The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-12-06

ago or by any devices OF the newest
new education; for it is inherent in
that which Lord Lytton called, aptly
enough, our accursed spelling.
Here is condition which Is no
joke and win not relieve itself In the
lapse of time. 1t cries aloud to US to
do something If possible; to use our
best wit and get together If we can,
even in the process we must abrade
somewhat the sharp angles OF per-
sonal prejudice.
How heavy is the burden, as mat
ter Of sober fact? To this question
1t is difficult to give strictly scien'
tific answer, because there is no per-
fectly satisfactory way Of attacking
the problem. Literature teens with
estimates and computations of the
time and money wasted in one way
and another because of our peculiar
spelling; but from the nature OF the
case they can only be roughly ap-
proximative. Speaking broadly, It
appears that children receive more or
less systematic instruction in spelling
thruout the primary grades, that Is
for eight years. 1t now we suppose
that they pursued the average five
subjects simultaneously, and tina.
spelling receives equal attention win
the others, we get one and three-fifths
years as the amount of solid school
time devoted to this requirement.
This, however, does not tell the whole
story; for many begin the struggle
before they enter school, many con-
tinue to need instruction in the high
school and even in college, and not Q
few walk thru life with an ortho-
graphic lamenes which calses them to
suffer in comfort and reputation.
Probably two years and half would
be nearer the mark as gross esti-
mate Of the average time consumed
in learning to spell more or less
accurately.
We have now to ask, How much OF
this time Is wasted? How much must
we deduct for the reasonable re-
quirements of the case? Jealous re
formers often assume that 1t is prac.
tically all wasted. They tell us that
If we had a proper system Of spelling
the acquisition of the art in child
hood would take care of itself after
a little elementary instruction. This
may be so, but we have no means OF
proving positively that 1t is so. II
any people in the yorld had an idea
system of spelling, we might go t.
them and find out how long it take:
their children to learn spelling. Blu
there is no such people; and so we
are forced back upon such rough ant
general tatements-perfectly true In
themselves-as that German ant
Italian children learn to spell much
more easily and quickly than do oul
own children. Meantime, 1t 4:
hardly fair to take as one term o.
comparison an ideal condition which
never existed and never will exist
An alphabet must always be rough
instrument of practical convenience
Very certainly our posterity will
never adopt any thoro-going system
of phonetic spelling. Nothing is go
ing to be changed per saltum. The
most we can hope for is a gradua
improvement, accelerated perhaps b!
wisely directed effort. This mean'
that spelling will always have to b.
learned and taught, and that consid
cradle time will have to be devote(
to 1t.
On the other hand, keeping strictl.
within the limits Of the practicable, II
view Of what other peoples no les
conservative than ourselves have &C
tually done, I think it reasonable Il
calculate that we might save, not ii
year or decade, but in the laps
of two or three generations, say hal
of the time now consumed in lear1in:
to spell. Certainly we might save ;
year; and that is much when we con
slider the indefinite future of fou
score million people. Here is an ar
gument in the presence of which tn,
delicate emotions of the literary ex
quisite who is panied by change 0
spelling do not seem to be prod
giously important.
i And then 1t must be remembered
that the loss of time constitutes I.
no means the whole of the Indictment