A literacy parable: 19th century Sunday Schools

Once there lived a group of very poor people who could not read or write. Some started attending church, but their illiteracy kept them from joining fully in worship activities. Certain people who saw this wanted to help them learn to read. Others scoffed, saying this was unnecessary—that the illiterates could follow the church services just by hearing. The literacy advocates thought this argument ridiculous, so they started teaching people to read and write. A loosely knit movement helped many to become literate and better themselves, both socially and financially. Then people noticed others in the land also lacked literacy. Many were children living almost wild in great cities. The literacy societies expanded to teach those children also. The literacy movement was, at its heart, a missionary effort. Read about the the Sunday School movement in The Washington Times.