The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1922-02-09
South Caro-
lima Climbs
Driving Out Illiteracy Faster Than
Any Other State

assisted by the Illitcracy Commission
has made vigorous fight against the
llliteracy which exists in our State
and now that the census figures for
1920 have been published it is mat
ter of just pride that South Carolina
leads the Union in reducing her per-
ccntage from 25.7 per cent in 1910 to
1S.1 per cent in 1920. In rank among
the stites, South Carolina still main
tains }he next to bottom place, rank
ing btlow every state save Louisiana.
In White illiteracy the State has
climbed from third place from the
bottom in 1910 to sixth place in 1920,
now ranking above New Mexico, Lou
isintD North Carolina, Tennessee and
Kentucky. In negro illiteracy, the
STATE ties with Mississippi for third
p]ace, maintaining the same position
Of 1910. While this record testities
to the work which the public schools
and the schools for adults have been
doing, there is yet much work to be
dcne before we can rank with many
of our sister states. Iowa records the
lowest illiteracy, IL per cent, while
Louisiana records the greatest, 21.9
per cent. In nine states less than 9
per cent of the population was illit-
crates while in ten states (South
Carolina included) the per cent was
ten and over.
Pickens county now registers the
least illiteracy in the State, 107 per
cent. Greenvillc county comes second
with II per cent while Berkely reg
listers the highest illiteracy 32.4 per
cent with Jasper county next highest
33 per cent. The data for Pickens
county are as follows: Total number
illiterates 2,118 or 10.7 per cent.
Number white illiterates 1,175 or 7.2
per cent. Number negro illiterates
o42 or 27.2 per cent.
According to the 192O-1921 report
to the State Superintendent of Ed
ncation 1880 pupils were enrolled in
the 428 schools during the past year.
Thirteen counties (Aiken, Anderson,
Cherokee, Colleton, Darlington, Green
vile, Greenwood, Pickens, Richland,
Spartanburg, Sumter and York; en-
rolled over 800 pupils. Spartanburg
led the State with an enrolment of
1,349, Anderson came next with 933
pupils while Greenville took third
,,laca with a., onroll,,,o,+ ,f 7ue ~,,.>,:Jo
Only seven counties in the State re-
ported no work.
Practically 1000 pupils were perfect
in attendance. In the first grade
there were 4,130 pupils while 3,436 Of
this number learned to read. For in
,struction of these pupils the State
paid s3.s5 per white pupil and S1.36
Ter negro pupil.
Some schools wsre in session
throughout the entire year. DuringI
the Winter tho work was pushed
among the mill villages and in small
towns, while the summer months were
largely devoted to The "Lay-by"
schools in country districts. The
teaching in the winter was principally
done by day teachers at night while
during the summer special teachers
were employed to devote their entire
time to the work. Schools were usual
ly taught III the public schools, .altho
some were held in churches and
some in homes. Wherever a group of
pupils and teacher could meet, there
a school was formed.
The figures just given for State and
County demonstrate the worth of the
adult work. The fact that 1000 pupils
dld not miss a session signifies the
Keen desire of the adult to acquire
learning. They came to school after
hard days work through winters
cold and summer..slheat and struggled
good naturecdly over their lessons.
often teacher or visitor would hear
them express genuine regret that they
mad been deprived of an education in
youth but they received in the oppor-
tunlty now given them by the State
ana We're happy in the thought that
compulsory education now makes #
possible for children to grow nm with
educational advantages. The greatest
good which is coming to the State
from this work is not TO be found in
the fact that many people are learning
to read aud write but that the adult
pupils are awaling to larger real
ization Of their duty to the community
and State. They no longer feel that