The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-11-20
SEEK TO LOWER
u. s. MLITERACY
Percentage of Illiterates in
Nation Appalling, Say
School Leaders.
BEGIN DRIVE THIS WEEK

BEGIN DRIVE THIS WEEK
The campaign being carried on in
Kenosha by the Kenosha Civic coun-
Gil and the local American Legion
post for National American Education
Week this week is serving to point
out the astonishing fact that this
country ranks highest amongst en-
lightened nations in percentage of IL
literacy. In proof of these statements
the following figures are brought
| forth:
Percentage of illiterates (persons
| ten years of age or over unable to
write in any language, not necessar-
| lily English) in the United States, 6;
| Germany, two tenths of / per cent;
Denmark, two-tenths; Switzerland,
fve-tenths; England, 1 and EIGHTEEN
tbs; France, nearest to the United
States in this discreditable showing,
stands only and nine-tenths per
cent Illiteracy is not confined to
any one section of our coutry but it
is heavier in rural communities than
| in the larger cities. Nor is it to be
attributed to the foreign-born for
there are twice as many native-born
illiterates as those of alien birth.
Lack of Initiative.
There are two major reasons for
this condition. First, failure of too
many communities to realize the i'm
Il. +a c.,h0r1i
nate their support for lesser civic
enterprises. Next, the lack of accessi-
biiity to schools in sparsely settled
communities. The Better Schools Lea
que is working in cooperation with
rather than in competition with the
other existing national organizations
in its efforts to make attainable i'm
provement in individual situations.
Thus aid in organizing the best
means for financing, equipping and
conducting schools is given; clear
ing house for the school activities of
the nation is provided; and an
agency familiar with the problems
both of city and country schools is
at hand.
One of the obstacles depriving the
young of fair educational start in
life is inadequacy of school funds. 1t
seems strange, says the Better
Schools League, that at time when
we are beginning to estimate the real
worth of things any community
should be so Indifferent in its sup
port of it's schools. Only failure
to realize what education means can
explain such indifferences. 1t seems
so obvious that our schools are the
instruments with which we build
Americanism and breed better Amer
leans; that they are our first line of
defense against ignorance and an
archy; that they bring to our youth
the equipment and training for
greater ability and usefulness.
Must Be Improved.
Our educational system, nationally,
is fine. Communities, however, which
do not measure up to our national
standard and intellectually starve
their young are contributing to edu-
cational delinquency. Our public
schools are a common interest; they
benefit all. Therefore, to make them
easily dCGGSSlO1G ID q 00by AOA WAAASA
every man and woman is responsible.
The means to develop better minds
and healthier bodies should be Meth
er denied nor stinted. Community
interest in education should either be
aroused or kept keenly alive. Schools
must not be put on starvation rations.
No tax money can be more usefully
spent than for education. Such COM
munities as find the local burden too
great have q remedy in legislative
measures to equalize school revenues.
Leaders in every community should
realize that makeshift schools are a
crime; insanitary schools, menace;
poor equipment, waste.
The country school is probably the
richest field for improvement. The
1920 Census shows one state with &c.
600 illiterates, 10000 of whom are in
the rural districts. Is it any wond-
er that country boys and girls are
lured to the cities where their crav-
ing for better education can be graft
fed? Country school districts can
shut eff the stream flowing to the
cities by supplying modern educa-
tional facilities. Where the need is
for aid and counsel of those exper-
fenced in school administration these
are easily to be had.
The problem of school Improvement
is purely local one. If there is in
sufficient provision it is the fault Of
the community. This is a period of
higher costs but incomes are larger
too The community should adjust
itself to the new order of things.
Education is the cheapest thing it can
buy. Education Week is good time
to take stock of local conditions and
outline policies of Improvement.