The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-20
THEY CAN'T SPELL
Pupils in High and Grade
Schools Fail.
Simple Words Too Difficult for
Topeka Students.
FEW PERFECT GRADES
High School Showing Poorer
Than in Grades.
List of 100 Words Shows Some
thing Is Wrong.
FEW PERFECT GRADES

Has spelling become a lost art? The
question is one that has been pulling
the school authorities in Topeka for
some time. And is the modern method
OF teaching the youth to spell inferior
to the good old fashioned spelling
bee system?
In order to ascertain the facts in the
case and to stimulate interest in spell
erg in thu schools. SUI erirtendent c.
Q. Starr made a list of 100 ordinary
words which he took from the fourth
reader in use in Kansas. Then an
"edict" was issued from headquarters
requiring every teacher in Topeka
handling pupils from the fourth to the
eighth grades to test their ability to
spell the words included in the list
While the reports are not by any
means all in, the result thus far re-
corded is most interesting. 1t covers
a broader scope than was at first in
tended by Superintendent Starr. for
when Principal A. J. Stout of the high
F., school heard of the move on the part
OF the chief executive he requested
permission to give the test to all stu
dents studying English in the high /
school. He wanted to prove conVlnc-
ingly that the new course in word an
alysis=a polite term for spelling
which will be offered to third ana !
fourth year students next term, is some
thing that should have been instituted
long ago.
How the Students Spell.
The reports that are in show that |
the pupils in the fourth grade spelled |
an average Of So Of the 100 words cor
rectly; those in the eighth grade W 4.
words and the high school seniors 20
The highest average in the grades
was 81, maintained by the elgnth
grade of the Lincoln school, but the
r.. r1f4 has
the poorest showing-44 words II T
must be remembered, however, that
there are many schools vet to be heard
from.
In the Garfield school two pupils in
the 7-B grade did not misspell a word:
and one pupil in the eighth grace OF
the same school was given a grade OF
100 per cent in the test In the Gay
school there was one perfect record,
one in the Harrison school and one III
the Lincoln school. other scnools IN
doubtedly did as well, but these tls-
ures are mentioned to show the Grass
of work that was done by lndlNlduai
pupils ~ 7,.
in some instances the words that were
spelled correctly We're the rare excep
ton. and evLE in the high school there
we're DaDers turned in by pupils that
are no c~edit 10 the Local Sc 1901 \
tenn However. there were 15@rfapS y
dozen studt hts who we're cre1i7so Win
nerfect grades In the senior class
was there an especially good showing
made.
Sub-F'reshmen Showing Poor
The sub-freshmen did not make as
Good a showing as the pupils IN the
eighth grade. but the freshmen aver
aged 90 correctly spelled words one
az +ha DOOrest papers was gwen
grade of 64-that is. but slightly more
than half of the words were correctlS
spelled This was the work OF SUP
sophomore girl - .,,i.1, /
Following is the manner IN NhlcH
she fell down on few of the common
words. sisers for scissors; charrles
for cherries. greatful for grateful. Ie-
tfgtte for fatigue; snales Tor shdlis, run i |
foI. rinds busnus for business; nero
for lizard: lilies for lilies, and aa LOT
DO you expect to require the poor
speIIars TO take the new course In spell
go, US asked of Principal Stout
.s\o but vol, can see why l wanted
rhe new course establisneu- VS.
smelling wera compulsory rms vera te7L
1,-as Intended for the grades. put L
20 tl,af Ia like to see is the high
school students had forgotten how 70
spell"
Disaraceful Showing Made.
NJ. stout gave this explanation as
he laid down one of the poorest sheets
In the bunch he had IN his hand
r7he tendency in the test was to trans
llose lie and ei combinations bu there
were certain words that gave particular |
trouble. Words repeatedly mispelleG I
We're: Descend. crystal. grateful. bust |
ness. lilies. ebbing. lizard, canvas. in |
nocence. snails. fatigue and rind.
Here were some incorrect methods of |
NspeIling: REJOICING. field. ching. bus |
ness. crystls greatful ieaSure, geusts, |
snalls for srails. lizard.
It is the intention of superintendent |
Starr to send out similar tests from /
time to time 1T viii stimulate inter- |
est in spelling. said he today.
Following Is the list Of 100 words that
gave 50 much trouble:
Rejoicing. field, pleasure. leave. rough !
thread, guests frightened. innocence. |
perceived. gratful cheek, wrong. can |
vas business. skies. ebbing, fright |
float, breeze. lilies. lizard. cooling, |
breathing. explain LAID, nCighbors. sur |
prise, leisure, sight. anXiC,ss. laughirg
trousers, shrewd. either. varor- running
picture. Sar-et, crystal descend pieces. |
shrek. relief. stretched, rind. seized |
peaches. fowls, pretty. fern. hedge
chirp. reign, snails. canoe. famed half |
carriage. search. stiffen. threw. scissors |
again, vague, bosom. mirth. ladders |
claw, chief, fue. piano. shovel. knelt |
iron, conbed, choose, moaneu, wreck !