Evening star., 1948-06-20
Decline Seen
In IlliteraCv
New Calculations Say
4Million Can't
Read
BY W, n. Shippen, Jr.

BY W, n. Shippen. Jr.
The story being banded abou
Washington that 10000. 900 Ameri
cans are unable to read and write
finds little support in census figures
Proponents of educational bills IL
Congress have come up with answer
to the illiteracy rate question, vary
Ing from 100000 to 100000.
The lower and less sensational
total is much nearer the truth
census experts say. If Webster
definition of an "illiterate" as ION,
who cannot read and write" is t,
be accepted as a basis for computa
ton.
The last exact figures on illiterate
In this category we're collected IL
the general census of 1880. Aftel
that census enumerators-durin,
the national canvass in 1910 ant
the sample survey in 1947-sough
to determine the degree Of educa'
ton" rather than the ability to reae
and write.
Thus, no exactly comparable to.
tails are available to show the trene
In illiteracy from 1870, when tht
whole population was first pollee
on the question, through the las
general census in 1910 and the spo
check last year.
Fewer Since 1890
Census experts estimate, however
that there are fewer illiterates ir
the United States now than in 1880
when 4.3 per cent of the population
over 10 years of age, or 4,283, rs;
persons, were classified as unable
to read and write.
The War Departments experience
with illiterates resulted in the estab.
lishment of new classification
"the functional illiterate." or tht
man who had not progressed beyond
the fourth grade in school and was
rated incapable of functioning with
full efficiency as soldier because
he could not read and understand
basic orders and instructions.
In this borderline classification OF
those who had some formal school
ing but not enough to compete or
an equal footing with average SOL
diers or civilians are some 100000
persons, census experts estimate.
The heavy percentage of illiterates
and functional illiterates. as revealed
by many census counts and the
recent spot check, remains in South
eastern States, which have the
largest colored populations.
In 1910, for example, the per-
centage of those over Is, who had
completed less than five years OF
schooling, was 35.7 in Louisiana
347 in South Carolina, 302 in
Mississippi, 3O1 in Georgia, 2S.9 in
Alabama, 273 in New Mexico, 261
In North Carolina and 232 in Vir.
ginia. The State with the best
rating was Iowa with Al per cent
The District of Columbia rating was
80 per cent.
Old Formula Doubted
1t was pointed out, however, that
untold thousands in this function
ally illiterate' group are self-edu-
Gated beyond the five-year-schooling
level. They we're placed in the lower
bracket because they had not COM
pleted five years of formal schooling
The degree of education" for.
mula was determined upon an effort
to get clear understanding of thu
number Of persons qualified at vari.
GUS levels for employment in ar
economy which demands increasing
mechanical and intellectual ability
census experts said.
The fact that more education Il
needed now to compete on equa
terms with the average either
renders obsolete the old "read-and.
write definition of an illiterate. ir
the opinion of DR.. Ambrose Calivel
of the United States Once of Edu.
cation, who is directing an adult
education project among Negroes Of
the South.
Many educators feel there was
a fallacy in the old calculation" DR.
Caliver said. 1T seemed doubtful
to them that all those classed as
literates because they said they
could read and write we're capable
Of performing the simpler duties OF
citizen or worker. They felt thou
sands could not read the plainest
ballot, or understand the simplest
written instructions. They also felt
that thousands who could merely
sign their names claimed they
could read and write"
Census officials said, however, that
enumerators in 1880 and previously
were instructed to differentiate be-
tween persons who could merely set
down their own signatures and those
who could read and write.
Education Grows
Census figures between 1870, when
20 per cent of the population was
classed as illiterate, and 1880 show
steady progress in basic educa-
ton
In 1910 only TT per cent Of those
over 10 years, or 5,516,163 persons,
we're classed as illiterates. BY 1920
the percentage had dropped to s
and the total to 1881 ,905, and by
1880 to 4.3 per cent and a total of
4,283,753, despite the rise in popu-
lation
The 1910 census showed that
s,2l8,004 of those over 10 years had
completed less than four years OF
formal schooling. 1t was pointed