The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-10-11
SPELLING REFORM.
Article from the Pen Of J. B. Holland For
mer County Supi. of Blair County.

The opponents of the proposed
slmplihed photography seem to
labor under misapprehensions in
regard 20 the subject Let it be
clearly understood just here and
now that the simplification of orth
Ography does not necessarily
mean phonetic spelling. A revis-
ed orthography is one thing and
a purely phonetic system is an-
other. Herein is where many of
our adversaries are making a
grave mistake. IL is proposed
merely to simplify our spelling
by expunging all silent and un.
necessary letters, and thereby
gradually to approximate more
nearly to phonetic system, so
that in the fullness of time the
transition from the present or
typography to the phonetic can be
made without difficulty or serious
objection.
Our English alphabet was not
intended to be phonetic, nor can
it possibly be so employed, ex-
cept to a very limited extent, for
the reason that we have only TWEEN
ty.slx letters in our alphabet,
three Ct which &c, q and Ky are re.
dundant, to represent at least for.
ty one sounds in the English lau-
guage. While purely phonetic
alphabet, such as the phonograph-
ic or stenographic, must of neces.
sity contain as many letters or
characters as there are element.
ary sounds IN the language. But
this, as already intimated, Is not
the present purpose or design of
the proposed simpEfied spelling.
AS TO the necessity for many rad
ical changes in our barbarous
photography, there ought not to
lie any question, as no intelligent
person can fail to observe the ir-
regularity, the absurdity and
whimsical caprice IN our venerat-
ed English photography. The
wonder, however, is not so great
when the origin of our language
IS fully considered. 1t is mat
ter of history that our alphabet
has been traced to the Phoenlcian
alphabet, of which, says compet-
ent authority, "the Hebrew is a
type, which was modified to ex-
press the sounds of tn Greek lam
guage, and thus became the Greek
alphabet, which, III turn, was mod
tied to express the sounds of the
Latin language, and thus became
the Roman alphabet, which was
modified TO express the sounds of
the Anglo Saxon language, and
thus became the Anglo-Saxon al
pnabet, which then was modified
To express the sounds of the Eng
llsh language, and thus became
the English alpha bet, with all It's
defects. " Our letters do not cor
respond with our articulatlons
aud our spelling of words, says
Rev. DR.. Wheedon, cannot be
matched for irregularlty and
whimslca caprice. While the
writer is au ardent advocate,
not only of the simplitied spelling
but of a purely phonetic system,
IN Its entil ETY., he has never favor
ed a sudden transition from the
common spelling to phonetic
system, nor has he, while labor
ing along educational lines, ever
fallen in with "every wind of doc
trine," or endorsed any of the
many fads and crankisms in mat
ters OF education which have been
thrust upon the people and into
our schools.
But tins spelling reform move.
inent is no fad, but dates back to
lhe days of Benjam,n Franklin,
and is to day supported by every
stenographerin the civilized won Id
and by hosts of the most eminent
educators of the present day, as
we'll as of macy past generations.
LII should be remem bered that
facts, philosophy, sound reason.
ing and common sense are not
iads. 1t may not be known to
some of the ree ders of this article
that IN the fourteenth century,
plow was spelled "plowghe. y