New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-18


Education having fairly begun. there is pleasure IN
the fact that none OF the many pupils who have
entered upon the course are weary In wel-dolhs
The letters received attest satisfaction ana the
coupons show gratifying progress. The errors In
the latter have been reduced TO a minimum, prac-
tically. and the students holding a firm grasp
upon the subject IT has been presented week by
week. The remainder OF the lessons with the
pointers" which follow each. will confirm them In
a knowledge OF the most useful art OF sound
writing.
Due consideration should be given 10 the claims
of sound-speling. set forth by those who have
given 1t best thought and study Until it's introduce
ton the best forms OF shorthand writing were
cumbrous demanding proracted. laborious prac-
tice for their mastery while only the most expert
and experienced able to take down the words
of a rapid speaker. Phonetic spelling IS radically
different from the recognized English system OF
photography in that 1t employs no silent letters
The present form is valuable 10 a scholar in that
the face history is usually revealed at glance
When n word Is presented to him for the first time
he recognizes II as derived from some given Ian
guage and grasps Its meaning from the spelling
The great majority NJ people. however. are not
philologiss. and many OF them are at loss 10
understand why unsounded letters should be used
The aim and design OF the English. and
until recently. OF the scholars OF this country nave
been preserve tho face history In the orthog
raphy Of the word. II has been pertinently asked
Shall the great majority OF readers and writer's be
placed Inconvenience and disadvantage to ac-
commodatc the limited number OF scholars who
alone order and beauty In the present arrange
ment?
During tho last thirty years or more in tho United
States there has been A growing tendency 70 discard
redundant letters. as In "bama Bile SAVER.
'parque;." "aimarac." public" etc. The English
however. with great show OF conservatism hod 20
the older forms "blameable saviour par
lib firm
Of tho English In this dir" ion Is declared 10 u"
largely due 10 m '-"uercr of Dr.. Samuel Johnson
Bu Dr Johnson's sys OF, vas unique. In that he ne
parted from the practice Of the educators VINO
preceded him They really id attempt TO Keep
ort TYPOGRAPHY where II properly belonged. conininG
II 10 the mere spelling OF words. There are many
sen;lmentslists who think they sc' the eiymoogy o.
the language preserved IN Uniforms OF all the worcs
In These appear TO lose sign Of th' fact mar
an ever-presen obstacle In the way is that the words
Of me English spelled with the symbols OF the
Latin language.
The oldest two OF the American dictionaries differ
As Frequently in the spelling OF words a do me
medical doctors In their opinions IN professiohaI
cases one Get OF admirers swears by one autnor'tF
while another jus, as vigorously protests that the
other Il nfailine The power and influence or the
American photographers in attaching people to tn"r
respecfIv. varying modes Of spelling Will explain
how Or Johnson succeeded. $50 years ago IN reNo-
luion.zng English sentiment and hoidine II io9d'
70 Me support. His supreme command o. language
enabled him 10 give plausible reasons for all tha' ne
dld The novelty and b1,dness q his action win
tho gre,f reputation - the man. launched his big
! dictionary upon the Of popular favor, with no
danger Of wr"ckngc.
Words are after all. the outward expression OF
thought the manner or spelling them IL. In
many cases a matter Of preference as the result
Of education or prejudice.
There IS no disposition here 10 Insist that long
hand shall Civ" way to shorthand or that SOUND
spelling shnll succec the present orthogrdrhy Inc
design l. merely TO show thai the latter Is by no
means a. uniform safciT inircnched IN logic
as might be commonly supposed No one. for in
stance could demonstrate that "cachnation' viii
NOT convey the moaning Of the word as wen "s
7 ..,acbior,tion Seize" siege ceiling.
"e.-cr' "re.trer" "vel." receive" 'rol"fe and
similar words torture the speller. while
-phfhisls' ''physic." felony 'phenom' non" and
'ccemosy nary" are approached WIN Ha"h'SS '"a'
Is but little fcigncd
The language Is constantly UNDERGOING nod'''ca-
lions II demands no mean scholarship 10 r'""
without reference to older authorities the hrst col
lion OF ShakespoAre's works. Thousands OF words
IN use I'm his days nave since become obsolete" wnlle
there have been added probably. three times as
man as then composed the language. The pres
en-, century especially the latte half Of IT, has been
most prolific in word coinage. 10 meet the inventive
and other growing developments OF the age In
m. new words the rule has been not always TO oh
so-vo ,roceden, in thoir formation. but there has
been disposition. In the main. To folio" eighteenth
century traditions ri, r,..
Campaign OF Education. makes shorthand orihos-
raphy uniform because rach word Is Spelled nte
ton OF it's use from time 10 time In these columns.
Tor the reason just named and for the further fact
,bat r. does away with every superlave letter. as
well az the vowel sounds II is not ncedful under
when writing 10 be sure. there would be no oppor-
for using t. for Sne rnpd m snsa Rts pN
the stenographer has TO do Is TO lsten lntehg.nty
and write down The characters WHICH represent the
sounds they fall upon the ear Sups, I"cn,I!' IN
,ranscribng into ionghand. II Is needfui that he
have reasonable d VIII ihr bs
a mos: desirable piece of property Were short.
hand sppn onshand so na i ~ ,h aGr Won.
ary It Is nov known would be ended prac,caiiy,
pass or certainly not for many years
The Tribune's Campaign OF Education is based
line space and labor Us symbols have been care
fully rcduo cd 10 a mi nimum as to number ana TO
h"nsv" that one may easily take down any and
every word OF the English language II Is economy
broipht practically to an ultimate. simplifying the
manncr Of spelling reducing each word to the
simplest form OF oppression ara enabling ne
stenographcr to READ IL ny '"P'"S an" az '"S"'
Tho )" r, unes method is in conformity with
the shirt of the age which calls for the most ex-
reditious manner possible OF taK,tg Gown "o ,n
rJa nossbIe FORM so the manner OF teaching is
irost direct and expeditions no stumhling BLOCKS
Tha contrast between the two photographers has
boon clearl drawn and any one should he able 10
nercciye the ndvanta ges that would accrue from "A
,rraror understanding of the system OF shorthand
now being taught In the columns OF The Tribune
Applicable TO all the phases on life,work which re-
III. writing and Offering profitable profession as
Veil Il Is the most practical plan OF education ever
"Ter.d IN the columns Of a newspaper Its benefits
ro s,,il within tho reach OF ALL as the study may be
,aten nm M any time during the progress OF the
twenty lessons.
CONSONANTS
rhA following are the first eight straight con-
wants OF the Shorthand alphabet: