Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-03-02
Pronouncing-Match.


A SAMPLE OF SOME OF THE SUCCESSES
AND FAILURES.
&C. &C., &C.
Ga Friday last, at 8 Z. NJ. a large and
inquisitiye looking audience of ladies and
gentlemen assembled IN the hall of the
Y. NJ G. A. to witness an entirely novel
entertainment. This was nothing more
nor less than Pfonouncing- match. and
was under the auspices of the Ladies
Auxiliary of the Y. M. q. A. The even
ing was spent in most enjoyable and
! instructive way, and had it not been fol-
bad weather the hall would not have beld
those who came. The entertainment was
conducted by Prof. W. W. Robertson who
had been chosen by the ladies as teacher
of the class, and Judge John W. Stout
and Mr.. A. F. Robertson as umpires.
Mr.. Robertson called the meeting to
order, and appointed Miss Fannie Bayly
and Mr.. E. L. Jones captains of the two
i classes, they at once selecting from the
audience the members of their respective
classes. Supporting Miss Bayly we're
Mrs. II. d. Peck and Miss Peck, Prof. S.
H. Owens, MIR. Robt. M. Guy and Mr.. A.
/ Nj. Howison. On the side of Mr.. Jones were
Mrs. A. M. Howison. Mrs. c. E. Myrick,
Profs. Holmes and Zerr. J. N. McFar-
| land, and Mr.. A. s. Morton.
The pronouncing once commenced, there
was much merriment listening to the
mistakes of the pronouncers. All enun-
ciated the words with a readiness and
confidence that made the errors more
amusing. Heart and mind thus united,
the audience, and especially the pronoun.
cling part of it, had indelibly impressed
| the correct sound of number of our ordi-
nafily miscalled words.
superintendent Robertson wrote the
| words upon the board, one by one and then
called for the correct pronunciation Of
each, beginning at the head of the class.
| Each word was erased as soon as correctly
pronounced. Thus long and carefully
selected list of words was disposed of. 10
be fair generally, the judges had selected
no words upon which Webster and Wor-
cester differed. But to be fair individual
| lY, we must say that while Webster aud
| Worcester agree, yet from their silent
| letters. long letters. accent, and division
of syllables, the absolutely correct pronu n
citation appeared very uncertain to say the
least, in fact they may be called catch
| words.
After Is rounds, four of the class retired.
| Six more rounds completed the contest;
and at the decision of the judges. Miss
Fannie Bayly was declared the successful
competitor, having pronounced correctly
| seventeen out of possible "a words
and thus being entitled to the first prlzs, a
Dictionary. We give below few of the
words used, and regret that we cannot
more clearly indicate just how, and
in what way they were pronounced by the
class:
| Aurora be- -a-lis, (accented on next
| to the last syllable. q, which is pronounc-
ed like in ate) correctly given by Prof.
Homes.
Bleat, (bleet)-correctly given by Mrs.
II. D. Peck.
| Doth, lduth) with the as in dust-cor-
rectly given by Miss Peck.
FALCON, (faw-kn) correctly given by
Prof. Owens.
Franchise, (fran-chiz.-a as in at, CHI as
in church, i as IN it, and accented on LIST
syllable)- correctly given by Miss Bayly.
Gran-a-ry, (Qran, this syllable accented,
and the short like a in at)-correctly
given by Mr.. Jones.
Iron, (i-urn)- correctly pronounced by
Mrs. q. E. Myrck.
| I-ta,-ic, (the 1st syllable like I in it,
not like in mile, the accent being on the
middle syllable) pronounced by
| Prof z TT.
Ole Omar a-rine, (ga like ga in gay
no. like ia in jay. One of the class
suggested tallo,o as the correct pronuncla-
ton.
Men, gifts, (g, accented, the q hav-
ing the sound of j, and the like 10
isle). This word was missed by the en-
tire class.
Car bine, (kar-bin accented on 1st
syllable, and the in 2nd syllable like i
in isle)-correctly pronounced by Mr.. j. N !.
Mcfarland.
Joc-und, Gock-und, accented on LIST
syllable -correctly given by Mr.. Guy.
Conduit. (kon-dit or, kuu-dit), missed
by the entire class, the accent being on
1st syllable, and the silent in the End
syllable.
Agile, (aj-il, accent on LIST sylla5le),
! Bi-fur-cate, accent on middle syllable)
correctly given by Mrs. Howison.
Chi-rop-o dist, (Ki-rop-o-dist, accent on
rop).
Cog-nac, [Kon-yak. accent on LIST. and 0
like in lone).
The words we have given are a fair SAM
pie of the rest and show that even the best
| scholars may make errors.
Throughout, the entertainment was in
teresting and instructive, and we hope ere
long those who showed themselves COM
petent to conduct SO pleasant an affair
will again treat the public to al instruc-
tive evening.
Roll of Honor at the White Public
Schools.
The following is the Roll of Honor at