The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-09-15

rank with many Of our sist>r states
Iowa records the lowest il.iteracy
IL per cent, while Louisiana records
the greatest. 2l.9 per cent. IN ninc
states less than 2 per cent Of the pop
ulatioa was ;liiterate, while in te,l
states (South Carolina ;ncIuded) the
per cent was 10 and over.
pickens county now registers the
least iliteracy in the state, 10.7 per
cert. Greenville county comes sec
ond, with II per cent, while Berkeley
registers the highest illiteracy, 3S.4
per cent, with Jasper county next
highest, 33 per cent. The data for
Greenvilic county are as follows
Total number illiterates. 7,179, or
II per cent. Number of white Hit
crates, 1888, or 6.S per cent. Num-
Der Of negro illiterates, 4,140, CT
23.7 per cent.
According to the 152O-21 report
Of the state superintendent Of edu-
cation, 11,250 pupils were enrolled
in the 42S schools during the past
year. Thirteen counties (Aiken,
Anderson, Cherokee, Colleton, Oar
lington, Greenville, Greenwood, Pick
ems, Richland, Spartanburg, Sumter
and York; enrolled over 300 pupils.
Spartanburg led the state with an en-
rollment of 1.349; Anderson came
next with 953 pupils, while Green
vile took third place with an enroll
ment Of 1856 pupils. Only seven coun-
ties in the state reported no work
Practically 1000 pupils were per-
feet in attendance. In the first
grade there were 4,130 pupils, while
3,436 of this number learned to read.
For instruction of these pupils the
state paid 1886 per white pupil and
S1.36 per negro pupil.
Some schools were in session
throughout the entire year. During
the winter the 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 principal
ly done by day teachers at night
while during the summer special
teachers were employed to devote
their entire time to the work. Schools
were usually taught in the public
schools, although some were held in
churches and some in homes. Wher-
ever group of pupils and a teacher
could meet, there school was form
ed.
The figures just given for state
and county demonstrate the worth Of
the adult work. The fact that 1000
pupils did not miss a session signi-
fies the keen desire of the adult to
acquire learning. They came to
school after hard days work
through winters cold and summers
heat and struggled good naturedly
with their lessons. Often a teacher or
visitor would hear them express gem
ulne regret that they had been de-
prived Of an education in youth but
they rejoiced in the opportunity now
given them by the state and were
happy in the thought that compul-
sorry education now makes it possible
for children to grow up with educa-
tlonal 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 learn
ing to read and write but that the
adult pupils are awaking to larger
realization of their duty to the COM
munity and state. They no longer
feel that they never had chance and
further their example of attending
school is causing many persons with
little education to pull down thei,
books who, if left TO themselves
would have fallen into illiteracy.
The figures compiled from the re
port show that Greenville county
ranks third among the counties ot
the state in pushing this phase of ed
! ucationai work. There were organ
lied in the county 20 schools with {
total enrolment of 64S pupils, taugh
by 49 teachers.
For the whites: No. of schools
IA; enrolment ESQ, pupils per schoo
29; average attendance, 353; perfec
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