An earnest effort is made in Congress to secure a large appropriation for general education—the fund to be distributed on the basis of illiteracy. Something of this kind is imperatively needed to meet the demands of our growing and diversified population, and especially of the six millions of blacks recently emancipated and enfranchised, with nearly a million of their number unable to read or write the ballot they cast. In addition to these, about three-fourths of a million of the white population of the nation are equally illiterate. If to these we add the Indians, and the uneducated immigrants crowding to our country, we have an illiteracy of startling magnitude demanding the most efficient measures for its overthrow. There can be no question of the duty of the nation in this respect. A very marked change in public sentiment, especially in the South, is manifesting itself, and there is a fair prospect of the success of some well-digested bill for this purpose. The A. M. A. has taken an active part in pressing this matter upon the attention of Congress. No bill can benefit our schools directly, and the efforts we put forth are purely for the advancement of intelligence among the people. Our work is mainly in preparing educated and spiritual leaders, and the more rapidly the masses can be elevated the more effective and wide-spread will our efforts become.
Rev. J. E. Roy, D.D., Field Superintendent, is again in the New York office, where his assistance has been desired each summer by the committee; serving also in the absence of Rev. Dr. Pike, occasioned by sickness.
The Commencement of Berea College, Kentucky, will take place Wednesday, June 21. College exercises in the forenoon. In the afternoon an address from Rev. R. G. Hutchins, D.D., of Columbus, Ohio.
Rev. Dr. Herrick Johnson, of Chicago, has made a manly and Christian fight against theatres. A little volume of 82 pages, entitled “Plain Talks about the Theatre,” embodies his views, and is entitled to a candid reading.
Those of our readers especially interested in the establishment of the Arthington Mission will be pleased to read in the African notes, published in this number of the Missionary, reports of continued activity on the part of different organizations in the vicinity of Khartoum.