Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-24
Much Interest Excited.


great deal of interest will undoubtedly
be excited when 1t becomes generally
known that President Roosevelt has fallen
In line with the views of the simplified
spelling board. of which Brander Mat
thews. professor of dramatic literature in
Columbia University. is president and
spokesman. and has ordered the public
printer to conform to the lists adopted by
the board in the preparation of public doc
uments. The question of a simplifcation
OF English spelling has been vexed one
for long time. The radical reformers de-
m2d that the language be turned topsy-
turVy and made perfect all at once, while
the other faction. represented by Mr.. Mat
thews and the board. want the work to
proceed step by step and with dignity. The
resident IRE has evidently fallen in line with
this faction. and the fact that he has done
80 Will probably meet with the approval
OF great majority of those interested in
English as she Is writ and spoke"
Many of the words already approved by
the simplihed spelling board-the list of 800
being printed below-are words which are
calculated to impress even the man who
has little time or inclina tin- to study the
subject as being cumbersome and even RI
diculous. But the English-speakingr race IS
essentially conservative and declines to he
driven too fast. Consequently when there
has been any radical proposition advanced
which contemplated great and Simultaneous
changes in accepted standards of spelling
but little sentiment could be found to back
up such proposition.
1t Is believed, however, that with the ex-
PLANTATION that the present list of 300 words
will gradually receive additions from time
to time under the supervision Of Prof. Mat
thews and other authorities. and that these
additions will be Incorporated in public doc
uments and in the Presidents personal and
official correspondence. the average person
will not conceive an instructive dislike for
the very mention of spelling reform.
No History Of photography.
Prof Matthews greatly regrets the fac.
that no scholar has yet written a full his
tory of English photography the record OF
the ever-shiftng spellings of our language.
He thinks this book would be useful in
many ways. and that 1t would reveal to
the doubling conservatives that they need
feel no veneration for certain of the most
fragrant absurdities of our current orthog-
raphy. as the worst of these he says, are
often comparatively recent, having no
sanction of antiquity.
There have been a number Of influences
working of late toward the goal of which
the Presidents order has undoubtedly
changed the perspective A number of
standard publications are using some-not
many In most instances-of the words pub
hShed below and approved by the simpltied
spelling board But every little helps and
the advocates of Intelligent reform will I'M
doubtedly be much encouraged by the Pres
tdents action and Its probable wholesome
results.
1t is interesting in this connection to note
that some ten years ago the Times-Repub-
lean OF Marshalltown Iowa, one of the
strongest papers in that state ADOPTED a
Hist OF some hundreds OF words approved
by the best spelling reform authorities OF
the day. and has consistently adhered to
that list ever since, adding to It, moreover
from time to time The Times Republican.
consequently. is probably the pioneer news
paper in this line. Prof. Matthews and his
colleagues oia the spelling board look to see
TRY toll
terest in the matter. and think that this
would do more good than anything else to
bring about an intelligent appreciation or
the merits OF the reform and an active CO.
operation on the part OF the people of the
country
In a paper entitled The Spelling Of Yes
terday and the Spelling of Tomorrow >"
Prof Matthews quotes a striking passa ge
from the most conservative of scholars M
Brunetiere. to the effect that Neither or
typography nor pronunciatiOn-which in all
the languages of the word. ancient and
modern has never been more than an ap-
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Immediately on the
caprice or on the will of men. They evolve
with us, under human influences generally
although no doubt there are physical in
fuences also; but even when we can disen-
gage these influences we can never have
more than a retrospective knowledge of
them. since they have about exhausted
their action when we have succeeded In de-
fntng II. And this is why the orthography
and the pronunciation of language change
more or less from century to century; this
Is also the reason why they can never he
reformed"
Prof. Matthews says the one comment
that needs to be appended to this Is OBJ
vious. Orthography cannot be reformed
Out of hand: but 1t can be bettered. And 1t
Is equally obvious. he says. that IL can be
bettered only by sustained and intelligent
effort.
Two Reformed Words.
The list OF 300 changed spellings ap-
proved by the simplihed spelling board and
made public on June IS last, is given be-
Low. 1t is this list that the public printer
has been instructed to follow and that will
be taken a basis to which additions will
officially be made from time to time The
list follows:
Abridgment. accounter, accurst acknowl-
edgment. addrest. adj. affixt, altho, anapest
aEemia. anesthesia, anesthetic. antipyrin
antitoxin. apothem. apprize arbor. arch
eeiogy, ardor. armor, artisan. assize ak
tnon har hal axri.Hr-