Most Slovak immigrants who arrived before World War I could not read or write. Our ancestors were no different. They came from rural farming areas but would become industrial laborers. It was likely that the children also worked.
The Hungarian government discouraged the development of literacy among the Slovak. In America, however, the census confirms that Elcik children did get a basic education. They learned how to speak, read and write in English. Beyond elementary school, however, education was for the wealthy.
