The Omaha morning bee., 1924-11-23
ALI Should Aid in
nliteracy Fight,
Says School Head
Education Is Sole Hope of
American Democracy,
Asserts Margaret
X. O'Toole.


subject of illiteracy She prepared q
paper for education week. She be
lieves that education alone can pre-
pare the way for better understand
ing OF the duties as we'll as the prin
ciples and opportunities of a democ
racy.
She believes il Is the duty of every
good citizen to arouse an educational
conscience in those who need to bs
stirred.
Miss O'Toole's paper follows:
THE term illiterate as used by
the census department means the in
ability of persons over 10 years OF
age to write in any language. Gener
ally speaking, however, illiterates, as
class are supposed to be those
who have received no schooling what.
ever. Illiteracy itself is due in part
to the lack of educational opportuni-
ties in earlier decades of our history
or to belated chances in out of the
way districts.
'The surgeon generals report on
illteracy In the draft some years
ago shows that 100000 men between
the ages of 81 and 81 could neither
read nor write. This means that one
sixth Of the entire army We recruit
ed seven years ago could not read
an order of their superior officer or
write a letter to the home folks.
There are today in the United
States millions who can neither read
nor write and other millions who can
not read and write English. A vast
number of our illiterate millions.
though born here. are as ignorant of
American traditions as they are of
those of the faraway fatherland.
Nebraska Ranks Twentieth.
Here in Nebraska we may be bet
ter off or the problem may not be so
acute. In 1920 our state ranked goth
with IA per cent illiteracy; but even
this Is too high, as figures go to show
that the average Amarican has just
a little better than six-year course
Our slogan must be mo illiteracy."
''In a representative government
like ours, where the welfare of the
people as whole rests upon the in
telligence of the individuals in the
mass, the education Of the cltiZenry
is the one way to make democracy
safe and keep liberty securely en-
throned.
"One Of our first problems Is to
be sure that all can speak and under
stand a common language. Unless
they are familiar with English. they
will never catch the spirit of our
patriotic songs that breathe the life
OF free America, nor will the solemn
ity OF the words they utter be brought
home to them when they say ]
pledge allegiance to tie nag Of Sthe
United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands; one
nation indivisible, with liberty and
justice for ALL
Home. Church. Movies Can Help
"Education alone can prepare the
way for a better understanding of
the duties as we'll as the privileges
and opportunities of democracy
such as ours. Formal schooling is
democracy's best tool and Amer
ica Is looking with anxious hope to
the school to Danish illiteracy. This
is the function of education as per-
formed by the school. Home, church.
! playground, cinema should further
AtAe work and help determine the char
acter and tendencies Of the citizen,
but the groundwork belongs to the
school,
f"That this Is both true and rec
ofiized is evilent from the purpose Of
Education week suggested by the Ma
tional Education association and spon-
sored by the American Legion.
"As illiteracy Is a menace and edu-
cation the antidote. the National Edu-
cational association, the greatest sin
gle influence in educational affairs
in the United States, has made the re.
novel OF illiteracy the first provision
in its educational Program for
America.
Work is Duty for All
This is not a campaign in which
we are free to enter. 1t is not a social
uplift stunt: it is rather a duty COM
mon to all TO extend a helping hand
in the work of arousing an educa-
tional conscience in those who need to
Dt SLlTTtus ~ give tNt1N Otit III tNti
walk of life an opportunity to fit
himself to take part intelligently in
the affairs Of the community of
which he Is member
1.-THE public schools of various kinds
owing to their place in the state.
their coordination and their effici-
ency are naturally the center and
source of the activities of such a
campaign.
What they can accomplish over
and above the splendid work they
are doing most of course, be done
after the usual hours. To a crafty
ing extent, night schools are solving
the problem, emancipating the IL
1iterate and bringing him into the
realms OF knowledge and power.
Opportunities for All
"IIere are the OPPORTUNITIES for
adults, for the man or woman who
failed to find them in earlier years
and for the foreigner who has found
his way to our midst. Their work
is made congenial by the cordiality
T, of the teachers, and all are happy in
the work.
with such experience in the cause
OF literacy, our way is clear. We
must extend the work. The public
school system with its organization
and equipment can and should he
utilized to the limit in the effort to
extend the benefits OF education to
all.
"In the campaign against illiteracy
or ignorance. many means have been
suggested, all Of them good In their
way and in their place. A first step.