Saturday, November 8, 2008

Literacy in our Day

I was just looking at some English birth records online for 1835. For the signature of the mother it had an X and said "the mark of Margaret Williams." I've found this also in probate and land records in the United States when doing research in Ohio in the 1800s. Some of my ancestors could not sign their names only an X-usually the women. They had never been to school or only home schooled by their mothers who had little or no education either.

Some how that blew my mind to consider what my life would be like IF I couldn't read or write but only sign my name with an X. Think about it for a moment. How many doors would be closed to you if you weren't literate. No schooling, a menial job, etc. This was the case also with most of the slaves in early America-they weren't literate or educated. So it's a new era we live in where few people are illiterate at least in our country. What would we do without books and the ability to write-to express ourselves with words? And how could we exist without computers?

8 comments:

  1. Ah, how true! We've definitely come a long way since the 1800s. My paternal grandfather did set an example for his family, he had a college degree when they were rare in small towns in Texas at that time. I've been grateful for that.

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  2. It's true. My grandfather grew up on a farm with 7 sisters back when women just didn't go and get an education. But everyone of them went to school and got a college degree too. It is hard to imagine that this country still has many people who are unable to read and write..

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  3. It is mind-boggling, Lin! Your post got me to thinking of how important our names are that an X had to stand in for it. The ability to indicate "I am here and understand" is vitally important, even if we have to express that in the crudest of terms--the X.

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  4. We've come along way..at least in America. Other countries and women still don't have rights and are horribly mistreated.

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  5. I can't imagine how many aspects of life would be different by being illiterate. I would never have made it in the 1800's.

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  6. Good post and, very true. Now that you mention it, I remember some older people who my parents said couldn't write and signed with an 'X'.

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  7. What would live be like without the ability to read and write? LONELY! I can't imagine the isolation I would feel.

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