Kathy Hillman: Unlimited Possibilities

As a child, books stretched my world. When I was sick and lost my perfect Sunday school attendance, Mother stopped the tears with Little Women. I’ve celebrated National Library Week as long as I can remember.

Kathy HillmanThe National Book Committee initiated the first observance in 1958 after research showed Americans were spending less on books and more on television. As a professional librarian, I believe in the 2015 theme “Unlimited possibilities @ your library” and understand the importance of literacy at all ages and stages of life.

Growing up, I usually walked to my father’s office in the courthouse after school. Although he was county attorney, the position allowed a private practice. After finishing homework, I read my way through the Eldorado Library. When a client arrived, a nod sent me to the hall.

Occasionally, Daniel Medrano—not his real name—came. He paid in potatoes or produce from fields he helped harvest. During one visit, Daddy asked me to get Mrs. Carlman and Mrs. Neill to witness Mr. Medrano’s signature. Celebrating National Library Week. (Kathy Hillman Photo)When the man left, he explained. Mr. Medrano couldn’t read or write, so he signed his mark after my father read the document aloud. I couldn’t imagine how he felt.

Sadly, Mr. Medrano was not alone. Statistics paint a disturbing picture of adult literacy:

• Nearly 1 billion people worldwide cannot read or sign their names—two-thirds of them women.

• 30 million Americans cannot read.

• 14 percent read at or below fifth-grade level; 29 percent at or below eighth-grade level.

• 43 percent of those with the lowest literacy rates live in poverty.

• 75 percent of state prison inmates Dallas Baptist Association volunteers paint a bookshelf. (Literacy Connexus Photo)didn’t complete high school or are classed as low literate.

• 3.8 million Texans need adult education services.

• Texas ranks 50thamong states in percent of citizens with high school or GED diplomas.

While serving on a McLennan County grand jury, I saw firsthand the effects of literacy on families, as most of the people indicted under age 30 hadn’t finished high school. 

• Two-thirds of America’s children living in poverty have no books at home.

• 25 percent of Texas preschoolers are not read to regularly.

• 47 percent of Texas children ages 3 to 5 are not enrolled in nursery school, preschool or kindergarten.

• Boys and girls who don’t read proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to drop out.

• Books in the home, even if not read by parents, promote better scores in English, science and math.

• A poor family with books will, on average, produceKathy Hillman’s grandson Sawyer enjoys reading. (Kathy Hillman Photo) children who do better in school than privileged boys and girls without books.

• Lack of summer reading results in two months of cumulative reading loss.

Believing that “with God all things are possible,” what can Texas Baptists do? How can we help the adults of today and tomorrow discover their unlimited possibilities? 

Through the Christian Life Commission, Texas Baptists partner with Literacy Connexus. The CLC also supports legislative priorities that increase high school graduates and expand adult literacy and learning. Together, we can practice the Literacy Connexus ABCs:

Advocacy

• Be aware of education bills in the legislature and join CLC efforts. 

• Back community projects, and speak up for those who struggle with literacy. 

Books 

• Support Texas Baptists’ Books for the Border and A church conducts a family reading fair. (Literacy Connexus Photo)Beyond that has provided more than 3,000 beginning home libraries at reading fairs.

• Build bookcases for children in small groups or churchwide, like First Baptist Georgetown, which has built hundreds.

• Collect books at special events.

• Organize a local reading fair, where families receive beginning home libraries at Vacation Bible School, low-income apartments, sports camps, English as a Second Language—ESL—programs, or Head Start. Literacy Connexus will help.

• Collaborate with other churches to provide filled bookcases for school classrooms.

• Replace gifts with books at parties. Our granddaughter’s first birthday invitation requested books for an early childhood center.

Church and Community

• Host an ESL program. Literacy Connexus offers Teaching English with Excellence—TEX—training. About 90 percent of TEX programs are church-based. Bookcases available for families at a reading fair in Las Milpas in the Rio Grande Valley. (Literacy Connexus Photo)These recorded 82 professions of faith in Christ in 2014.

• Offer reading enrichment.

• Put books in weekend hunger program backpacks.

• Provide books to children in summer feeding programs. Texas Hunger Initiative and Literacy Connexus partner at 10 border sites.

• Add books to giveaways at food distribution centers.

• Plan a mission trip such as Baylor’s Texas Urban Mission team, which reads with preschoolers and provides literacy programs for children.

Last February, my daughter Holly and I ate lunch with one of her Howard Payne classmates who had become foster mom to twins. They sat silently inactive. I was shocked they were 8 months old, the same age as our granddaughter, Chandler. Brittany explained they had rarely been read to, sung to or spoken to. In November, we met again after they had been exposed to hundreds of books, countless songs and myriads of words. As I watched the twins, my mind wandered to unlimited possibilities and to Dr. Seuss’ Oh, the Places You’ll Go! 

Yes, we can make a difference in the places people will go today, tomorrow and forever.

Note: Statistics prepared by Literacy Connexus. For more information, consult “50 Ways Your Church Can Bless Your Community through Literacy”. 

Kathy Hillman is president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. She also is director of Baptist collections, library advancement and the Keston Center for Religion, Politics and Society at Baylor University.