Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1868-12-24
ESSAY.

Among our Engi!sh br;..:ches, no
study is more universally neglected
than Spelling. Indeed We scarce Dig
Nifty with the name OF study; yet page
cannot be said to be neat without cor
rect spelling. To spell we'll has never
been tonsidered worthy OF much praise,
to spell i'll is very properly deemed
disgraceful. And did our teachers give
due importance to this branch, much
modification in the future would be
prevented, for the class which is now
dragging along in such willing indif.
ference, would put on q new face, aud
the lessons which are stumbled through
so imperfectly, would be committed
with care, similar to that devoted to
natl ematics, and other studies, which
are made to appear more important
Among my acquaintances some years
since. was > young lady, much courted
for her wit, beauty and elegance. She
danced divinely, as they say, could sing
like an aneel,-you know,-and was
really a good conyersation;st. She
married gentleman of high standing,
who, almost Immediately alter their
marriage, was called 10 take command
Of his regiment in the fell BY chance
I read portion Of a letter addressed
him by his wife. In lamenting his alb
sence she gave vent to her feelings in
tie following photographed t-burst:
1T makes my h.a-r-. G-k-e" This is a
sample OF the whole. and not merely
OF art. 1t is even said that in Geo,
Washlngton's will. done in his own
handwriting, there are several errors
Of spelling. Thus We sec that even
great men are not free from this fault,
which fact ought to be q source of con
ISOLATION to us, who are not all expect
ID to become famous in history. and
will, in future, prove 4 consolation 10
tho little loys and girls, who are taught
after the manner OF those in q school [
once had The pleasure to visit where
the spelling class being called, seven
little boys and girls quite old enough
to be taught to write-shied along, and
sided into pace. In ordernow," the
teacher said. They ''in,ordefed" by
stsndirg on ore foot, which the: SHIFT
ed at convenience, with their hands be
bird them. Mary, spell place." "Pk
a-e-e-' We'll, pronounce it, place"
Jeprie, spell phase, "f.c-os." No; the
vord is not .faes, it is gFass,' corrected
tie teacher. "Es-s-e. Next. spell
alase." "Ea-s.e." "NcNt,' What
The word :" phase "Ea-=-e." -
Next" and so on till the head of the
class is reached. Mary, yon ean spell
phase "Ea-s-e." The teacher quietly
r.mm kcd, phase. Jennie, spell
base" And 60 it went, to the end OF
that tedious lesson. Now, even if every
word in the lesson. but that one had
been correctly spelled, it is plain to Be
seen, that not one in the class lsarxed
to slcll phase" during that recitation.
Here Is another example. 4 short
time since, l heard class drilled after
this fashion. The word pedigree" was
pronounced: '.ped-sye-gres." "P-ed, ped
" Eye gree" put III the teacher. "I,ped-i'
Gree" again assisted the teacher, "s.r.
&c gree, pod-eye-cree The sound OF each
letter is given as distinctly As possible,
% that there is scarcely chance OF
word, uldess one is given, in
which there may be doubt, in choos-
ing one Of two letters, as in the woru
'reticule," which, if at first il spelled
1870 second trial must produce CT
-. During the recitation reterred to,
he teacher put out the word fort
night (tort-nit)" the child spelling, II
D-r-t. tort.-" We'll, ntyht," prompted
The kind.hear.ed teacher, the child
'pelling might, night and pro-
nouncing fortnight (tolt-nite).s Here
besides being assisted to spell the word,
he pupil has been left with an err, nc.
ous pronunciation, aud, without doubt,
= isapseaaico thAs correct pronuncia-
SalIf aStSf Ess{8 u