Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-05-06

4 " ao INA 1aNFNsf eaiN -
break ont, as it has broken out, ant
that prepared the public mind tC
catch it so readily, it must be &C
knowledged that the cause and efec
are rather wholesome symptoms thar
otherwise of the condition of the pub
lie mind. Although the mere spell
ing of word cannot be regarded a!
an intellectual exercise of the highes'
order, yet like accomplishments
whether of the mind or body, there
must be beginning or foundation
to work on, without which no struc-
ture of beauty or endurance can be
built. This beginning or foundation,
spelling is to reading, to pronuncia.
ton, enunciation, elocution, converse
ton, and every accomplishment in
which language is the principal ele.
, ment. Until the spelling matches
showed the contrary, it was presumed
that almost every grown person knew
bow to spell, but it turns out that
but very few know how, not even
among professors in colleges, high
schools, teachers of spelling in the
common schools and editors. Many
will be surprised to hear this, but the
greatest surprise is that il is a fact.
Tie HERALD's "nuncio" was at the
Congregational spelling school last
Thursday evening, and the social
room was comfortably seated with a
pleasant party to take sides in the
match. Mr.. Geo. Clementson was
the master, Mrs. Lew Holloway and
Mr. II. f. Murphey the class-leaders.
Fifteen were represented in each class
Some good spelling was done ditto
bad. Among the words missed were:
portentious, equable, mlnacious, chas-
tiscment, religious, oval, curmudgeoD,
vigilant, imminent, echinus, "nuncio,"
shipping, torrent, anneal, amour, ban
mock, arch, evolve, skull, domicile,
remedy, servile, incense, devotee,
boundary, ecstacy, jocular, carious,
"clandestine, ambient, sleasy, gem.
mi (Which word should have been
ruled out by the umpire as being
technicalD, pendulous (Mr. Murphey,
who has handled many pendulums,
here fell into his seat conquered, and
the word (vacillate) which was given
out to the only two survlvors-Hon.
J. Allen Barber and Mr.. Geo. Mills
caused Mr.. Mills TO become unsteady
and waver; he fell, Mr.. Barber caught
the missing "l'' and was declared the
champion. 1t will only be doing
Justice to say that it must have been
an accident which caused Mr.. Mills
to "drop" an 'Fl'', as he is an excel
lent speller. The school was sue
cess, every one was pleased, and no
one was 'sleasy" These pleasant
ries are nice, and may be said to be
laying the foundation of an intellec-
tual revival, which can be made, by
encouragement i'll the right direction,
to eliminate in a taste for elocutiop,
rhetoric and oratory, and in the culti-
walton of the graces of language in
this country to such degree and
with such results as that the English
language will be spoken in such puri-
ty and with such elegance as that
the English Of tie next century VIII
be as different from the English of to
day as the language now spoken as
English is different from the English
of past ages, which cannot be read
without considerable laundering.
And the good work goes braveIy on.
This Thursday evening the pro
gramme will be repeated at the Con-
gregationa social rooms. Answer
prompt to the call of the bell.