Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-05-17
Some Reasons Why Worcester is Pre-.
ferred to Webster.

Volumes might be written respecting
the special features Of these two Die
tionaries, but in this article it is propos-
ed to briefly present only few salient
points which are worthy of considera-
ton in connection with an examination
of the two works.
Probably there is no better cause for
arriving at correct estimate Of the val
ue of anything than reference to the
opinions of those who have made
study of the question to be determined,
and whose acknowledged abilities war
rant this confidence. Applying this test
to the Dictionaries, the result is unques
tionably in favor of Worcester. Refer
ring to such endorsements, we find that
among educators the position of Wor-
cester is well defined by the opinions of
the late Hon. Horace Mann, who wrote:
For many years, in all my writing,
speaking and teaching, have endeavor
ed to conform to the photography and
pronunciation as contained in Worces-
ter's Dictionaries | suppose them to
represent the highest standard recog-
nized by the best writer's and speakers
in England and this country" and of
Prof. Noah Porter, d. d., President of
Yale College, who states: "The best
works of the kind have been freely con-
suited, and among them the well known
Dictionary of Dr. Joseph r. Worcester,
which is so honorable to the industry of
the author and the scholarship of the
country" Besides, it's recognition as
the standard by number Of the leading
Universities and Colleges, and its adop-
ton by the Boards of Education of ma
ny of the States, and numerous cities
and towns, is conclusive evidence Of its
merits from an educational point of
view.
The New York Ecentng Post, of
March 26, 1877, pertinently observes:
1T follows from this, with unerring ac-
curacy. that Worcester's Dictionary, be-
ing preferred over all others by scholars
and men of letters, should be used by
the youth OF the country and adopted
in the common schools"
To define the position OF such work
among scientists, it is impossible to
reach higher authorities than Prof. Jos.
Henry, L. L. D., of the Smithsonian In
stitute, at Washington, and the late
Prof. Louis Agassiz, L. L. d. Prof.
Henry wrote: AT the commencement
of the operations of this institution, l
referred the question as to the Diction
airy the Smithsonian should adopt as the
standard for spelling and definitions to
commission of literary gentlemen, and
on their recommendation adopted that
of Worcester, which has been continued
as the standard to the present time;
and from among Prof. Agassiz numer-
Gus concentrations we quote: Il have
long considered Worcesters Quarto Die,
tionary superior to any other work OF
it's kind.
Among men of letters Worcester is
avowedly preferred; as the New York
Herald, April 8, 1917, states: The
best English writer's, and the most par
| ticular American writer's, use Worces-
ter as their authority Concentrations
now before us from such distinguished
writer's and scholars as FELTON, Whit
tier, Sumner, Holmes, Irving, Winthrop,
Agassiz, Bryant, Longfellow, Marsh,
Henry, Everett, Stephens, Mann, GUM
cy, FELTON,, billiard, amply attest this
| fact.
Furthermore, Worcester may be re-
garded as the National standard, in as
much as it is the authority of the De-
partment at Washington. From the
Hon. A. r. Spofford, the Librarian OF
Congress, who has long made a study OF
these matters, we have seen the follow
ing letter:
WASHINGTON, Feb. II, 1915.
"GENTLEMEN: The report having been made
hot WnbStar'S EnpliSh Dictionary adopted
| as the standard by national officers, to the eX-
clusion of WOrcester's, take occasion to say
that SO far as The Library Of Congress is con
| cerned, Webster has never been followed in
photography in printing its catalogues, reports
or any other documents. On the contrary,
wherever proofs from the Congressional print
| ing office embody the innovations upon Eng
| lish photography which Webster introduced,
| they are invariably returned with corrections
| restoring the established spelling, as repre-
scented by Worcester and the usage OF all great
English writer's. Very respectfully.
| "A. II. SPOFFORD,
Librarian of Congress.
A point worthy. of careful observation
is the fact that readers who have been
taught at school to spell according to
Webster, as soon as they arrive at an
age warranting the use of their own dis
elimination, adopt the style preferred
by Worcester, and it is singularly the
case that many parties (the majority,
from our observation who claim Web
ster as their authority, spell the test
words according to Worcester! Would
it not be best, therefore, that all youth
should be instructed from the com
mencement in accordance with what
their matured judgment and scholars
opinions influence them to accept in
later years as being correct and in con
formity with accepted usage" as it is
expressed by Mr.. Whitelaw Reid, editor
of the New York Tribune, in a letter
aug. Is, 1870, from which the follow
ing is quoted: After our recent strike
we made the change to Worcester as our
authority in spelling, chiefly to bring
ourselves into conformity with the &C
cepted usage, as well as to crafty the
desire of most of our staff, including
such gentlemen as Mr.. Bayard Taylor,
Mr.. Geo. W. Smalley and Mr.. John r.
G. Hassard' Besides, the photography
Of Worcester is used in a large majority
of the standard and popular works that
are daily read, as well as in the leading
periodicals and papers of the day.
1t is we'll known fact that Webster S
Dictionary combined so many eccentric
tiles in the way of spelling, 'capricioua
and baseless fluctuations and varia-
tons, as the Philadelphia Press, Feb
9, 1877, designates them,-that it was
found absolutely necessary to repeated.
ly revise the work, and each time the
editors introduced the style preferred
by Worcester in place Of many Of the
innovations of Webster. Regarding
these changes, the New York Indepen
dent (Oct. IS, 1870 remarks:
Worcesters Dictionary is generally ac
knowledged to be the standard authority, es
pec!ally in spelling and pronunciation, ant
many publishers and newspapers like the Tn
bune, which for time adopted Webster as ar
authority, have gone back to Worcester. Ir
these departments the editors of the last anC
only good edition of Webster have confessed
the superiority of Worcester by giving up ma
nv Of the peculiarities of the previous editions
They have simply WOrcesterized their diction
airy, thereby greatly improving it,. Either die
tiOnary is good enough in its definitions, ant
where they differ in photography and orthepy
most will prefer Worcester, and here is the
chief use of a dictionary"
Webster's Dictionary still contains
many of it's eccentric spellings, giving
the reader in some cases the option OF
other forms, but Dictionary should
not be edited on the principle Of allow