Evening star., 1936-04-29
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
NOAH WEBSTER, schoolmaster to
America. BY Harry r. Warfel. New
York: The Macmillan Co
By Margaret Cermond.

York: The Macmillan Co.
Not the least of the great Nation
builders Of America whose genius was
rewarded with the contempt and belittle-
ment of contemporaries and whose fame
has been too long neglected by historians
and biographers is Noah Webster Even
today his name fails to register with
thousands of those who depend daily
upon the results of his indefatigable
labor for the accomplishment of their
own endeavors in the allotment Of the
tasks imposed by civilization upon the
human race. For besides suffering the
derision Of his contemporaries. he also
became the victim of a confusion Of
his name with that of another great
American to whom he was not related.
No kinShip existed between Noah Web
ster and the renowned statesman and
orator, yet by actual count during the
recent popularity of the game Of ques-
tionS and answers, thirty-three out of
every thirty seven people were surprised
to learn that Daniel Webster was not the
author OF WebSter's Dictionary.
y X
The writing of this comparatively brief
biography of Noah Webster was inspired
by realization of the appalling dearth
of published material-needed in the
compilation of history of nationalism
in American Notwithstanding the
achievements of one of the most YER
satile men of his era In the variety of
his interests, his knowledge and his con-
tributions to the utilitarian as well as
the cultural development of the Nation
Noah Webster ranks close to Benjamin
Franklin. Just why he should have been
denied a place Of honor in the hall of
fame is matter about which the present
generation may well wonder. One
answer may be that the age that pro-
duced him was an age of sensations
as revolutionary in proportion to the
advancement of the period as are those
which mark the progress Of the present
century, and mankind is prone to reward
the sensational and to neglect the more
prosaic fundamentals upon which the
sound physical. cultural and spiritual
development of the race depends.
Belief in a policy of broad education
for the masses was the actuating motive
behind every project in which Noah Web
Ster engaged. He rightly conceived the
strength of democracy to be only as sig
nificant as the intelligence of the masses
who supported it. And to the develop
hension of the physical, political and
cultural demands Of growing nation he
devoted his life. He was, in fact, the
first to profess a profound belief in
American nationalism, and to demand
language and system Of education con-
Sistent with the needs of a true de-
mocracy. Economics, religion, public
health and education were, he believed,
uyhi f,y1I knn 1ad
vital to the survival of the American
experiment ir.s government. He wrote
countless papers and books on these sub
jects taught them and preached them
and meanwhile engaged in numerous
other constructive activities out Of which
grew many of the fundamental prin-
ciples that are now incorporated in the
laws of the land.
Reading Mr.. Warfel's book brings to
mind an experience Of some time ago
with young hopeful whose belief in his
own wisdom far exceeded his knowledge
He undertook to read Shakespeare just
to be able to admit that he was familiar
with the works of the famous playwright.
He was amazed when he learned that
many of the phrases and expressions
which he had heard and used since
his conversational days began were those
Of the bard Of Avon. Equally as many
amazing discoveries await the reader Of
this life of Noah Webster. Few Amer
leans are aware of how much his work
contributed to the success of the Con-
stitutional Convention. There are per-
haps even fewer who know that he was
the author of the first important Amer
ican revised version Of the Scriptures.
| and that he wrote the first history of
| epidemic diseases. He also originated
the institution of American copyright.
And it must not be forgotten that he
became the first literary critic of Amer
lea to receive noteworthy recognition.
Few men of his day-or any other,
| in truth-worked harder or more
| ardently than Noah Webster. AS school,
| master. educator, politician, writer and
campaigner for the rights Of the people
and the creation Of sound democracy,
his judgment and logic were invaluable.
1t was on his SEVENTEEN birthday ami
versary that the enormous task Of COM
piling the first great work in Americas
foundation for scholarship was complet-
ed. OF this achievement, in a brief pro-
logue Mr.. Warfel writes:
"On his SEVENTEEN birthday anniver-
sary. October 16, 1928, Noah Webster lifted
his eyes from the last proof sheet of the
scholarly introduction to his dictionary.
Slowly he wiped the ink from the quill,
laid it down, and methodically capped
the inkwell. His moist eyes blinked. He
turned to his wife and colleague, caught
her hands. Together they knelt by the
desk and prayed tremblingly in giving
thanks to God for His providence in
sustaining them through their long
labor. Since June 4, 1900, when the
project was first publicly announced,
Webster had dandled his book on his
knee to the tune of a public lullaby Of
jeers, insults and Misrepresentation
Every opprobrious epithet in the vo-
cabularies of calumny and abuse had
been showered upon him. Undeterred
by it, he had completed, single-handed,
Americas first monumental work Of
scholarship. An American Dictionary of
the English Language was Immediately
acclaimed, in England and Germany as
we'll as in America, the best work of its
kind ever prepared"
In recounting the life of this remark
able man the author has delved deep
into the private papers, letters, docu-
ments and available library material for
the bone and fiber of his subject.
Political, economic, educational and lit
erary history pass in review, with many
highly entertaining-in the light of
present-day knowledge and apprecia-
r Al.