Scots & Literacy

From “Scottish Society of Louisville,” Contributions.”

http://www.scotsoflou.com/public/pages/contributions.html

“The Scottish Enlightenment was the period in 18th century Scotland characterised by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. By 1750, Scots were among the most literate citizens of Europe, with an estimated 75-percent level of literacy.”

“The Scottish emigrants of the 18th Century were an educated group because of the Scottish Reformation, which had stressed the need for education, allowing every Scot the ability to read the bible. Education has always played an important part in Scottish society, and these Scots played a crucial role in the early development of the New World. Most headmasters of the schools in the new colonies south of New York were Scottish or had Scottish ancestry. These establishments were fundamental in the education of America's future leaders; both Thomas Jefferson's and John Rutledge's tutors were Scottish immigrants.”

From “National Tartan Day: The Legacy of Scottish Immigrants”

http://www.tartanday.org/immigrants.htm

“The Reformation stressed the need for literacy so that every Christian could have direct contact with God's word in the Bible. Because the Scottish Presbyterian Church took this so seriously, Lowland Scots became a highly literate people. These Scots played a crucial role in the early development of the New World. Both Thomas Jefferson and John Rutledge were tutored by Scottish immigrants.

“Scots arriving in the New World soon established universities, colleges and other educational establishments such as Princeton University, which was initially named the College of New Jersey, when founded in 1746.”

From GenealogyMagazine.com, “Migration patterns of our Scottish ancestors” by Myra Vanderpool Gormley, American Genealogy Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2000.

http://www.genealogymagazine.com/scots.html

“Education was widespread in Scotland and you will find most of your Scot ancestors were literate. As early as the 17th Century the immigrants were writing letters home telling of their success and prosperity and describing the beauty and richness of their settlements. Many successful settlers sent funds back to the old country to enable family members to follow — wife or sweetheart, brothers and sisters, and sometimes ultimately the parents as well. The Scots tended to immigrate as families rather than individuals.”

From “The Australian People: an encyclopedia of the nation, its people and their Origins, by James Jupp, Cambridge Univ. Press, p. 649.

http://www.amazon.com/Australian-People-Encyclopedia-Nation-Origins/dp/0521807891

“With the gold rushes of the 1850’s, both assisted and unassisted immigration increased enormously. This was particularly true of Scottish immigration from the Lowlands. The decade also witnessed the last phase of movement from the Highlands to Australia; thereafter, more than 90 per cent of Scots immigrants were Lowlanders…The literacy of Lowland Scots was probably 90-95 per cent…Over 96 per cent of the Lowland immigrants were Protestants…Most Lowlanders came in families, with literacy and skills and were imbued with the ideas of John Knox and Adam Smith.”