A Spelling Book (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from A Spelling Book

After interest in a word has been aroused, the child's mind must be concentrated upon the peculiarity of its spelling and appealed to through all possible avenues, the eye, the ear, and the hand. So clear and strong should be the image formed that it becomes individual, even personal. For this reason, words included in this book have not been classified after the ace, mace, lace fashion, but have been purposely distributed so that each new word invites to fresh attack. There is no less authority for this mode of procedure than William T. Harris, who says that spelling lists should be arranged so as not to bring together a number of words of the same combination, and thereby paralyze the memory, as is too frequently the case in the lists given in spelling-books which, for example, collect in one lesson the words ending in tion, or tain, or ture, or ctous, etc., thus giving the pupil by the first word that is spelled a key to all that follow. In the first grade, however, there is a list of words containing the fundamental phonograms for ear training.

The words in the book have not been syllabicated for two reasons that the child's image of the new word may be a unit, and that he may master it more thoroughly by analyzing it for himself.

Especial attention is called to the exercises in construction which offer the child a larger practice in the ultimate use to which spelling is put that of composition. They are planned to correlate with the child's life at home and at school and to give him, as need arises, the spelling for particular words. (see index on pages xiii and xiv, also Suggestions to Teachers.) It is believed that in each case the lists of words will be found to include not only words requiring drill, but also words that will lead to a fuller life and a choicer diction.

It is certainly desirable for a child to associate modest demeanor, self-control, and august presence with Washington; patience.

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