The colored Tennessean., 1866-03-24


In the recent examination, in which
all the reading and spelling exercises
were selected by the Trustees and Wis
ltors. There was great distinctncss
IN articulation and enunciation. read
mess in pronouncing words, good en-
phasls, and varied intonation which
surpassed anything we have heard in
any Primary School. In spelling, al
though difficult exercises were select
eel, and in various parts Of the book.
not single word was missed-eoual-
ing, in this respect, our very best
scholars taught by the Alphabetical
method. refer to the spelling par
ticularly, because, as children in the
Phonetic method are taught to spell
by sound during the whole time they
read the Phonetic pr MT, it might be
reasonably supposed that, in this
print, they would be behind those
taught in the usual way.
I" 1t will be seen from the facts here
given, that the transition from one
print to the other is attended with no
difficulty. One Of the classes began
the common print eleven weeks ago,
and the other only four weeks. No
intermediate or transition reader is
needed. From the Phonetic first book.
scholars can pass directly into the
Second Reader"
The Legislature of Massachusetts.
in q report on this subject, has de
clared its conviction, "Mat the adop-
ton Of Phonetic teoching into tie pyim-
arg schools, ~ould sape tuo gears IN
eVefy chiids educotion" Now if DUAL
flied and impartial judges, after test
ing by thorough and rigid examina-
ton, the trial classes presented before
them, add this as their deliberate opin-
ION to the great mass Of similar testi-
mony collected from other sources,
does not the conviction force itself
upon your minds that it is worth
while to save these two years to the
colored children, who labor already
under so many disadvantages?
Then consider the immense help
which Phonetic teaching affords to
the obtaining Of a distinct articula-
ton and a uniformly correct pronun-
citation Of every word. Every lesson,
from first to last, is drill on these
necessary but much neglected branch
es. There is no comparison between
the clear, accurate enunciation of a
phonetic scholar, and the 6 call over"
" "catch up" efforts which, as teachers
and school visitors, it has been so
often our duty to hear
The foregoing proofs Of the value
of Phonetic teaching are conclusive,
and should have found for it place
in every primary and normal school
in the cour Try, years ago. But edu-
cational reforms always move slowly,
as do those Of government in ordina-
~ times In the present condition of
the colored people however, there
seems to be an opportunity for g a
nation to be born in a day." by means
Of Phonetic instruction. Had our
language been always phonetically
represented, it would have been next
to impossible for any one to grow up
without being able to read and write
The four millions so lately freed could
not have been kept in the darkness
and ignorance Of slavery, had Pho
netic reading been common. The ne
groes about the masters house would
have learned the art at odd moments
from the white children, and no
amount of orders and whipping could
have kept them from teaching the
plantation hands. All obstacles are
not yet removed. There are civil,
DOHtical and social hindrances still
thrown in the upward path of our col
ored population; but it is the educa-
tional obstacles which lie in the way
Of their rapid advancement in learn
ing, that press most heavily upon
them. Time is short, and the adults
especially have bat few hours to spare
from daily toll: yet many Of them,
even those past the noon OF life,
would fain learn to read, if it be only
the Bible and hymn book. Blessed
be God for the promise which this
preference Of the colored people for
the Bible and hymn book gives to the
world. Never while they cling to
them as their comfort and rule of life
will they prove curse to the land
wherein they dwell.
White teachers and colored seem
alike to feel the great necessity which
exists for developing as rapidly as
possible those intellects which slavery
has hitherto cabined, cribbed, con