LITERACY

"The fatal mistake of the pioneers, if it was not in many cases an unavoidable necessity, was their allowing the hardships of their lot to prevent them from giving their children as good an education as they themselves had enjoyed.  As Mr. Roosevelt investigated the early documents that deal with the settlement of the Allegheny frontier, he noted the absence of signatures made by mere signs or marks.  In 1776 out of 110 pioneers of the Washington District who signed a petition to be annexed to North Carolina, only two signed by mark.  In 1780, 256 pioneers of Cumberland signed the "Articles of Agreement," and only one signed by mark." (1914, S. Wilson,  p. 123)

See Whitehall School.

See World Outlook "Our Southern Highlands," November 1919
Contains article, "A Race of Rip Van Winkles Wakes Up." pp. 20-32, UNCA Special Collections..