U.S. Army’s Battle With Illiteracy

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27824, 24 November 1955, Page 6

U.S. Army’s Battle With Illiteracy

(NJZ. Press Association—Copyright) NEW YORK, November 22.

Illiteracy is inflicting “casualties” on the United States Army at the rate of three men out of every one hundred who enter the service, says a report in the “New York Times.” Illiteracy” is treated as a nasty word, expressly banned from the official correspondence and literature of the Information and Education Division of the Army, the report says. The assumption is that it would offend the sensibilities of parents and educators, and of the illiterate themselves. Nevertheless, the fact remains that in the 18 months between March, 1954, and September, 1955, the Army had to give rudimentary education to 17,118 men found to have less than a fourth-grade education. In its circumlocutions to avoid using the undesirable word, the Army prescribed that “transitional training” be given to every man who did not have education equalling the fourthgrade level. The main thing is, the report adds, that of all the young men needing transitional training—lasting from two to four weeks—only about 3 per cent, proved to be wholly inept and were sent home.