Page:Statistics of the colored people of Philadelphia.djvu/13



The Agent found it difficult, in some cases, to determine who could read. Where doubts existed upon the subject the question generally was, "Can he read tolerably free, and easily in the New Testament?" If an affirmative answer was given, he was classed as a reader.

To determine who could write was nearly as difficult. In doubtful cases the question was, "Can he write well enough to write letters to his friends?" An affirmative answer was deemed sufficient.

As the number of men who can cypher is considerably greater than that of women, and as the former were not generally at home to answer for themselves, no satisfactory information could be obtained in some cases. In other cases the information obtained, lacked clearness. Where doubts existed, and especially if the parties inquired of seemed not to comprehend the meaning of cyphering in the simple rules, the question was asked, "Can he work out sums on a slate through long division?"