Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-01-18
,neIlinr scheoI nIn1nhn.- ii,


spelling school aIrtchcs, IN,c.
What "old fogy' has forgotten the spelling
schools and spelling matches of tho district
schools when correct spelling constituio oil one
oflhe Indispensable branches or a good common
English education Then tha 8 s.hoi,rs had to
study their spelling lessons, read the N aloud in
classes, pronounce every syllable, spell at least
once in the forenoon and on.e in the afternoon,
take their places, at head at mig ht 20 to the
foot in the morning, resolve credit marks, and
at tue end Of the term If 1t tho head the mosi,
be made suPremely happy by prize of some
sort, Those wsSS the schools of application,
emulation, pFOgrSss, and solid acquiremonts-
education of every day use in life
Then the reading classes all had to understand
aocent, emphasis, and cadence; tho sounds of
the letters in the ioro-paIt of Wsbster's Spell
ing Book, and had to tell them too, giving the
rules in reading and spelling lessons as often as
twice week until as familiar as A. B. c. had
TO learn and observe the stops and Marks know
the numerals, abbrey latioRs, vOwels, dipsAsIngs,
selves, but iU,lt as necessary to be practically
taught apfi thoroughly understood to make good
spellers and readers, as to have the use of the
Qrgue-Inatters which we know arc most sad
Is neglected in some, if not all, Of our city pub
lie schools. In some, the reading aloud of
spelling lessons and spelling in classes is omit
ted for whole terms, and the pupils know moth
ing Of the rules relating to the sounds of tho
letters, or of the proper division of words into
syllables They read glibly the Lessons in the
Easy Readers they have rehearsed until famil.
lar to ear and memory, but give them a news
paper paragraph Of ten lines, and ten chances
to one they will hesitate at or mispronounee
some word in every line. Having never learned
in the public schools to divide words into syl-
lablos by reading spelling lessons, and knowing
nothing practically of the rules regulating the
sounds of the letters, the pupil is nOn-plussed
and discloses the ignoramus the moment iris
yllable or pOlysyllable not entirely familiar to
the eye is encountered. We know young
men, educated in our public schools, to the
shame of both be it said, who can scarcely be
persuaded to read even q newspaper accident
aloud, so defective has been their instruction in
spelling, sounds of letter., accent, emphasis
and cadence And we have been told of well
authenticated instances in which children have
been pushed forward into Easy Readers, and who
read their lessons pertly by rOte, without know
ing tho letters of the alphabet
We have spoken plainly of defects which We
know exist to considerable extent in our public
schools, and which can and should be immeji-
stely remedied. ANY lack Of attention by
teachers to these small but really most important
matters to the children being educated, or their
omission in the programme laid down for their
guidance, comes properly within the supervis-
ion of the Board of Education. We have only
the usefulness and welfare of the schools at
heart, in calling attention to what we conceive
to be radical defects in the public school edu-
cation of children, our own included ~
But 10 return to Spelling Schools and spells
ing matches. The County School Examiners
of Trumbull county have hit upon a match that
is exciting great interest in the schools of the
several districts and among the people They
have proclaimed that on the llth of February,
grand County Spelling Match shall come off at
Bazetls. Each school in the County is 10 have
one representative, and the words spelled are to
bsput out from McGufey's Spelling book, and if
the spoilers 60 through that, Webster's Primary
Dictionary is to furnish the hard words. The
best speller will receive, as a prize, copy of
Websler's Unabridged Pictorial Dictionary
The Match has set all the schools on tipNtOe,
and the lamentably growing deficiency in the
spelling branch of the education of Young
America, has taken healthy reaux in Old
TrumbuI
Why not institute spelling schools and spell
ing matches in our own city schools! The
children would jump at the chance to attend
them, and much improvement in ambition and
in photography would be the result. They could
be held in each Ward school building say one
or two evenings a week, or each Saturday fore
noon or afternoon. Parents as well as children
would soon become interested, and the series
for the term might be concluded with a grand
spelling match after the manner of the Tumbull
schools. The emulation, zeal, study, and prof.
cheney, would most amply repay the slight cost
oflights and extra heating of school rooms. and
the trouble to teachers who attend them.
The CuyahOga County Schools might also
profit largely by the example of TrumbulL-
Children delight in such friendly contests, and
they serve to quicken the perception and mem
ory beyond estimate. Revive the Spelling
Schools