Public libraries, 54; volumes, 88,462. Value of churches, $2,902,220.
(Compend. of Census of 1850.) By Table 155, same compend., the
percentage of native free population in Virginia over 20 years of age
who cannot read or write is 19.90, and in New York 1.87, in North
Carolina 30.34, in Maryland 11.10, in Massachusetts 0.32, or less than
one third of one per cent. In New England, the percentage of native
whites who cannot read or write is 0.42, or less than one half of one
per cent.; and in the Southern States 20.30, or 50 to 1 in favor of New
England. (Compend., Table 571.) But, if we take the whole adult
population of Virginia, including whites, free blacks, and slaves, 42.05
per cent., or nearly one half, cannot read or write; and in North
Carolina, more than one half cannot read or write. We have seen, by the
above official tables of the Census of 1850, that New York, compared
with Virginia, had nearly ten times as many pupils at schools, colleges,
and academies, twenty times as many books in libraries, and largely more
than seven times the value of churches; while the ratio of native white
adults who cannot read or write was more than 10 to 1 in Virginia,
compared with New York. We have seen, also, that in North Carolina
nearly one third of the native white adults, and in Virginia nearly one
fifth, cannot read or write, and in New England 1 in every 400, in New
York 1 in every 131, in the South and Southwest 1 in every 42 of the
native white adults.
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