Dorothy Brush "Random Thoughts" Published Sept. 8, 2004

Not many things are more important than literacy

"What is literacy and why is it important here?" asked Louise Crawford, the Chronicle's correspondent in Pleasant Hill. She was writing of a visit from a representative of the organization ProLiteracy Worldwide who told of the work being done to teach the basic tools of literacy, reading and writing. How can the fact that there are thousands and thousands of people who can do neither be justified?

Years ago one man recognized how important reading and writing were and he accepted the challenge to do something about it. Dr. Frank Laubach devoted his life to spreading literacy across the globe. Often called "The Apostle of World Literacy," he was a traveling missionary at large for Foreign Missions.

In April 1946, he spent a full week at the Scarritt Rural Life Center located on the grounds of the Cumberland Mountain School. Laubach taught there every day as a guest lecturer training missionaries before they left for their foreign assignments. He shared his experiences in teaching thousands to read. The Laubach Method Charts he devised were adopted in all parts of the world and were translated into more than 100 languages. He introduced the practice of "Each One Teach One."

During that week in Crossville he was very generous with his time and spoke to school groups, church gatherings and civic clubs. The paper noted he made a profound impression on audiences.

When Dr. Laubach spoke to the Exchange Club he said, "We are living in a world where the more intelligence we have, the more we fear for the future. The world is in danger because of what was done at Oak Ridge. The world can be saved from destruction only by a superior force of goodwill."

In 1955 Laubach founded a nonprofit educational corporation. The world headquarters of Laubach Literacy was in Syracuse, NY. Several years ago the name was changed to ProLiteracy Worldwide. The good work continues.

The figures on illiteracy in our country are sad. More than 20 percent of adults read at or below a fifth-grade level, far below the level needed to earn a living wage. Over 40 million Americans, 16 and older, have significant literacy needs. Seventy percent of prisoners have the lowest reading skills.

Worldwide one out of every three women cannot read or write and it was heartening to find that 75 to 80 percent of those wanting to learn were women. As more and more of these women became new readers through the Laubach method, letters about how their lives had changed filled the files at the headquarters.

I found the information about Dr. Laubach's week in Crossville as I did research for the "Looking Back" column. Early in 2000 I sent the information to Laubach Literacy. The name change had not been made at that time. Several weeks later a letter came from their president thanking me. He wrote, "My amazement never ceases when I read something new about Dr. Laubach's life and the impact he had on people around the world."

Literacy is for everyone and it is just as important in Cumberland County as in the world.

· · ·
Dorothy Copus Brush is a Fairfield Glade resident and Crossville Chronicle staffwriter whose column is published each Wednesday.