Evening star., 1946-05-12

for the people"-cannot endure unles
the people are literate. They es-
tablished, therefore. system of II
education so that all the children .
Of all the people could have the #
advantage of schooling-could be- #
come literate. The schools then q
are Americas most fundamental q
institution. The literacy of all #
people is still the basis upon !.
which the success Of the Amer d
ican way depends. #
This fundamental purpose and s.
this need are lost sight Of at A
times. While 1t is generally \
recognized that education is de- 81
sirable, the fundamental depend n
ence of the state upon general
literacy is not always fully realized
Too frequently the public takes 1.
the schools for granted, or even
neglects them. Even the teach
ing profession at times fails to #
relate the day by day work with
youth to the fundamental pur- 4.
pose for which the schools exist. 81
Since literacy is so important, =
it may be well to consider what L.
literacy really is. The census 81
figures reveal the degree to which &
illiteracy exists. Over 100000
adults, we are told, are illiterate-
which means they cannot read or
write. Among those of us who are :
years of age or older, 100000 ha,
never been to school. The armed force
took time to teach reading and writin
to thousands Of "jugheads," who throug
this training while in uniform had tt
wonders of the written word reveale
to them for the first time in their live
Figures Are Shocking.
These are shocking figures, but the
are not the entire story. These figure
are based on very restricted interpre
tation of literacy. If one can read an
write his name-or, what is worse, if
says he has those very elementary skill
we do not record him among the Hitter
ates. Let's look further into the censl
figures. Seven and one-half million {
us who are at least Is years old hay
completed only the fourth grade. Ar
other 100000 only completed the sixt
grade. 1t is evident that there a,
varying degrees of illiteracy.
Now if We put these conditions ovt
against the concept of our forefathel
and relate that concept to the CON
pleXities of modern living it is evide1
that new notion of literacy must
established. One who can read an
write and do numbers ever so we'll ma
not be equipped to survive and functio
effectively in our complex civilization
and, therefore, his training does nj
satisfy the basic intent of our fore
fathers. Certainly the attainment I
a mere reading and writing literacy di
not prompt our forefathers to establis
a great system of education for all tt
people. They undoubtedly had in min
a more comprehensive definition (
lteracy and of the function of tt
school. Would this express the idea?
The school should strive to produt
in each boy and girl a social, econom
and spiritual literacy which will resu
in intelligent political participation,
satisfactory and constructive social bt
havior, and in effective performance ,
tasks at hand.
More Vital Interest Needed.
This standard of literacy related
the functioning of the individual !
society establishes high goal for tt
public and for the teaching profession
Its attainment depends upon a MOI
vital interest in the schools than tt
general public customarily manifest
Education directed toward this goal
more costly than education which
designed primarily to prevent illiterac
narrowly conceived. It cannot be al
complished in classes which are tc
crowded to permit undivided instructio
and guidance of students. Since
demands the highest skill and person'
qualif1ca tions of teachers, the profe.