Moonlight Schools for the Emancipation of Adult Illiterates

"Moonlight Schools for the Emancipation of Adult Illiterates" by Cora Wilson Stewart is a historical account written in the early 20th century. The book documents the innovative movement of moonlight schools established in Kentucky aimed at eradicating adult illiteracy. It emphasizes the transformative role these schools played for individuals previously denied educational opportunities, highlighting the stories of those who sought to learn to read and write. The opening of the book outlines the dire need for adult education among Kentucky's mountain populations, whose ancestral legacy of education had stagnated. Cora Wilson Stewart recounts personal anecdotes that served as catalysts for the establishment of the moonlight schools, revealing the immense desire for knowledge among adults of all ages who had been denied education. The narrative sets the groundwork for a larger initiative, emphasizing the dedication of volunteer teachers and the community's enthusiastic response during the first sessions, where hundreds flocked to learn under the illumination of the moonlight—a powerful metaphor for enlightenment and social progress. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Cora Wilson Stewart was an American progressive era social reformer and educator who is well known for her work to eliminate adult illiteracy. In 1911, Stewart was the first woman to be elected to the position of the president of the Kentucky Education Association. Stewart opened Moonlight School, first in Rowan County, Kentucky and then across the United States, to educate illiterate adults at night in the schools where children studied during the day.