The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-04

The reformed spelling introduced byI
Thu Journal two weeks ago Is
warmly approved by all classes Of readers.
Not one Of the many persons questioned |
this week is dissatisfied with the change
lAll agree that the reform is logical, prac- I
teal, beneficial and in the light of mod
ern methods. even necessary. Educators
are specially emphatic In commencing |
The Journals step forward. Expressions |
of approval are not confined to Mime
apolis.
II must admit" said President Cyrus
Northrop of the state university, It's
distasteful to me to see through spelled !
thru. That is dislike it practically, |
tho approve it theoretically. There can
be no reasonable objection to the change.
On the other hand there are many power
full arguments in support of this attempt
to make English spelling simpler and more
logical. The National Educational asso-
citation has approved the reform on excel
lent grounds. Several important Ameri-
can newspapers and periodicals. Including
The ourn a |, have put the reform into
practical operation. STILL with most peo-
pie as with myself. it's hard to get &C
customed to the peculiar look Of the inn
proved words. But that's no reason what
ever for abandoning the attempt. Keep 1t
up. say. You have good sense and schol-
arskA on your side Only habit and ira
ditiolA are against YOU"
E. j. Phelps also confessed that he was
shocked by the sight of thru tho he
could view program without emotion.
Eve got accustomed to the old spelling,
that's ALL said Mr.. Phelps. II heard
young woman protesting about The Jour
nails dreadful spelling and l asked her
to let me suppose case. Well, then.
s'pose along she answered. Suppose I
said, that you lived in Ruritania and
weren't up on English spelling. And sup
pose that some one should pronounce the
word through for you and ask whether
he should spell it Through or thru.
Would you say Through? Would
You add three extra letters that have no
sound at all. like spelling "cat" cat
,x-r-l?' No. Of course 1 wouldn't she said,
but thru is simply horrid, just the
same!
That's it. The changed words do look
unpleasant. But they probably look just
rs agreeable as favour and HON
OUR looked when American publishers
first began to omit the U that Is still re-
tanned In England, or just as pleasant as
all English books appeared in the eigh-
tteenth century when the F-like SIS were
lchanged to their present form.
I'm convinced that The jour
nails program is correct. In fact, I
have been in the habit myself Of using a
similar plan of spelling. That is, have
left out unnecessary letters. In my own
letters 1 have often spelled thought
'thot.' because it seemed more reasonable.
1T lie Journal is in very respecta-
BILE company. I've seen the same new
spelling in the Literary Digest and in sew
eral prominent New York publications
It's only a question Of time when people
will feel ashamed to use old-fashioned
'throughs' and Thoughts --. -
Very Sensible.
Its very sensible, this new spelling
sal pr oh Of
trail high school. II certainly approve Of
it. It's a step in the right direction, 8
logical. becoming improvement that we
shall have to extend to other words be-
fore many years"
well. it does look funny replied Sec
rotary Philip Carlin Of the Building Trade:
Council i've seen those words il
The journal occasionally, but
thought they must be mistakes. But nov
that you speak of it, I must say that GU
English spelling can stand a little I'm
iprovement Why should school children
spend so many hours and days and week
learning to add unnecessary letters, JUS
because those letters were added hun
'dred years ago? If these extra letter
meant anything. If they had any bear
ing on the sound or the meaning Of tn
words, they should be allowed to stay
takes a reasonable view. Somebody ha
to begin. Why not the newspapers"
Dr. c.. M. Jordan, superintendent Of tn
city schools was almost enthusiastic
his commentator of the change. It's
necessary REFORM he said, "a practice
and logical reform. We might say,
course, that it does not go far enough
that there are other words that are spe
as irrationally as through Is, or though
or programmed But in reckoning wit
established custom, no reform can T
pushed too far in the beginning. TT
,Ia ~
an adequate basis for additional changt
from time to time after the public ne
assimiated the first changes. The new!
lpaper is the proper medium for such refo
imatons; it brings the printed langua@
sIclosest to the general public.
Yes, l approve of the changes, sa
Principal w. w. Hobbs of the North Sit
high school, tho I don't like the bizar
appearance of the reformed words Whe
they get into print. Nevertheless tt
changes should be made. There's eve
III adopt this new spelling is evidenced by Il
of Importance for sticking to the trad
tional forms. But do think that al
reform can be pushed too far We shou
wait till we get thoroly accustomed to
few changed spellngs before we try
alter another word
Time Saving Important.
A. G. cambridge, business agent Of t
II
that gradual reform Of English spelli
would save an immense amount of tin
a not only in schools but in the CONNIE
cial world "Only think how long 1t tax
a young child to spell out a short lett
even after the child can spell very w
by sound. If our language were spell
as it is pronounced. as German Is !
t6 example, this child would be able to WI
almost as rapidly as he could form
letters. And after all this effort q
loss of time few children spell correc
until they are nearly grown. Many
business man. many a man with 4
education, gets stuck for word eve
little while in writing letters or recor
Then he has to take the time to lo
the word up. Nine cases out OF ten
is one of those words with unnecesss
letters, the very words that T h 9 J Q u
n al is trying to straighten out"
w. F. Webster, principal of the ID
Side high school, and A. N. Ozias prin
pal of the South Side high school, W
also of opinion that the reformed spell
would bring about a desirable impro
s ment. It haven't any personal inter
in the matter Mr.. Webster confess
t.but the reform was bound to come sol
a err or later. 1t might as well come nj
If 1 were not talking to the public
should quote the Florodora girl who W
bles. We have to love somebody, and
might as we'll be your
The following are expressions Of
@ prevail addressed to The Journ
~ ~, .co,, gaf4 =.