The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-05-26
Mrs. Faison's Areas Lead State
In Several Features. Annual
Program Sat.

AOSACSS IIldL mas Deen maze our
ing the past year in the northern
district of the state by the WPA
adult Education program in devel-
oping human resources by teaching
grown-ups how to read and write,
how to improve their homes and
how to earn more money will be
dramatically exhibited at the annual
community school day" COM
mencement program that will be
held in High Point next Saturday,
May %, according to information
obtained from Mrs. Marion C. Fai-
son, district supervisor, who makes
her headquarters here.
In the large auditorium at the
High Point Junior high school, va
ried exhibits will show "adult ed
ucation in action" in the fifteen
counties comprised in this district
of which Ashe county is one, high
lights of the achievements in the
seven phases of the WPA education
program that are being carried for
ward so successfully under the sup
ervision of Mrs. Faison.
District Ranks "TOp"
This district has the distinction of
having the only community school
on wheels, in the state, the only
regional WPA book-truck in the
south, the only sustaining 'com-
munity nursery" in North Carolina
and the first WPA adult education
''wayside stand" in the state.
The community school on
wheels, located in Surry county, is
completely equipped with hooks,
school supplies including portable
victrola that has records with class
room lectures on various subjects,
tools and materials used in giving
instruction in "home-making". This
truck covers those sections of the
county where it is not possible to
organize classes.
The regional bookmobile is sta
toned here at West Jefferson and
through the cooperation of the pub
lie libraries, distributes books in
Ashe, Allegheny and Watauga coun-
ties.
High Point has the WPA spon-
sored nursery in which around IS
children of low income families
whose parents are on relief are Civ
en- food, clothing and instructions
Various civic organization cooper
ate in supporting and maintaining
this project.
Numerous articles made by the
various WPA arts and crafts and
home-maKing classes throughout
the district will be sold through the
medium of portable "wayside
stand which is now being con-
structed in Wilkes county by NYA
students. This novel highway
store" will serve as retail outlet
for the Northumberland" pro-
ducts of WPA students and will in
clude hook rugs, copper ash trays
and copper bowls made from cop
per stills given to WPA by differ.
ent county sheriffs, wood carvings
hand-carved book ends, canned
fruits and vegetables. Miss Minnie
Recess is general supervisor of this
work in the district and in practi-
cally every county there are a num-
Der of students making variety OF
items in vocational classes that will
be sold by the "wayside stand and
the money returned to the students.
Reducing nliteracy
One of the major goals of the
WPA adult education program in
North Carolina is to reduce illitera-
cy per cent and in this vital phase
of the work, WPA teachers in the
northern district are making rapid
strides. Since last February total
of 1892 white and colored persons
have been taught to read and write
and nearly $500 have learned to
handle the ''life situations" of sign
ing their names to checks and bal
lots, deeds and mortgages, since the
program was III 4SO3s
The percentage of illiteracy in
North Cearolina in 1880 was 10,
which as points lower than in
1910. By 1910 WPA is in hopes OF
helping the State Department of
Public Instruction reduce this to 4
per cent.
The illiteracy average for the
northern district in 1880 was 8.5,
which was slightly lower than the
state average. In 1880 in Ashe coun-
ty it was 9 per cent.
In this district there are total OF
Is counties-Ashe, Allegheny, Wa
tauga, Avery, Caldwell, Alexander,
Iredell, Wilkes, Surry, Yadkin, Da-
vie, Forsyth, Stokes, Rockingham
and Guilford. However, due to
lack of certified teachers, there are
no programs under way in Davie,
Stokes and Allegheny counties.
Nearly 5000 Students