Arizona republican., 1922-05-03
FIRST |LL|TERACY
CONFERENCE IS To
Be HELD IN PHOENIX

AriZona's first illiteracy conference
will be held in Phoenix on May 8, ac-
cording to an announcement made
Yesterday by Miss Elsie Toles, state
school superintendent. The confer
ence is to be held in connection with
the visit of Or. J. J. Tigert, United
States commissioner of education,
who vii! be in Phoenix on May and
May 10. Invitations to attend the
conference ares being sent by Miss
Toles to the various civic organiza-
tions. the Anericanization commit
tees and workers, and all Women's
clubs in the state, asking them TO
assist the state school department in
making the conference and the visit
of DR.. Tigert success.
This is the first time in the his
tory OF the state that a United
States commissioner of education has
visited the state, and realizing the
event is of interest not only to the
schools of the stale. but to all who
are interested in them, a program
for the entertainment of the visitor
while in Phoenix has been arranged
by Miss Toles. 1t is the plan OF
Miss Toles to arrange for a public
meeting to be held possibly Tuesday
night. May 8. at which DR.. Tigert
will deliver an address.
Illiteracy is national problem and
one upon which Commissioner Tigert
can speak with authority and for
this reason the conference is to be
held during his visit to Phoenix. Ac-
cording to the latest government flg-
ures, Arizona has one Of the highest
percentages of illiteracy of any state
in the Union. The percentage of IL
literacy among the native white pop
ulation, however, is only 1.3 per cent
which is not large percentage COM
pared to other states where the
population is almost entirely white.
When the Indian illiterates, whose
education is government response
bility. are eliminated. it is obvious
that Arizona's ilIiteracy problem is
one of AmericaniZation of the nom
English speaking population. The
schools of the state have been taking
care of the problem as concerned
with the children and various groups
and individuals have been working
faithfully with the adults in an ef-
fort to lower the percentage.
While these Americanization or
ganizations have already accom-
plished much in their work among
JH0 duullS, lIG1I GIIOILS ACS0 Lie
combined forces of the@state to sue
cessfully handle the problem. The
problem Of illiteracy and its eradica-
ton is one of vital Importance to the
welfare of the state and the confer
ence TO be held on May in Phoenix
should receive the support of every
organization in the state to attain its
greatest usefulness. Miss Toles urges
all these organizations to. send dele
gates and also requests that all citi-
zens interested in the work attend.
The time of the conference and
the place where it viii be held will
be announced in the next few days
Dr. Tigert will arrive in Phoenix
from New Mexico on the morning OF
May 8, and it is plalned to have the
conference start in the forenoon and
continue in the afternoon. On Wed
nesday morning. Or. Tigert will visit
the Tempe Normal school and in the
afternoon. he will be the principal
speaker at the dedication ofythe new
Chandler high school in Chandler
He will leave Wednesday evening for
Tucson, where he will Visit the state
university and the schools on May
II, leaving that evening for Salt Lake
City, Utah.