percentage
Is 2l.o in the urban population, as
against 3O.7 in the rural.
l'y counties the percentage OF illit-
eracy ranges from 1874 in Berkeley
county to l0.7 in Pickens county.
Illitcrary in Columbia
The census bureau reports that in
the population of Columbia. as enum-
Grated in January, 1920, there were
3,ooS persons 10 years of age and ov-
er who were illitcrate in the sense of
being unable to write, including 732
native whites, 5 foreign-born whites,
and 2,715 negroes. The percentage of
illiteracy in the total population 10
years of age and over is l1.4 which
shows decrease since 1910, when it
was l7.4 For the native white the
percentage is 10, for the foreign born
white 30, an dior the negro 22S
That the younger generation in Co
lumbia is less illitcrate than the older
Is indicated Ev the fact that while
10 per cent Of the males and 1i.S per
cent Of the females years of ago and
over arc illitcratc, percentage OF
illitcracy in the pouulation lG to 90
years Of age is but ~ per cent.
illitcracy in Charleston
me census bureau reports that in
the population OF Charleston as emu
mcrated in January, 1920, there were
5,OI3 persons 10 years of age and over
who were ilitcratc in the sense of
bcing unable to write, including 22G
native whites, a foreign born whites,
and l,I1O negroes. The percentage of
lllitcracy in the total population 10
years Of age and over is % which
%hich shows a marked decrease since
was l'.%. Ror the native whitc the
percentage is 0S. for the foreign born
white 3.3, and for the negro 1870
That the younger generation in
Charleston is less illitcrate than the
Older is indicated by the fact that
while 50 per cent OF the males and
io.o per tcnl Ol lnc 1cmalCS Il years
Of age and over arc illiteratc. tho Oer-
centage Of illitcracy in the population
10 to 20 years Bf age is but 81 per
cent
lllilcracy in Spnr!anburg
The census bureau reports that in
tho population CT Spartanburg. as
enumerated in January, 1920, there
~crc l,6S9 persons 10 years of age
and over who were illitcrate in the
sense Of being unable to write includ-
ing 3l2 native whites, 10 foreign born
whites ad 1858 negroes. The per-
centage Of lliteracy in the total popu-
lation 10 years OF age and over is 9.5,
which shows a marked decrease isnce
1910, when it was l5.7. For the native
white the percentage is 2.S, for the
forcien-horn white 1O.G, and for the
negro 2l2.
Iiliteracy in GrecnyilIe
The census bureau reports that III
the population of Greenyillc, as cnum-
Grated in January, 1920, there were
,757 persons 10 years of age and over
who were illiterate in the sense of be-
ing unable to write, including lat ma
tive whites, AZ foreign-born whites,
and 1861 negroes. The percentage of
illiteracy in the total population 10