By April Garon

Hattiesburg seems to be a relative oasis of low illiteracy levels in a state that has historically been plagued with illiteracy. This is a category where ranking low is a good thing. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2003 Lamar County had 9 percent of adults lacking basic prose literacy skills, the lowest rate of any county in Mississippi. Franklin County had 14 percent, ranking 15 lowest of the 82 counties in the state. The state-wide average was 16 percent, and the highest percentage was in Jefferson county, with 30 percent. Sources say that the relatively low illiteracy rates in Hattiesburg can be attributed to the resources available here two universities, many charitable organizations and community colleges. Inspiration comes from there and trickles down to the community, Fannie Knight said. Knight is an instructor at the Harper-Wallins Family Education Center. But illiteracy is a deep-rooted problem that is still a present in the community, say local experts. When data from the NCES from 1992 is compared to 2003, the illiteracy rates dropped 5 percent in Forrest county, 4 percent in Lamar county, and 9 percent statewide. This data paints a picture of a highly literate community that most likely continued this trend into the 2010s. However, there is a population of low-reading level adults in the area.

"There is a silent population the ones who move a lot and are unemployed, Carroll Russell said. They started with us but had to move due to extenuation circumstances. They have to survive and be able to pay for their bills, and wait on literacy. Russell is the director of the Harper-Wallin Center. The center provides basic literacy classes for adults who want to learn to read as well as GED preparation and testing. The Adult Education program at Pearl River Community College offers a similar service. The classes at the two centers are small and stable currently, but have seen a general decrease in attendance over the last ten years. But there may be many more who are not seeking out these opportunities because of stigma, according to Ann Marie Kinnell, a professor of sociology at the University of Southern Mississippi. There is a stigma against not being able to read, so coming out and saying I cant read, especially as an adult, is a pretty big admission, Kinnell said. Kinnell said that functional illiteracy is part of the problem. If you arent literate but you still sort of get along, you dont want anybody to know that you cant read, Kinnell said. They might be holding up a newspaper or holding books to make it look like they are reading but really they are just passing in terms of fitting in. Many of the students who attend the basic reading programs in Hattiesburg are older individuals. Barry Upton, director of the PRCC program, said they want to learn to read better for personal satisfaction, not to advance in the workplace.

They want to be able to read their bibles, and road signs, Upton said. Its for personal satisfaction, not for getting a job or pursuing higher education. Knight has taught in literacy programs in the area for more than 35 years. She said most of her students are above the age of 55. In the past, education wasnt as emphasized as it is today, Knight said. Working people didnt take the time to get an education, and had hardships. A lot of them couldnt go to school; they didnt get a chance to. As the economy changes, education is more of a necessity than an option, however, according to Kinnell. She said that in the past, you could still get a stable job in Mississippi without an education, because there were a lot of agricultural and manufacturing jobs in the rural state. The consequences for not being literate are just so much more severe than they used to be, Kinnell said. Now, if you dont graduate [from high school], thats a problem because you cant go to college. So now we are really focused on getting everybody through high school. This need to graduate can be seen in the population attending classes at the educational centers to attain their GED. While the basic literacy students are usually older adults, the GED students are much younger and are looking to improve their prospects in life. But statewide, adults with low reading proficiency who are parents of schoolage children are still out there. We do have so many parents that cant help their children with homework or be a part of their childs education because they cant function well enough, Director of

Adult Basic Education and GED for Mississippi Community College Board Eloise Richardson said. As we try to raise the basic skills level of our citizens, we do hope that it will help these parents become more a part of their childs educational process. But in the long-term, literacy looks to continue to rise along with changes in the education system. Headstart, along with other pre-kindergarten programs for 3-to5-year-olds, are pushing the importance of reading and writing skills, Kinnell said. When we are talking about adult literacy, it's not just that they get to be adults and they're illiteratethey can start out as three years olds who get more behind every single year, Kinnell said. Kinnell said this is one area where the state is excelling. I tell my student's that it is sad that we are always first in being last, but actually I think this is one area where Mississippi is really trying to do something, working on these early literacy initiatives, Kinnell said. While Kinnell celebrates the success of the pre-K programs in the state, Knight helps adults celebrate getting their education. Though illiteracy is still a problem in Hattiesburg, its days seem to be counted. The children of my students are so happy that their parents are going back to schoolyou should see how they bring flowers and balloons to graduation ceremonies, Knight said.