Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-25
ST|LuNGS ENTHUSES
Tells the President He's for
Spelling Reform.
TO CHANGE STYLE MANUAL
Public Printers Letter Sent to Bran
der Matthews.
OFFICIAL WASHINGTON GLAD
Commissioner Of Education Talks of
the Change-Assistant p. N. G..
Hitchcock Joins In.
TO CHANGE STYLE MANUAL
OFFICIAL WASHINGTON GLAD

OYSTER BAY, N. Y, August 25-Public
Printer Stillings responded to the Presi-
dents phonetic spelling order in a letter OF
hearty Endorsement. received here today.
Mr.. Strings says he has no doubt that
every department of the government having
printing done in the government printing
office will speedily adopt the simplifed
| spelling system.
| Mr.. Stillings has appointed a commission
| to revise the manual OF style" OF the big
| printery and says the 800 words which
have been reformed" will be Included In
the new manual. His letter will be sent to
| Prof. Brander Matthews. chairman of the
| Carnegie committee.
Official washington-alI that is left of it
| after the midsummer exodus to seashore
| and mountainside-is busy talking about
| the Presidents order to Public Printer
| Stillings that the Carnegie method of sim
plified spelling be followed hereafter in ex-
| ecutive documents.
The reason for the general excitement
| for it may rightly be characterized as
| such--in the government departments. as
| a result of the Presidents announcement
yesterday, seems to be based upon the as
/ sumption that the members of the cabinet
| will follow Mr.. Roosevet's example in this
matter. as they are accustomed to do In
! others
What Will They Dop
Just what the attitude of the cabinet
officers will be cannot be learned here at
this time. since these gentlemen are all
away from town. But in every case where
a subordinate has been queried on the SUBJ
| ject complete approval OF the Presidents
action has been voiced.
A representative of The Star called to
see Commissioner of Education Elmer Els
worth Brown the first thing this morning
and asked him what he thought OF the
Presidents order and its probable results.
DR.. Brown Is very well informed on the
history of phonetic spelling, not only in
this country but abroad. He said the ac-
ton of the President in giving official sane
ton to the reform movement is not with
out precedent, since the German govern
ment sanctioned a number of spelling re-
forms some fifteen or twenty years ago
and was instrumental in bringing them Into
general use
Reform in spelling is as old as the hills.
DR.. Brown intimated, and he said that In
the English language movements have been
in progress for an indefinite period to
bring about simplifcations.
DR.. Brown told how Noah Webster made
an attempt to simplify and at the same
time to Americanize the English used in
this country in the compiling of his die
tionary. away back when the republic was
in it's infancy. Such reforms as the drop
ping of the superfiuous 49, in honour"
and favour" and the changing of the
spelling OF plough" to pillow were first
introduced by Webster. and today they
have come to be distinctive Americanisms.
Webster likewise attempted to introduce
permanent other changes and was not so
successful. - -
The Commissioners Views.
These cases were cited by the commits
sioner of education to show that there is
nothing new in the movement.
Various and persistent movements to-
ward spelling reform finally eliminated in
the creation of the Carnegie fund" said
DIR. Brown. but even before this teach
ers' associations of the middle wc,tern
states had been advocating the adoption of
a number Of simplified spelngs and the
National Education Association had adopt
ed about ten new spellings. such as tho
and thoroly' and was using them contin-
ually in its publications. The matter was
discussed at length at the last session Of
the association and general approval given
the idea"
The commissioner was asked for his
personal views
1.-The change is inevitable" he said. "The
action of the President will simply hasten
1t and the efforts of the Carnegie board
tend to systematic the work"
DR.. Brown thought that IL the news
papers would adopt the suggested reforms
ing would be taken. An interesting phase
of the question which he brought out was
the certainty Of a great liberty of choice
as soon as the reform begins TO take firm
hold on the people.
mo one can say that the old method is
wrong" he said, and likewise It will be
impossible to accuse the user OF the new
method of ignorance. Differences of opin-
| ion will even arise as to the best phonetic
method Of spelling a given word and who
| can say which will be right?,
| asked for his opinion on the Presidents or
der was Acting Postmaster General Hitch
cock He Is interested IN the plan. pus
says he has not made study OF II ana
does not feel qualified to express an au-
thoritative opinion.
but If such men as President Roosevelt
and the foremost scholars of the DAY Ai,,
prove 1t / see no reason why we snouio
not have 1t as soon as possible" he SAD
The President could scarcely aaye
thought of thing In the way of reform
intimately as individuals as the new spell
ing reform. In this country practically
everybody is able to read or write. ana
most of them try to conform to the estdo-
lished methods of spelling words. As
consequence of this condition the good
folks everywhere are discussing today Win
deep interest the new order from oyster
Bay,
reform and the conservatives are saying
that it can never. or at least should never,
be. But 1t appears to be the consensus OF
opinion that a majority of people VIII move
slowly but surely toward the goal OF the
reformers.
Adopted at District Building.
That the new style spelling will have an
effect in official communications emanating
from the District building was evidenced
this morning when Commissioner Macfar-
land said:
PERSONALLY. have always believed In
the reform of our spelling. and have used
to some extent the reformed words in my
private correspondence. Now that the Pres
ident has set an ofiicial example. 1 think
should be followed by the District gov
eminent, even though 1t Is q separate mu-
nicipal corporation and not part of the ma
tional executive government. Besides. In
our correspondence with the national ex-
ecutiye government we should have har-
mony in spelling. Therefore. / snail move
that the Commissioners direct the use of
the reformed spelling In the three hundred
words as approved by the President in the
District correspondence and publications.
Mr.. Macfarland pointed out that number
of the words in the list were already in
common use.