"clifto" <clifto@gmail.com> wrote in message news:2bm385-9uo.ln1@remote.clifto.com... >I just noticed. In the 1880 census, there are two columns, one for "Cannot > read" and one for "cannot write". What does it mean for a person to be > able > to read but not to write? (And probably rhetorically, what about a person > who can write but not read?) > Read and writing are related, but different skills. In the 19th and early 20th century many people never got past elementary school and could only read poorly and write no more than their name. Thus being able to read, but not write was common. If you don't learn to write, then you can't write.

"catalpa" <catalpa@entertab.org> wrote in message news:Q6Irj.1131$r03.551@trnddc08... | | "clifto" <clifto@gmail.com> wrote in message | news:2bm385-9uo.ln1@remote.clifto.com... | >I just noticed. In the 1880 census, there are two columns, one for "Cannot | > read" and one for "cannot write". What does it mean for a person to be | > able | > to read but not to write? (And probably rhetorically, what about a person | > who can write but not read?) | > | | Read and writing are related, but different skills. In the 19th and early | 20th century many people never got past elementary school and could only | read poorly and write no more than their name. Thus being able to read, but | not write was common. If you don't learn to write, then you can't write. But how 'bout the other way around? Except for a physical handicap, how would you be able to write without being able to read? I do not mean physically holding a pen(cil) and scribbling characters, I mean writing comprehensive sentences. Henry

Why, have you actually seen a case of someone who whose census record suggests that they can write but not read? Or are you speaking hypothetically? P "Henry Brownlee" <hfbrownl@bellsouth.net> wrote in message news:UfIrj.83686$rc2.19150@bignews1.bellsouth.net... > > "catalpa" <catalpa@entertab.org> wrote in message > news:Q6Irj.1131$r03.551@trnddc08... > | > | "clifto" <clifto@gmail.com> wrote in message > | news:2bm385-9uo.ln1@remote.clifto.com... > | >I just noticed. In the 1880 census, there are two columns, one for > "Cannot > | > read" and one for "cannot write". What does it mean for a person to be > | > able > | > to read but not to write? (And probably rhetorically, what about a > person > | > who can write but not read?) > | > > | > | Read and writing are related, but different skills. In the 19th and > early > | 20th century many people never got past elementary school and could only > | read poorly and write no more than their name. Thus being able to read, > but > | not write was common. If you don't learn to write, then you can't write. > > But how 'bout the other way around? Except for a physical handicap, how > would you be able to write without being able to read? I do not mean > physically holding a pen(cil) and scribbling characters, I mean writing > comprehensive sentences. > > Henry >