Daily national Democrat., 1859-01-27
4allp glatlonaI Democrat.
The Phonetic System.


The Phonetic Alphabet consists of forty.
three letters, corresponding to as many dis
tinct sounds in the English language. The
two great advantages of this alphabet over
the old style are claimed to be these
lst To see word is to know how to pro-
nOunce it.
I'd. To hear word is to know how to
spell it.
To these may be added the facility with
which words may be written, syllables being
dispensed with, each letter being syllable
in itself This same characteristic belongs to
the Cherokee Alphabet, invented by the In
dian, Sequoyah, man of wonderful original
genius In the Cherokee tongue, as reduced
to q system by this wild Indian of the woods,
there are eighty-two phonetic letters, there
being so many distinct sounds in the Ian
guage. There being no syllables, of course
there is no difficulty whatever in spelling, as,
for illustration, in the word which rendered
into English would be spelt thus Oo-nee-
tah-whiska.gs ee, Light Horsenel. Here arc,
in English spelling, seven syllables ard eight
cen letters. The same word in Cherokee
would be spelt with seven letters, as thus, us
ing asterisks in place of the Cherokee charac-
ters, of which we have none on hand:
*-Oo.nee tah-w whis-ka-gaee This is
precisely, SO far as we have noticed it, the
Phonetic system.
In regard to the progress of phonetic teach.
ing, which will, one day, perhaps, become
universal we find the following in the "Type
of the Times
From Geo. L. Farnham, Supt Public Schools
of Syracuse, N. Y.-Will you send us by express
five dozen more Phonetic First Readers
We have made the transition with one of our
experimental classes, and the success more than
equals our expectations. The class passed imme-
dlatey from the First Reader to Webbs second,
which book they have used for the last two
months We called the class up before our Teach
er's Association last Saturday, and put INTO their
hands other books than those they had been us.
ing, which they read without dimculty, though
the reading was more difficult than that to which
they were accustomed. This is the only class
we have been able to keep together sufficiently to
.est the system.
SALEM, OREeox-C. Hoel, of this place, sends
for IS worth Of Phonetic Books for the use of his
little girl, and class-mate, whom he is teaching
TO read by the Phonetic method. Nopareut who
understands the "better way" should neglect to
pursue the same course, in case Phonetic teaching
Is not employed IN the pubic school.
MIcmGAN.-Mr. Henry A. Trench, of this State,
is wide awake in the interest of the Phonetic
cause. He says:-"I am going to try to get up
State Convention in season to present the mat
ter to the Legislature this winter. / want a law
passed providing for Photography being taught
In the State Normal School and in the Universi-
ty. am anxious also to have law passed pro-
viding for teaching both Photography and Pho
notypy in the House of Refuge. | am in favor
also of having Phonotypy taught to the ignorant
in the State Prison. They teach them romantic
reading now, but that is laundering way of in
Producing to their dark minds the light of litera-
ture, If we can accomplish these objects l think
it will pay.
do not know as you will agree with me in this
matter, for if | mistake not, | saw an editorial u
year ago, taking the ground that Legislative ac-
ton was of no use in such matters | agree with
you IN this to some extent Such Legislative ac-
ton as we have had hitherto is of no use Just
reporting favorably on the subject will do no
good. But asmuch it is admitted to be plain
that Photography and Phonotypy are good
things, and nasmuch as a committee appointed to
investigate the subject urged it upon the atten-
ton fthe people, think it would be well to go
little further and pass law to provide for hav-
ing them taught where they have exclusive juris-
diction."