INTRODUCTION.

The following suggestions regarding the study of spelling and the manner of using this book are offered, with the hope that they may make the subject more interesting and the book more useful.

Spelling Blanks.-The lessons should be written in books prepared for the purpose, with blank spaces for rewriting all misspelled words. A convenient form of book is one made with twenty-five lines on a page. A lesson may then be written on the left side of two opposite pages, leaving the right side of each page blank for corrections. The misspelled words can then be rewritten directly opposite where they were first written. It is important that great care should be taken in making corrections, and misspelled words should not only be written correctly, opposite where they were first written, but should also all be written in one place, under the heading “ Misspelled Words."

Definitions. An accurate understanding of the meaning of words, and the ability to use the right word readily at all times, is one of the rarest of accomplishments. To assist in attaining this desirable end, it is evident that, advanced pupils at least, should study not only the spelling or forms of words, but also the words themselves, their real significance and application. It is certainly an absurd waste of time and labor

for advanced pupils to study the spelling of words, without having any knowledge of their meaning or use.

The use made of the definitions on the following pages will, of necessity, vary in different schools, but the importance of understanding the meaning of every word in the lesson should be impressed on the mind of the pupil.

Pronunciation.—Another very important branch of the study of words is pronunciation. Many words are misunderstood, misapplied and misspelled through a lack of a knowledge of their proper pronunciation.

It has not been thought necessary to indicate the pronunciation of every word, further than the accent, but all words liable to be mispronounced are respelled phonetically or with marked vowels. The explanations on page 8 should be carefully studied, and oral lessons on the subject of pronunciation should be given by the teacher, with explanations and blackboard illustrations of accent marks and marked vowels, till every pupil can tell by the phonetic spelling and marked letters how to pronounce the words. Pupils should be instructed to observe carefully the pronunciation of every word in studying the lesson. A good method to increase the interest in the subject is to call on one or more of the class each day to pronounce the difficult words in the next advance lesson. Particular care should be taken that the words be pronounced correctly in giving the lesson.

Capital Letters.—The words in the body of the book are printed beginning with capital letters solely for the typographical appearance. In writing the exercises, all words should be begun with small letters, except the lessons on proper nouns and adjectives.

The rules for the use of capital letters should be thoroughly learned by every pupil.

Corrections.—The saying that, He who never makes a mistake the second time never makes a mistake, is particularly applicable to the subject of spelling; for one who makes it a rule never to misspell a word but once, will soon never misspell a word.

Even the poorest spellers do not misspell every difficult word, but usually only a certain limited class of words; and the chief end and aim of spelling exercises should be the permanent correction of these errors. Whatever methods of correcting the lessons are used, the rewriting of all misspelled words at least twice, once directly opposite where they were first written, and again all together as before mentioned, should be insisted upon. It is well to vary the method of making corrections. Pupils may be allowed to correct their work directly from the textbook, or exchange books and correct each other's work, checking the words misspelled. Another method is for the teacher to pronounce and spell the words correctly, each pupil checking the errors; or the books may be collected immediately after the exercise, and all errors and incomplete words checked by the teacher. In order that pupils may acquire the habit of care, it is advisable to mark mistakes of every kind, and also all changes, as errors.

The books should be examined after each exercise, to see that all corrections are properly made, and to mark the standing of each pupil.

Review Lessons. It is very important that the work be frequently and thoroughly reviewed. The Review Lessons beginning on page 97, are to be used for this purpose. Other and more extended methods may be adopted as the circumstances permit.

The Proper Names should also be given with more frequency than the regular work.

Below is given a specimen page of a convenient form of spelling blank, showing one-half of a written lesson, corrected.

Advanced classes may be given two or more lessons for an exercise, and fifty of the most difficult words only, be pronounced.

Teachers who find it desirable to require the pupil to write the definitions of the words, may use, for this purpose, the column designed for the re-writing of misspelled words, in which case the misspelled words will be re-written on the last pages of the blank, as previously suggested.

MARKED LETTERS AND

ACCENT MARKS.

The sounds of the marked letters, used in indicating the pronunciations of the words, are shown by the letters in the following words:

ā as in ate, ē as in eat, I as in ice, ō as in oak, ū as in use, ă as in at, ĕ as in met, Ĭ as in it, ŏ as in on, ŭ as in up, ä as in far, ë as in her.

A straight mark over a letter indicates the first or long sound; a curved mark, the second or short sound, and two dots, the third sound. No other marked letters are used.

Only the primary acute accent mark (') is used, and when placed after a syllable it indicates that that syllable should be accented.

Ex. Pres'ent, a gift, present', to give. Rec'ord, a register, record', to put on record.