Statistics of the Colored People of Philadelphia/Chapter 3

by Board of Education of The Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery

III. ADULT EDUCATION.

1. Table showing the number who can read, write and cypher, &c.

	No. of adults over 20 years.	Read, write and cypher in the simple rules.	Read and write legibly.	Read only.	Cannot read.	Free born in Slave States.	Slave born but manu- mitted.
First Ward,	223	25	23	47	128	136	37
Second Ward,	349	36	54	76	183	156	57
Third Ward,	275	60	48	68	99	118	48
Fourth Ward,	1427	262	199	273	693	561	186
Fifth Ward,	1818	350	285	310	873	747	212
Sixth Ward,	151	21	25	34	71	41	25
Seventh Ward,	1867	431	337	311	788	708	213
Eighth Ward,	969	204	192	199	374	356	147
Ninth Ward,	76	20	16	19	21	24	11
Tenth Ward,	208	40	39	42	87	64	44
Eleventh Ward,	37	2	11	5	19	14	3
Twelfth Ward,	234	53	35	42	104	78	28
Thirteenth Ward,	69	15	12	15	27	15	8
Fourteenth Ward,	233	34	46	66	87	61	28
Fifteenth Ward,	157	20	26	29	82	46	22
Sixteenth Ward,	82	17	12	13	40	25	7
Seventeenth Ward,	70	13	8	11	38	16	10
Eighteenth Ward,	4	1	1	0	2	1	0
Nineteenth Ward,	114	6	20	18	70	37	26
Twentieth Ward,	99	22	12	15	50	33	11
Twenty-first Ward,	2	0	0	1	1	0	2
Twenty-second Ward,	36	7	4	7	18	6	8
Twenty-third Ward,	249	30	43	48	128	75	33
Twenty-fourth Ward,	252	41	34	37	140	53	46
	—––	—––	—––	—––	—––	—––	—––
	9001	1710	1482	1686	4123	3371	1212

The Agent found it difficult, in some cases, to determine who could read. Where doubts existed upon the subject the question generally was, "Can he read tolerably free, and easily in the New Testament?" If an affirmative answer was given, he was classed as a reader.

To determine who could write was nearly as difficult. In doubtful cases the question was, "Can he write well enough to write letters to his friends?" An affirmative answer was deemed sufficient.

As the number of men who can cypher is considerably greater than that of women, and as the former were not generally at home to answer for themselves, no satisfactory information could be obtained in some cases. In other cases the information obtained, lacked clearness. Where doubts existed, and especially if the parties inquired of seemed not to comprehend the meaning of cyphering in the simple rules, the question was asked, "Can he work out sums on a slate through long division?" If that failed to elicit the proper answer, the attempt was then made to ascertain whether he was in the first class in certain schools named; if so, it was taken for granted that he understood the simple rules of arithmetic.

The table may seem dry and uninteresting, but let the reader analyze it a little, and he will find it instructive. The large number who cannot read (4123) may startle him at first, but let him consider that free born persons, in slave States, are so nearly on a level with the slaves, as far as school privileges are concerned, that he may add them to the slave-born, making the number 4583—difference to their credit, 460. Then let him suppose that 140 of those who cannot read were born on our own soil, a very moderate calculation, and he will have 600 as the number who learned to read, at least, since they came from the slave States. He will readily believe, however, that the number is much greater than that, if he will take the trouble to visit the evening schools and Sunday schools where adults are instructed. Such memoranda as the following, taken from the canvassing books of the Agent, will serve to strengthen this belief.

"The wife Sarah has learned to read tolerably well since she was 40 years old—never received any instruction worth mentioning." "Pretty good scholar—went to school only two months—slave-born." "Reads and writes, and is wholly self taught." "Went to school but six weeks—can read and write." "Though a slave for 50 years, she began, when about 65 years of age, to attend Sunday school, with crutch and staff, (being very lame,) and got so as to read tolerably well in the Bible—is now about 80, and goes to Sunday school and Church, when able." "Can read, write, and cypher, though he never attended school."

2. Libraries and Literary Associations.

Public Library and Reading Room in the Institute for Colored Youth. Established in 1853 by the Managers of the Institute. From the 2d Annual Report of the Librarian, dated 4th mo. 1st, 1855, we learn that there were then about 1,300 volumes belonging to the Library. The number of readers were 450, of whom 233 were males, and 217 females. New applicants, 127.

Number of books loaned out during the year,	4,088
number“ of books“ loaned.“ in the Reading Room,	1,554
Total,	5,642

The interest in the Institution was represented to be steadily increasing, and many parents were commended for their exertions to secure the attachment of their offspring to it.

Philadelphia Library Company. Organized in 1833. Incorporated in 1837. Number of volumes in the Library, 200. Weekly lectures upon literary and scientific subjects are given, by the members and others, from the first week in October till the following May in each year. Discussions are held after each lecture.

Unity Library Company. Organized in 1851. Number of volumes 500. It has weekly lectures for three months in winter, by its own members and other persons of their own color, after which discussions are held.

Banneker Institute. Organized in 1854. A library is contemplated. It is composed of younger members than either of the others. It has lectures and discussions in season.

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