The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-29
THE VERB DEWEY t5ll ] !
nj. Dssaaerty Nsats Il Hays nj
Orr Lasaesss.
LETTER TO DICTIONARY PUBLISHERS


Mr.. ]. $. DAughsrty o. THE city has ~
dressed the following letter u me teGohseua
and school cniidren Of Texas:
believing that proper rnSnifestAti66 81
appreciation on the part Of thces SERVED II
tho greatest Incentive TO noble action, and
for the purpcxe OF duly COMMEMORATIVE ~
destruction OF the Spanish fleet IN thu
harLor Of Manila and fIttingly ccrppliment-
Ing Commodore Dewey, suggested the hcdI
outlined In the following correspondence:
Hon. J. Nj Carlisle. Austin. Texde
Houston, Texas, May D. 1853. Dear Sir I
have written Messrs. G. & @. Merriam =
Co. publishers of Webster's dictionary
Springfield. Mass. AM TO Mesfrs. J. b.
Lilpincctt y Co., publishers of wtrosstert
dictionary. Philadelphia, Pa. and TO Messrs
Funk 4 Wagnnlls, publishers OF the Stanc'
ard dictionary. New York, N. n, a. fol.
lows.
| Gcntlemen As q compliment 10 Conmo
dorc Dewey, suggest that new verb b.,
added to the English language, VI,
| "Dswey-to wipe out, annihilate, destroy
aud that YOU Insert II in the next edition
of your dictionary. with a note IN substance,
as follows; THE word dewey was mad,
verb Mt the request OF the school chilli
Grcn OF the United States az a compliment
to Commodore Dewey OF the United State
| navy aud to commemorate the destructtoo
| OF the Spanish fleet In the harbor OF Ma
Mia Philippine islands, May l, 1881
| Through the State superlntendents OF edu
| cation | expect TO secure the desired ~
quest from the ehiidren. | believe this on
OF the, most fitting honors that can be pais
| Ccmmodure Dewey. and ii you approve tn
idea | would be pleased for YOU TO address
n circular letter to each OF the State Su 4
rrrntendcnts OF education and rcqnes
them to bring the subject to the attentio,
OF the children OF their respective States !
! nr,l hay
ton, and notify the hereiubetore inentions
publishers and thet yon fhay use your goo
offices to secure appropriate ecticn In til
premiscs on tho part OF the children 6
Texas
In reply to thls received letter froI
Superintendent Carlisle stating that he Wa
so o,errun with business that II would b
Impossible for him to take any active par
~ the matter, but that he would be please
to see Commodore Dewey honored In IN
| manner suggested
| also received a letter from the pIh
fishers of Webster's dictionary, expressin
their gratitude for the suggestion an
promising to place the matter In the hand
| OF their editors.
The j. H. I4ppincott company OF philf
delIfia write: I'VE will consider the ilat
ter and viii advise yo,, later We con
mend the patriotism which you manifei
and assure you that against the comma
"
been Tor more than thirty years
The Funk a Wagnalls company OF Ne
York replied ms Follows; while we apr
oiate the patriotism that has led you
| write us concerning new verb In the Ent
lish language, permit us to gay that befoi
the yer, that you suggest can BIO recot
pis,d II will be necessary that 1t recet'
tho endorsement of some high literary Al
thority, or The sanction OF ueage. The
Is little doubt In our mind that as star
or even perhaps ms q coiloqulal express!o
to 6ewey--to annihilate, to wipe out mt
, | come into sufficient prominent use to
put on record. AT present It is only In ]
infancy. Time alone VIII show whether Z
word will survive, and cur counsel 10 y,
is 10 walt "
I'VE doubt very much whether any sta
superintendent has the power to interfc
In such n matter as this. II is not to Z
expected that ono or two State offtcit
, can control a language spoken by neal
two millions OF people. &8
Superintendent Carlisle having declir
I to take action, and desiring to give you
frs opportunity to act through the col
tcsy OF the State press ! hope to promps
reach YOU all and that you may rof
the present scholastic year clcse wfthc
? passing appropriate resolutions aud MALL
tltm To the rubishers. whose addresses
. here In given. II ia In your power to cree Z
the verb Instead Of using two words a
) saying "wipe out that example, Z
: dewey that example" Yours With mt I
respect. ]. s. Daugherty