The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-18

nofhe consumption at all.
Autumn Movement Of the Spelling
RefOrmers.
The approach of cooler weather seems
annually to inspire to fresh efforts those
we'll meaning individuals who would
purge the English language Of it's "pois-
onous influence upon our youth" arising
from the "monstrous and irrational or
biography existing. Why the fall and
winter seasons should be selected,
almost invariably, for a discussion Of
spelling reform we cannot imagine, I'M
less it be that the subject is one over
which its adherents are apt to wax very
warm in their deliberations.
Last winter. for example, several Of
the leading associations engaged in this
movement concentrated their forces in
different parts of the United States for
the purpose of inaugurating a deter
mined attack. The Modern Language
Association, assembled at Baltimore,
held two sessions in one day, formulated
plans for methodical action, and APP
pointed committee to assist in bring
ing about the notifications desired.
At about the same time, the Illinois State
Teachers Association met at Springfield,
Ill.,. and passed resolutions requiring all
OF it's officers to adopt and use the form
of spelling approved by the National
Educational Association. What seemed
to the teachers to be a matter of grave
importance was to ascertain the best
means of securing the introduction into
our textbooks and into the literature of
our schools and homes" OF the simplified
spelling recommended by the experts;
and to this end the association called
upon the American Pathological Associa-
ton and the Modern Language Asso-
citation for assistance.
Smaller bodies of spelling reformers
have recently sprung up here and there
throughout the country, and their recon-
mendations have received more or less
notice in the press Most of these newly
born organizations have become con-
spicuous chiefly because of their incon-
sistency. One set, for instance. advo-
Gates the abolition of all letters not
sounded in correct pronunciation. An
other set would eliminate only certain
letters and combinations and substitute
others for them; while still another
group maintains that people should be
allowed for time to spell about as they
please, the idea being that such course
would ultimately lead to natural solu-
ton of the problem
A correspondent of The Sun who is
evidently familiar with the scientific
alphabet of the philologists suggests
that it might be we'll to compel the use
of this alphabet in the public schools.
why not advocate the instruction of
scholars he says, beginning even in
the primary schools, in simple method
of writing shorthand based on the gen.
eral principle Of the approved alphabet?
Such an requirement would be of the
greatest benefit in after life, easily
learned and never forgotten. In other
words, orr correspondent would follow
the precedent of Supt ANDREWS Of
Chicago and teach reformed spelling,
and that only
The inadvisability of such course is
obvious for two reasons. In the first
place, the scientific alphabet, az it is
commonly understood. differs in several
vital respects from the phonetic alpha
bet, or that employed by photographers
In photography there is no such letter
as &C" and no such combination as "cw, I"
which in the scientific alphabet takes
the place Of "qu,' as in the word quick. 4"
Photography ignores. also, the scien-
tfc combination of "cs" and employs
instead "elss,' as in eccentric. And
there are other striking differences be-
tween the two systems which would be
apt to lead to confusion.
Besides, would it not be somewhat
dangerous experiment to teach the chill
dren of the present day to spell strictly
in accordance with either OF the modern
methods that Of the reformers or that
employed by Sir ISAAC PITMAN-in view
of the great uncertainty AZ to their gem
eral adoption in later years. While the
principles of phonetic shorthand writing
properly instlled into the scholars mind
might prove valuable to him at some
stage OF his career, it is very doubtful IL
they would benefit him materially dur
ing his school days. The old maxim that
a little knowledge is dangerous thing
is true as regards photography, and
there is reason to believe that it would
be equally true if applied to other phases
of spelling reform.
school Saving Banks.