The author recounts the creation and expansion of evening classes organized to teach adult illiterates, beginning among mountain communities in Kentucky. She describes practical methods, volunteer teacher training, textbooks developed for adults, and surprising classroom successes illustrated by letters and photographs. Chapters trace growth from a local experiment to statewide and national campaigns, adaptations during wartime and reconstruction, instructional institutes, and outreach to diverse groups including mothers, veterans, and incarcerated men. Emphasis is placed on the teachers' dedication, community cooperation, and the movement's goal to eradicate adult illiteracy through accessible instruction and organized civic effort.