I've had some rather unfortunate experiences with the local tertiary institution I attended here. The level of basic English literacy was appalling (in my small-sample of students I had to partner with for projects). You don't notice it when talking with someone. But as soon as you start asking them to write their thoughts down on paper (or file), garbage comes out.

I have no other way to describe the type of language I saw. Everything from no punctuation, incorrect grammar, run-on sentences, slang. Sentences that just seem to be stuck together, whether due to missing punctuation or something else I don't know. Oh, and that was when their point was valid/related.

These individuals got degrees.

Eh, those kids grew up in the great depression. I'd bet at least some of them skipped school to work, if school was even available.

No school bus, no weather radar, not necessarily even enough food. The school lunch program was founded (partly) because so many of those WWII recruits were malnourished.

I think that stat is more of a testament to how far the U.S. has come.

I don't have any good introspection into what this number means, but according to this (http://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading_math_2013/#/state-p...) 18% of 8th graders were found to be "Below basic" reading.

My mom was an English teacher at several state colleges. She initially taught "remedial English" and it was pretty grim; in the 70s, athletic scholarship admissions were common, and she was teaching many 18 and 19 year olds at roughly the 8th grade level.