The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-12-23
REFoRM IN SPELLING.
The Anthropologioal society Held a Sym
nosiun on the subieet.

I M.H|. IbkiHO1kNx I'm Ok EIAIkGN0S
The Anthropological society Held q Sym.
postum on the subject.
WASHINGTON, D. @, Dec. 22.-TheA An
thropological Society is wrestling with
the question OF a reform in spelltu
The discussions Of philologians here
abouts and elsewhere have melted the
society to hold a symposium upon the
subject Of spelling reform. and the SYM
postum began last night at the Cosmos
Club.
Professor F. a. Marsh, Of Lafayette
College, opened'the ball in favor OF re-
form. He said that spelling reform is a
product OF lie spirit Of the age. The
elimination ri useless letters from the
words daily muse is the object OF the
reform. The reform will result in econ
omy in the preparation and printing OF
books and in a great saving of time oc-
cupied by children in learning to read
and spell.
II is estimated that the removal of
the silent els alone in the language
would make such a difference that the
Encyclopedia Britannica could be pub
lished in twenty volumes instead OF
twenty-four and would cost $24 less.
Gladstone is quoted as saying that q re-
form in spelling would lesson the time
occupied by children in learning to
spell to the extent Of 720 hours.
Prof. Marsh reviewed the efforts
which have been made in the direction
of reform byphilologians in Americana
England aud quoteda long list OF names
OF eminent men who have connected
themselves with the movement.
Prof. Marsh was fully aware OF the
difficulties which lay in the way of a
general adoption Of the reform by rea-
son of q lack Of concerted action. The
chief hope Of the reformers is that the
government may DO induced to take
the matter up and by publishing its
documents in the phonetic system
gradually educate the people up to q
knowledge and familiarity with it II
the determination ola standard system
Of reform is left to individual discussion
and selection the world will not last
long enough to arrive at a decision.
Mr.. sPoFFoRD OPPOSES TnE REFORM.
Mr.. a. R. Spoford, librarian Of Con.
gross, followed Prof Marsh, and opposed
the reform from start to finish in adash-
ing raid which he made on the REFORM
ers' defenses. Mr.. Spofford depicted
the influence Of the English Language
upon the people, and pointed out the
importance Of preserving its purity.
The movements Of the reformers can
only be classed as attempts to break
down the strength and purity of the
languages. There is nothing new or
NJ in the schemes now put forth.
TIL, have been advanced from time to
time for the past 800 years only to be
rejected at every point. The plausible
theory Of spelling by sound has toiun-
dergo a severe ordeal when reduced to
practice. The existing English alpha-
bet Is bad, no doubt, but is the only
key to the grand English language and
we cannotthrow thatkey away. Neither
popular assent nor the judgment OF
scientists, outside Of a few p~hilologians,
justifies the attempt.
To sweep away the present system is
to lose all trace of the derivation OF
words. Instead Of the flesh and blood
Of speech the reformers leave but a
long array of skeletons OF words, dry
bones Of language from which the soul
has departed. :,
The argument that the reform will
expedite the mastery of the English
Language by foreigners can be met by
the statement confidently advanced
that the English LANGUAGE was not
originally intended for foreigners.
Mr.. William I. Harrison, commits
sioner OF education, followed Mr.. Spot-
ford as a reformer. He gave the au-
dience the benefit Of his practical OK
perience with the reform as practlced in
tho public schools OF st. Louis when he
was the superintendent. 1t was demon
strated that the children-1rish, Ger
man, Italian and American-could
learn to read in Just about one-half tho
time under the phonetic system. 1t
usually required three years to get a
child into the third reader under the
old system, but by the phonetic plan OF
spelling the children reached the third
render within a year and a half. They
also improved their pronunciation and
lost all traces Of brogue.
Assistant Secretary. Willetts of the
agricultural department. made a short
address, in which he slyiy made fun OF
the proposed reform aud deprecated its
possible introduction into the agYicul.
turat department by reason of Its effect
upon the honest farmers who y0Sld be
compelled to read the publications.
The symposium will be continued
next Tuesday night.
One Man who Can sstsls:1t
Wheeling Erentng Nttss.
The interesting controversy concern.