Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-03-12
FOR REFORM IN SPELLING
Plan Of the Board that Now Has the
Matter in Charge,
NO VIOLENCE TO CUSTOM is INTENDED
Prominent Educators, Editors and
writers on Board which win
Move ConservativcIy in
Its Novel work.

NEW YORK. March 11.-Announcement
was made today that an organization, !n-
GLIDING prominent men Of AFFAIRS as well as
leading men OF letters. has been formed to
urge the simplihcation OF English spelling.
This new body is called the Simplihed Spell
ing board. 1t will appeal to all who. for
educational OF practical reasons, wish TO
make English spelling easier to acquire.
Andrew Carnegie has generously under
taken to bear the expense OF the organiza-
ton. Mr.. Carnegie has long been convinced
that English might be made the world
language of the future, and thus one of the
influences leading TO universal peace, and
he believes that the chief obstacle to it's
speedy adoption is to be found in its con-
Trajectory and dif1icult spelling
The Simplined Spelling board contains
some thirty members. living in various
parts of the union. Some OF them are
authors OF wide reputation; some are pro-
fessed scholars connected with leading
universities; some are editors of the fore
most American dictionaries; some are men
distinguished in public life and some are
men of affairs, prominent in civil life. The
| membership is not yet complete, but it now
| includes Chancellor Andrews of the Uni
versity Of Nebraska, Justice Brewer Of
! the United States supreme court. President
| Butler OF Columbia university o. c.
Blackmer OF Chicago. Andrew Carnegie,
| S. l.. Clemens mark Twain, DR.. Melvil
Dewey. Dr. Isaac X. Funk, editor and
| publisher OF the Standard Dictionary:
Lyman J. Gage. ex-secretsry Of the treas
| ury; Richard Watson Glider editor OF
| the Century Magazine DR.. William IT,
| Harris, United States commissioner
| OF education and editor of Webster's
| International Dictionary; Prof. George
| Hempi Of the University of Michigan. Colo
mel Thomas Wentworth Hgginson, Henry
Holt Proc. William James OF Harvard.
President David Starr Jordan of Leland
Stanford university. Prof. Thomas r.
Lounsbury of Yale, Prof Francis A. March
of Lafayette, Prof Brander Matthews Of
Columbia, Judge Morrow of the United
States circuit court California; Dr. Ben
iamin e. Smith. editor. and DR. Charles
p. G. Scott, genealogical editor OF the Cen
fury Dictionary; President II. II. Seerley
of the Iowa State Normal school, Cedar
Falls; Colonel Charles f. Sprague. presi-
dent OF the Union Dime Savings institu-
ton; Prof. Calvin Thomas of Columbia
Mr.. f. o. Vale. lately editor OF Intelli-
gence; Dr. William Hayes Ward. editor OF
the Independent, and President Woodward
Of the Carnegie Institution OF Washington.
Occasion for the Board.
The establishment of the Simplifed Spell
ing board is the result of an effort made
within the last year to secure the use, by
men OF position, of certain simpliHed SPELL
ings adopted some years ago by the Ma
tional Educational association and now
used by several important publications
The response to this request was very cor
dial. Hundreds of signatures were received
!
forms in their personal correspondence
The members of the simplified Spelling
board believe that the time is now ripe
for forward movement. They have
learned the nature and the strength Of the
| opposition to be overcome They will not
advocate change merely for the sake of
change. They do not Intend to urge any
violent alteration in the appearance of IA
milisr words. They will not advance any
extreme theories. They will not expect to
accomplish their task In a day OF in a year
They are willing to make haste slowly, In
the expectation OF overcoming by degrees
the prejudice existing i'm favor of the pres
ent cumbersome photography. They wish,
in brief, TO expedite that process of sim
plihcation which has been going on in Eng
fish, in spite Of the opposition OF con-
servatives. ever since the invention OF
|
and useless letters. Not so long ago, al
manac was spelt almanack, and music was
musick. In the last few years technic
has been winning acceptance in place OF
technique, program has been substituting
itself for programme, oatalog for catalogue
and tho for though. These shorter forms
are already becoming familiar; they may
not as yet be approved by the majority
but they are no longer strange in the eyes
of the average reader, and they are found
in use in books by authors of repute and
in periodicals Of standing.
scope of Boards Activity.
The Simplifed Spelling board will moi
only lend its support to such simplincationi
by omission, but IT proposes also to arouse
a wider public interest in the general cues
ton OF English photography There lie
real need Of organized effort to max,
English a better instrument for che
hundreds OF millions who will have to us,
our language before the end OF the TWEEN
teth century. Although English is spread
ing more rapidly than any other tongue
Il has the most illogical spelling of any
: one OF the more important modern Ian
a guages.
: The board intends to urge individual,
everywhere to exercise the privilege 81
= simplifcation, and TO encourage othe
organizations which are working towar,
= the same end or have shown an interes
u i'm the cause.
The immediate activities of the Simpli
A fed Spelling board will be directed by al
=. executive committee chosen from the mem
l., bers residing in New York. An ONCE will
% be opened in New York TO serve head
q quarters for the work; and from this One
=. the campaign OF education will be con