Spelling Reform
the purpose of which is to simplify spelling by the elimination of meaningless letters. In 1898 the American National Education Association adopted twelve words for simplification in spelling: spelling: program, tho, altho, thoro, thorofare, thru, thruout, catalog, prolog, decalog, demagog, and pedagog. In 1906 there was organized in New York the Simplified Spelling Board, headed by Prof. Brander Matthews and amply subsidized by Andrew Carnegie. This body drew up a plan for a revision of English spelling of a far more sweeping nature. The following are the chief changes recommended: (a) The use of e instead of the diagraph æ, except at the end of a word; as in medieval, for mediæval. (b) The elimination of the silent b before t, as dout for doubt. (c) The use of e instead of ea in words having the short e sound; hed for head, welth for wealth. (d) The elimination of the final gh when it is silent, as in thru for through, or tho for though; and the substitution of f in such words as laf for laugh. (e) The substitution of er for re in such words as theatre and centre. (f) The omission of the silent g and the silent k before n, as in nome for gnome, or naw for gnaw; and nife for knife. (g) The substitution of f for ph when the latter is pronounced like f, as in fenomena for phenomena; or sfere for sphere.
A strong campaign was begun after the above plan was agreed upon to persuade newspaper editors throughout the country to lead the way in educating the people in the new idea. Special field agents were maintained, who spent their whole time traveling to interview local editors and school boards and to lecture before civic bodies. Some important publications have supported the movement, in part if not entirely, notably "The Outlook" and "The Literary Digest." Thousands of local newspapers also indicate in their columns their conversion to the idea. Undoubtedly there is sound logic on the side of the advocates of spelling reform, but the sentiment of the people for old forms seems inclined to give way before reason very slowly. This was well illustrated in the effort of Theodore Roosevelt to popularize simplified spelling in 1906. Being then President, Mr. Roosevelt issued an order instructing the public printer to adopt the simplified spelling in all docu- SPELLING REFORM