Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-05-02
Important to Parents and Teaches.

The English language is, perhaps. more difficult
than any other to spell and pronounce correctly.
For these Indispensable requisites to English scbol
srshp, are indebted to the dictionaries for the
language. 1t has so many anomalies, that it has
been deemed almost impos.i lie TO establish set OF
rules, either for spelling proDourcing II; and
hence We have been forced TO acquire this knos-
ledge, almost without rules and word by word. Add
to this the imp .rfecton Of our alphabet, and the
vast number of words 10 our langusg", and we can
readily comprehend the difficulties under which our
children labor in this behalf Guided by the ord-
nary school books the child progre'tes from letters
TO syabl s, and from these TO words by slow and
uncertain step; aud wtsn he has hppiiy gone
through the spelling book he has advanced OILY so
far IS his memory retIins the impression Of each
word and its particular sound-beyond this he knows
nothing. To supply set of rules, and to complete
she alphabet by defining distinctly, the different
souOds Of the same letters and the vowel combine
tons, 20 as to meet the demands OF the organs Of
speech and voice whereby the difficult to which
We have alluded could be overcome, has been the
great desideratum.
by the Rev. WM. MULKEr, of this city He has
been teacher and student Of subject for al out
forty years, and has recently given to the public
the rpened fruits of all his accumulated experience
and study, 10 the shape OF a series of charts and
spelling aud reading books. By these, the child is
first made acquainted with the letters and elemen
tary combinations, representing the ortyone sounds
nf NH al Il
elementary and the same 10 every combination
He then proceeds to 6, tbcs thence to words and
thence to reading. To these he adds per.picuous
rules for adjudication and accent So, that when
the child has learned TO spe! be has mustered the
whole subject Of photography aud ortboepy, and
can apply his Knowledge with hemaiical prec-
sion and certainty TIE charts are suited to oral
instruction, whereby cla.s of an hundred can be
taught in the same time and with the same ease
that single one may be. The matter of the books
is so disposed aud arranged that every step leads
20 and strengthens the next 50 to speak; each les
son helps on TO the next. By this sy-tem, the child
learns both the theory aud practice. and when he
has gone through the spelling books, he will be able
TO divide any word into its proper sylIables and give
IL the appropriate accents, without the aid of die
tionary. How many really &C complished scholars in
our land, who cannot de as much The system of
Mr. MULKEY, is, indeed, plain system Of Phone
t,cs, and compsssgs every object, claimed by those
who advocate phonetic alph bet contain ing for
tyrone instead oftwentysix characters or letters.
We have referred thus particularly TO the works
Of Mr.. MULKsY in the hope of attracting the at
tenton Of those leaving the education aud training
Of youths to tie subject, and with sincere desire
that the risir g generation may reap its benefits
For his assiduous and successful abors the author is
entitled to the pub gratitude, and will doubtless
ceive il. We pleased to that his works have
been introduced into the public schools of Nash
ville and hi SsS have received the approval and
commendatiS.' -1s any of the best scholars in the
State. We most cheerfully recommend them 10
the attention aud favor Of teachers and parents
Throughout, the country.