The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-24
REFORM IN SPELLING
RADICAL RECOMMENDATION BY
COMMITTEE OF EDUCATORS.
Would Teach the Young to Drop "e's'
on End of Some Words, Substitute
"f" for "ph'' and "gh," ETC., Etc.

COLUMBUS, o., Feb. 23.-Attendance and
interest continued unabated to-day in the
meetings of the various educational a~ssocia-
tions here. All the hotels were crowded to
their capacity, and the attendance from out
of the State was estimated at over 1000,
while Ohio furnished about 1900 more. The
last days session of the department of SUI
perintendence was opened by an address on
9TH implications and Applications of the
Principle Of Self-activity in Education" by
Prof. Arnold Tompkins. Of Champaign. III.
The paper was replete with helpful sugges-
lions, although largely Of a technical nature.
The discussion that followed was led by L.
H. Jones, superintendent Of the public
schools of Cleveland. The next paper was
ITO What Extent Should a High School
Pupil be Allowed to Elect His Work" by
w. L. Steele, of Galesburg, III. T. j. Mer-
riIl, superintendent Of the public schools of
Cedar Falls, opened the general discussion,
which was quite spirited and occupied con-
siderable time, although all speakers were
restricted to five minutes
The report of the committee on sanitation
and hygiene, which was appointed at Chat
tanooga last year, was made by Hon. w. T..
Harris. United States commissioner Of edu-
| cation. 1t contained many important sug-
g~estions.
The election of officers resulted as fol-
lows: President, A. S. Downing, superin-
tendent Of normal schools, New York city;
first vice president, G.. r. eileen, superin-
tendent of public schools, Atlanta, Ga; sec
ond vice president, James Hawa. superin-
tendent of public schools, Columbus, O.;
| secretary, C. NJ. Jourdan, superintendent Of
| public schools, Minneapolis. Chicago was
Il 0hoGeu oS the nlaCG of next meeting.
This afternoon the following paper was
read: 9TH Director as a Factor in Educa-
ton Superintendent Samuel Hamilton,
Braddock, Pa; discussion led by j. r. Trot-
ter, Charleston, w. Va. The reading of re-
ports on various matters consumed the re-
matnder of the time. The Educational Press
Association also held a session during the
afternoon. Matters of interest to its line
were considered.
ents in the afternoon Samuel Hamilton, of
Braddock, Pa, superintendent or puplc
director as a factor in education; c. U.
Pearce, of Omaha, Neb., presented the re-
port of the committee on uniform financial
reports, and r. K. Buehrle, of Lancaster,
Pa, presented the report Of the committee
on spelling reform. The report of the latter
committee is regarded as of special impor-
lance. It recommends that In all the pub
lished proceedings of this department the
recommendation Of the American and the
British pathological ASSOCIATIONS be adopted
at once, so far as said recommendation re-
fers to the dropping of the final "e' in
words In which II does not serve to lengthen
the preceding vowel, but rather tends to
mislead the learner; thus spell hav, Civ, ar,
bad verb, de1nit, derivativ, amiabl, etc;
and to the substitution of 'f' for ph and gh
where these digrafs represent the sound of
#" thus spell geografy, fantasm and enuf,
and to the dropping Of gh in all words in
which this diagraf is silent; thus spell thot,
bou (bough), nj (nigh), etc. That in all
words in which the amended spelling rec
omended by said associations Is in accord
ance with the etymology of the word It be
adopted in the published proceedings of this
sithe, hole (entire), Hand and gastly. etc.
That the publishers Of dictionaries be re-
quested to extend recognition to these
changes by inserting these spellings with
those now recognized in the body of all die
tionaries published or revised hereafter, and
that authors and publishers of schoolbooks
be requested to use only the amended form
of spelling in such publications after the 4th
of July, 1900. and that all literature intended
for use and circulation in the East and
West Indies, especially the schoolbooks to
be Used there be published with the amended
spellings recommended by the associations
mentioned above. That a standing commit
tee of five member of this department be
mote by every means in their power the
amendment and simplification of English
photography, and to make a report 10 this
department annually. The report goes over
to the next annual meeting.
AT the meeting OF state boards Of educa-
ton about two hundred were present. NJ. G.
Shaffer. state superintendent Of Pennsyl-
vania, made an address.
The three days programme was concluded
Tonight by the address OF DIR. T.. G. Men
denhall, president of Worcester Mass)
Polytechnic Institute. in the chapel Of the
| Ohio University on the subject, Some Neg
| lected Factors ana Forgotten Facts" The
: address was followed by a public reception.