LC 151 .Z3 I Copy 1 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION ESPECIALLY, AMONG THE ILLITEEATE CLASSES BY PEOF. J. 0. ZACHOS CURATOR OF THE LIBRARY OP THE COOPER UNION (Under the Auspices of the "National Society for Illiterates") Nenv York, Auqust 1st, 1891 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION ESPECIALLY, AMONG THE ILLITEEATE CLASSES BY , J^ y PROF. jro. ZAOHOS F. J^C,^' CURATOR OF THE LIBRARY OF THE COOPER tTNION V f (Under the Auspices of the "National Society for Illiterates") New Yoek, August 1st, 1891 , La COPYRIGHT, 1891 BY J. C. ZACH08 1R0»V DIRECTORY PRINTING *ND BOOKBINDING COMPANY NEW YORK ■^ rVi ^.TO THE FEIENDS OF EDUOATIOK The " National Society for tlie Illiterate," is designed to promote such irietliods of instruction in reading, as will facilitate the teaching, and much shorten the time of in- struction, in reading English. Such a method is indicated in the small essay that accompanies this address. But first, we call your attention, respectfully, to the fol- lowing facts, bearing upon the illiteracy of this country. I. From the Report of the Superintendent of Public In- struction for the State of New Jersej'. September 3, 1890. — From affirmations of the Superin- tendent of Instruction for the State of New Jersey, we learn the following startling facts : " There are thirteen cities in the State that furnish sit- ting room for only 30, to 47, per cent, of the children of those localities. In other words, more than half of the children are deprived of school privileges. Not a citj^ fur- nished sitting capacity for 70 per cent ! Jersey City can seat less than one-third of its school population. Think of it ! In some localities in the old State of New Jersey, in this great and enlightened Republic of America, less than one-third of the children can go to the public schools ; and many cannot go anywhere, to school. Wh}' can they not attend school ? Perhaps, the people do not consider it ne- 4 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. cessary. No ! The Government is professedly founded on tlie education and enlightenment of the people. What then ? The people do not provide the means. Are they too poor ? They are possessed of revenues incalculable, in their abilities. On all sides, from a thousand ports of entry, in a great luition of which this State is a part, and from countless workshops within the nation, commerce and manufactures are aggregating vast wealth. No ! It is not the poveVt}' of the people that causes neglect of the schools. It is the principle, on whicTi they are managed. Tlie ade- quate support of the public schools hy voluntaiy, local taxa- tion, is a failure. " From the last national report, we find that for ten years preceding 1 888, the increase of school population for New Jersey, between the ages of six and fourteen years, was 26.2 per cent. The increase of enrolment was 13.4 per cent. ; — just about, two of increase of population, to one of enrolment in the schools. This means a growing popula- tion who do not go to school. A growing population who do not go to school, means growing illiteracy and the growth of a dangerous class." " New Jersey is not alone in this condition. Let us look at the nine North Atlantic States ; — those extending from Maine to Pennsj'lvania. Tiie oldest, I'ichest of the States, and those in which the present method of supporting the schools by local taxation, if anywhere, may be expected to be perfect in its working. From the report to which I have referred, — (Colonel Dawson's) we find that in tlie ten ^•ears immediately preceding 1888 the increase of childi'en be- tween the ages of six and fourteen years, was 16.5, per cent. Tiie increase of school enrolment for the same time, was but 5.7, per cent ; — just about one-third. Two-thirds of the AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. growing popiTlation, kept out of school ; — and this, in the nine oldest and perhaps most enlightened States ! To decide whether the system of support of public schools by volun- tary, local taxation, is a success or failure, we would not need to go further ; but, in fact, the same tendency and direction of education matters, is seen all over the Union. We are doing a great deal more of talking, each yeai', about what we are doing in the schools ; but, the quantity of what we are doing, does not bear the same ratio to the amount of work to be done, that it did ten years ago. For that reason, illiteracy is growing upon ns, and must con- tinue to grow. " That legislator must be deaf indeed who, living within the State, has not heard the appeals of school officers, for more money, with which to furnish needed schools, and of children demanding admission. And he must be wilfully blind, with tlie facts and figures we have quoted, — easily accessible for verification, — who does not see that the School fund of the State is the one of all least able to con- tribute to the other expenses of the State government." 11. From Annual Report of Superintendent Draper. Albany, January 3d. — Superintendent Andrew S. Draper, of the State Department, of Public Instruction, in his thirty-seventh annual report, for the year 1890, says in substance, that the school year jast closed, has been one of the most prosperous and successful, in the whole history of the common school system of the State. " The number of children of school age, between five and twenty-one years, in the State is 1,844,596 ; of which, 1,042.160 have attended the public schools, during the year just closed ; when the average daily attendance of pupils was 642,984." b AN ADDRESS TO THE FKIENDS OF EDUCATION. Whence, it appears tliat of the wliole number of chil- dren of school age, 802,000, liave not attended school ; and this is nearly, 200,000, more out of school, than the aver- age daily attendance. It would be curious to know, how many of those in non-attendance, are less than fifteen years of age ; and how many are illiterate. In his two preceding reports, Mr. Draper called attention to the alarming fact that, " comparatively speaking, the at- tendance upon the public schools is falling off." Again he sounds the alarm. " The total attendance upon the schools," he now I'eports, when compared with the whole number of children of school age, has grown less and less, with strange uniformity. This condition of things, is an irresistible ai'gument for the prompt passage of a working, compulsory, education law, to supei'sede the useless one, now on the statute-books. Certaiidy, there is gi-eater need for a general diffusion of education in a republic than in a government, not " of the people." Yet, the duty of com- pelling the attendance of children at school, which Kew York neglects, is, as the report shows, faithfully dischai'ged by German}', France and England. III. Facts from the Keport on the Public Schools of Xew York City. October 1, 1890. — The intei-esting and valuable report which " President Hunt, of the Board of Education, and Supei'intendent Jasper have been preparing during the last ten days, in answer to Mayor Grant's questions regarding the conditions of the schools, was sent to the Mayor yester- day aftei'iioon. The report is full and complete, and covei's more than twenty type-written pages. It reflects great credit on the compilers. It i-eads in part, ns follows: "Re- AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 7 ferring directly to the interrogatories contained in your communication." "The legal school age is from five to twenty-one years. The limit of age for compulsory attendance at school, is fourteen. The estimated population between the ages of five and fourteen years, is as follows : Grammar, 103,000 ; Primary, 168,000 ; total, 271,000. The estimated school population between the ages of fourteen and twenty-one years, is 208,000. Of the population between the ages of fourteen and twenty-one, — there are taught in the public schools, 155,001 ; in the nautical, coi'porate and evening- schools, 18,000; in the parochial and private schools, 30,- 000; in the colleges and academies, 4,999. These make a total of 208,000.^' " If every one of the school population, between the ages of five and twenty-one years, should apply for admission to tlie public schools, and eveiy chiss-room and main room should be filled to its legal limit, thei'e»i#vonld remain 84,000, unsupplied with school accommodations. Accom- modations would also be needed for the 18,000 pupils over fourteen years old, who have actually been taught in the public schools. Hence, the apparent deficiency in school accommodations, would amount to 102,000 sit- tings. Taking into consideration the estimated attend- ance in other schools, etc., the deficiency amounts to about 100,000." IV. Public Education in Connecticut. April 20, 1889.— "The last annual report of the Con- necticut Board of Education, reveals a condition of things which is calulated to astound the country; and which can- not fail to mortify every good and public-spirited citizen of 8 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. Connecticut. It demonstrates that the country schools ut- terly fail to do the work entrusted to them. Tliese coun- try schools d® not begin, even, to half-teach." '• In one of the towns of New London County, out of thirty-five chil- dren, twenty-two could not write, — enough, even to make an attempt at an examination ; and of these twenty-two, some were twelve years old, and had attended school from six to eight years ! Nor was this an isolated case. In an- other school in the same town, four children, ages respec- tively ten, eleven, twelve and thirteen, could not make a sin- gle letter. The failure in spelling was still more marked. ''Out o£ 1,829, pupils tested " — we quote from an abstract of the report, — " 787, misspelled, ' which,' 699 misspelled ' whose,' and 403, could not spell the name of the town in which tliey lived." An examination in arithmetic, revealed the fact that thirty-two out of seventy pupils above the age of thirteen, were unable to do a sum in simple addition. Y. Education among " The Poor Whites," at the South. May 25, 1889. — It appears from a report made to the Presbyterian Assembl}', that the mountain districts of North Carolina, Southwest Virginia, Southern and Eastern Ken- tucky and Eastern Tennessee, contain a population of about two million, white people ; — lai-gelj' of Scotch-Irish de- scent ;— of whom, 70, per cent., can neither read nor write. This statement suggests the reflection that if there is one thino; which is more essential than the education of the Southern negroes, it is the education of the Southern whites. VI. When the Majority of the Poorer Children Leave Scliool ; and How Much they Accomplish. AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 9 Levi Wells Hart, a distingnislied teacher, thus states the facts, ill the." American Journal of Education." " Half the school-boys, or more than half, leave school, by the age of about eleven years ; — in the great cities of New York, Chicago, Brooklyn, St. Louis, JSTew Orleans, and other cities. The statistics show it. The Superintendents show it." " In other words, more than half of the children, even under the best oi-ganized systems, do not attend school, more than three years. With shorter terms and poorer facilities, the attendance in the rural districts, in most of the country schools, is even less than in the city schools." From eight to eleven or twelve, are the three vital years for all such children ; — boys and girls ; the vital years af- fecting and controlling and over-ruling the whole after-life. Then, or never, is the alternative. "The primary school course ought to be expressly fitted to the wants of this immense number of young children ; — even more critically and lovingly fitted to their needs than any other. Select the very best teachers for these little folks ; because, they have so little time to spare ; — so much need to be prepared for life." Put these facts stated by Mr. Hart, with those of Presi- dent Eliot of Harvard Hniversity : — Boston, November 29, 1890. — President Eliot, of Har- vard University, speaking before the Massachusetts Teach- ers' Association, says : " I turn now to the examination of the quantity of work, really done in our common schools ; in our average gram- mar schools ; — not to its distribution, but to its quantity. In the first place, let me take the reading quantity. I find that in anaverasce school, the amount of time given to read- 10 AN ADDRESS TO THK FRIENDS OF EDUCATTON. ing and the study of the English language, through the spelling-book and the little grannnar, which is used in that school, and in a variety of other aids in the learning of English, — the amount of time so devoted is 37, per cent, of all school time, through six years. A graduate of a high- school, could read consecutively aloud all that the children have done, in these six years, in forty-six hours. Of course, this is only a rough test in an endeavor to give some idea of the quantity of work perfoi'med ; it does not represent the capability of the childish mind at all." President Eliot finds that " the tiu)e devoted to arith- metic in the public schools, is nearly 21 per cent., but by careful computation, he finds that a high school pupil can do the entire amount of arithmetic work scattered through two yeai's, in just fifteen hours. lie thought that in gen- eral the memory was trained too much and the faculties of observation too little." VII. The General Census, On the Illiteracy of the Country. The following statistics, sum up the facts, with respect to the illiteracy of the whole countr^^ It is one of the last general reports made by the " Commissioner of Edu- cation " in Washington. This Report is not based on the last census of 1890, which has not been promulgated, at the present writing ; but on the census of 1880 ; and from other sources, within tlie reach of the Department. Its moral and statistic force, on the question, is therefore, not impaired ; for, similar conditions, still prevail. AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION, 11 Population. Persons, u n - able to write, — b e t w een 10, and 21, years. Adult illiter- ates — 21, or more years, old. The Northern Division of States and Territories, — New England — the Mid States and the West- ern 29,567,961 18,507,324 1,902,874 1,338,814 4,715,395 159,971 1,100,364 Southern States — from Delaware, to Texas 2,961,371 Pacific Division West of the Rocky Mountains 119,612 Total 49,978,159 6,214,180 4,181,347 It appears by this table, that in a total population of 49,978,159, 10,395,527 are illiterate ; — or about one-tenth ; — counting the voting population, at one-sixth of the whole, we have, 8,329,693, voters. The last column shows 4,181,347, illiterate adults ; — or nearly one-half ! What the Society Propose. The "National Society for Illiterates," in view of the facts above given, propose to organize public sentiment, and bring it to bear on the best and most efficient methods, to overcome, or at least, much diminish the illiteracy of this country ; for, whatever other political or social evils msiy beset our country, this, of illiterac}^, aggravates them all, and even makes some of them possible. YIII. The National Govei-nment must be Induced to Act in Mitio-atino; this National Evil. The fact of most vital bearing on the question, is that 12 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION, through the emancipation of slaves in the South, now amounting to 8,500,000, with the endowment of citizenship, a great amount of illiteracy has been thrown upon a part of the country, falling very heavily upon its local resources; a fact for which, the general Government is responsible ; — certainly not the local governments of the South. The same fact exists, in different degrees, through a policy of free immigration, that has poured its hundreds of thousands of the illiterate into locations where, tke popula- tion is either too dense, as in large cities, or too sparse, as in the West and South, for the local resources of these sections to meet this illiterate condition of the people, with- out some help fi'om other parts having a less disproportion between the means and the end. Out of this state of things, arises the appalling fact that " illiteracy in these parts, is growing as fast as the popula- tion ! " IX. The Colisequences of this Fact. Let the reader fix his mind upon this fact, and gauge its momentous consequences. The fact of this growth of illiteracy, in this country, is forced upon us, by the observation and testimony of those jnost competent to ascertain the truth ; — Superintendents of education and of schools throughout the country. It is officially announced by the Commissioner of Education in Washington. There is no other remedy for this evil than either to take the vote out of the hands of the illiterate, or to provide some measure, to decrease the illiteracy of the country ; — and this must be done by some other means than the natural in- ciease of the wealth, population, and diffused intelligence AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 13 of the people. On this, some are disposed to rely, but it can have no sufficient application ; because, though the population of this country doubles every twenty-five years, and its wealth quite as nuich, yet, illiteracy increases as fast, or, faster than the population in parts of the country ; ■ — especially, at the South. What is the hope, then, that this overshadowing and paralyzing evil, menacing the free institutions of our countiy, can be met by the grovi'ing intelligence and wealth of those sections, Territories, and States wdiere it now prevails ? The fact still remains that the illiteracy grows the fastest, where, the population increases the most rapidly ; — in large cities, in the South, where the negro increases faster than the white ; and in the West, most i-apidly filling by immigra- tion. X. The Objection of "Autonomy." The whole resources of the countrj^ are, therefore, called upon to mitigate this evil ; — at least by helping, for a lim- ited time, the resources of those sections of the country, whei-e illiteracy is gaining ascendancy ; and where the local indifference of the governing class, as well as the poverty of the people, make it impossible to stem this great evil through the whole country. It is true that " municipal government " and even, " in- dividual rights " are the " safeguard of general liberty." But it is sophistical to argue that such rights can stand against the interests of the whole country. A bill, with guarded and careful conditions against this, only plausible objection, will be an answer to all claims that it impairs the responsibility and autonomy of any sec- tion of the country, in the matter of " general education." 14 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. Let 110 true American be diverted from the point at is- sue — " shall the general government extend a temporary lielp, in mitigating this evil of illiteracy," in all sections of the counti-y, where it has been brought about, incidentally, by the action of the Government itself, in the matter of " emancipation " aiid free immigration ? Take this proposition, in connection with the facts that illiteracy is " increasing in those sections as fast as the pop- ulation," and what sentimental argument about " auton- omy and municipal rights," can stand before the I'easons against such a contagious disease, as tlireatens the life of the whole country ! All other elementary education may be safely left to a people who can read, and who have a controlling vote in their hands ; but tliis of illiteracy, paralyzes both their con- trol and their means. Illiteracy is the subtle poison to pro- gress, in every other respect ; for even material wealth is sure to prove a curse to those who are entirely illiterate. Certainly, not a step can be made in any other direction of intelligence, until the power to read is conferred. XL The Argument in Brief. It has been a given principle in the conduct of the gov- ernment from its inception, that whatever polic}^ was neces- sary to the general safety, progress and wholesome develop- ment of the whole country, which was beyond the power of the individual States, should be undertaken by the general Government, — such as war, insurrection, or any internal agency or improvement of national importance. The principle is expressed in the preamble of the Consti- tution and guides its interpretation. Among the most fatal and diffusive evils that can exist in a free government, is il- AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 15 literacy ; because, it stops all edncatiou at the tbresliold, shuts out the maij from an intelligent vote on public affairs, and confines him to tlie most inferior class of his fellow- citizens, without any hope of advancement ; it virtually, therefore, disfranchises and unfits the citizen for his pul)lic duties ; it is a fatal injury to the whole country, as a demo- cratic republic. If this evil of illiterac}^, thei'efore, can be shown to be beyond the practical reach of any of the States and Terri- tories at this time, it comes properly among the subjects en- joined by the preamble of the Constitution ; fur which, some special provision should be made by Congress, for the " general welfare " of the country. This is the case with illiteracy in the South, West, and in large cities. First, in consequence of the "Act of Emancipation " and of the "Laws of Free Immigration," by which a vast num- ber of illiterates, M'ith the rights of citizenship, have been thrown upon the resources of States and Territories, — the least able to bear the burden, — the general Government, at least for a time, ought to extend systematic aid to the sev- eral States and Teri'itories, in the proportion of their illiter- ate population. Secondly, inasmuch, as the illiteracy of the States and Territories, is " increasing as fast as the population," to a dangerous degree, and bej'ond those resoui'ces, which can be put at the service of education at present, this imminent peril to the whole country, fi'om an illiterate population, with the right of franchise, can be avoided only by a timely and sufficient help from the general Gov- ernment. 16 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. XII. A Bill in Congress. In the first session of the Fifty-first Congress, a bill was introduced, at the request of Representative Warner of Missouri, for the appointment of a commission on " Re- form in Orthography." Three commissioners were to re- port to Congress whether, " there is any practical system of orthography for the English language, simpler than that now in use." The commissioners shall be distinguished scholars, etc. This bill is doubtless smothered, for the present, uiuler the great pressure of the political contest, and weight of business that engaged the attention of Congress. But, if, it be measured by "final results," there is no subject that can engage the mind of patriots, scholars, and intelligent teachers, than this of finding the " best practical way," of mastering the orthography and the typography of the English language, in the teaching of children and adult il- literates. The Phonic Principle. For more than forty years, this principle, in its applica- tion to the reading of English, has been zealously and laboriously carried out, by different " systems of phonetics," introduced into books designed for insti'uction ; and as a permanent reform of the spelling and typography of the Eii2;lish langua2:e. But, hitherto, this reform ha« made no permanent, or important lodgement in the public use of educators or teachers. Tlie simple reason is that any system of teaching that changes radically, the oi'thography, or touches in nwy im- portant degree, the typography of the language, is imprac- ticable. AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 17 It will be seen that the " phonic method of teaching," derives all its value from a princiijle that is of undoubted value in teaching reading, — wherever it can be applied without too much objection in practice. Tlte " phonic principle " may be stated, as " the teaching of reading by sound and sign corresponding." In other words, — given the " elementary sounds" of any language, to apply the " elementary signs " used in printing the lan- guage, as a key to the correct pronunciation of words. This is accomplished in all languages which may be called "phonic," by the simple fact that the alphabet of such lan- guages and the sounds used in speech, cori-espond to the letters used in print, or to its typography. The reading of such phonic languages, is the simple process of learning to associate a certain number of sounds with a certain definite number of " signs of sound : " such are the German, Italian or Spanish languages : such were probably the conditions of reading ancient Greek or Latin. But the English language, having adopted the Latin alpha- bet for the presentation of its sounds in reading and speak- ing, had to employ expedients to compel t^venty-six letters to perform the service of representing forty-five " element- ary sounds." In this respect, everj'^ modern language that employs the Latin alphabet for " its signs of sound," uses so?7i6 expedients, — such as ''marking or position" — to make that alphabet adequate to its sounds. But such expedients are few, and well established in use, and taught with the elementary instruction of the pupil in reading. Such expedients are well illustrated in the marking, or " diacritic marks," used in " pronouncing dictionaries " and " spelling-books," to indicate the sounds of the letters and the correct pronunciation of words. 18 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION, Here, the ordinary typography is so far changed, as to make a near approxiniatiou to the ordinary text, and yet such as can be read by *' signs and sounds corresponding,'" — without altering the orthography of the language. The "key" to such systems of typography, is found in the beginning of every " pronouncing dictionary." These systems of marking in pronouncing dictionaries, arose from the absolute necessity of employing some methods to indi- cate the correct pronunciation of words ; and the apparent neglect oi any such expedients in the ordinary typography of the language. But so valuable has tliis "phonic principle" been found in the teaching and a correct pronunciation, — however ap- plied ; so obvious is its use in the construction of the ty- pography of a language, that many different methods of marking, and different expedients, have been devised during the last fifty years, to facilitate its application to the typog- raphy of our language. Different systems of " phonotypy," have been devised with the specific object of giving an English text, to which the principle of reading by " signs and sounds correspond- ing," shall be strictly applicable. But none of these have prevailed to any extent. The insuperable obstacle to the introduction of such systems, has been that they change the ordinary appearance of tlie text too much, and discard the accepted orthography. Yet, it was found that even this great change of the text, if introduced into the elementai-y " Primers" and Reading-Books for children, by a strict ap- plication of the "phonic principle" in I'eading, gave such great facility and progress in the teaching, that it had a great advantage, as a mere transition to jthe common text of Eno;lish. AN ADDRESS TO THE FKIENDS OF EDUCATION. 19 Yet all sacli systems of " pbonotypy," witli much earnest zeal, and no little money to back them, have proved abor- tive in making any lodgment in our common method of teaching the elements of reading. This method has always been the same ; — that of nam- ing letters and memorizing words ', — without any analysis of sounds, as a "key to pronunciation," to be first mastered by the pupil in reading. The great difficulty in the way of every well-meant re- form in the typography of our language is, " what key to pronunciation " can we adopt, if we reject the sj-stems of "phonotypy " and the expedients and methods of "pro- nouncing dictionaries ? " These are rejected, because they change too much the ordinary aspect of the text ; so as to prejudice its use, even in elenientary reading-books and primers designed only, to teach reading. " The National Society for the Illiterate" is to be organ- ized, to answer this question ; and to meet tliis great diffi- cult}^, in a very wholesome and necessary reform. The motives of this society will be based upon three facts : First, according to the testimony of Supeiintendents of education, "illiterac}' is increasing in this country as fast as the population ; " and this to a dangerous degree. Second : The children of the poor, and the illiterate adults, which abound in the Soutii and West, and in all our large cities, cannot be taught to read by our present methods, in the limited time they have to devote to this acquisition ; it being a work of three or four j-ears to learn to read ; accordingly, illiterate adults and the children of the very poor, are virtuallg excluded from our Common Schools. 20 AN ADDRT<:SS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. Third : That as " reading is the gate to knowledge," and knowledge is necessar}' to the proper conduct of " free in- stitutions," it must prove disastrous to the future of our country, to stop so large a portion of our population, at the very threshold ; because, the entrance is too long, narrow, and difficult. These facts have already alarmed the patriotism of many American statesmen and Christian lovers of the country. It has led to the introduction of " bills in Congress," and seems now to call for a special organization to take this matter in hand, as a necessary reform and improvement, in the all-important department of the "elementary teaching of reading." Nothing, but the " enthusiasm of humanity," born from the earnest consideration of the facts above men- tioned, can either introduce or carry on, such a reform, in a class proverbially slow and timid in introducing changes in the ordinary methods of teaching. This fact, as well as those before mentioned, calls for the formation of a " society for the illiterate," — the pooi'estand the most needy elements of society, that cannot speak for themselves and hence, are tlie most neglected. Tlie solution of this problem consists, therefore, in find- ing some scientlJiG and rational method of teaching the " reading of the language," which, without discarding its orthography or its typography, shall apply strictly the phonic principle of " ^ fixed nuiiiher of sounds to a fixed 7iumher of slgns,^^ as they exist in the language, and as a key to reading the common text ;— instead of making, as now, every v^ord a separate ohject of memory and sjKcial study for its correct pronunciation. The practical and impoi'tant question is. Can this system of primary teaching., or any other that can he pi'oposed, AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 21 really facilitate and sJiorten the time of teaching reading, so as to hring such instruction within the 7'each of a great many loho otherwise would remain illiterate f We put this method before the attention of the scholars and teacliers of America, who liave the judgment in their hands, and also the patriotism to recognize its great use if they think the principle and method here indicated are true and can be made to attain the practical end designed for " the illiterate poor." We therefore send you herewith this essay and exposi- tion of the whole subject, for your study and consideration, under the title, " The ]S[ew Pronouncing Text for the In- struction of the Illiterate." After due examination, if this method of teaching seems to you to promise anj-thing for the illiterate class, please send us your name for the mem- bership of this Society. The full list of names will soon be published and will be found to contain some of the most ac- credited educators in the country. Address, PKOFESSOE J. C. ZACHOS, Cooper Union, New York City. AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIEJSDS OF EDUCATION. INTRODUCTION. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE TRUE ALPHABET OF ENG- LISH AND '• THE NEW PRONOUNCING TEXT '' FOR ILLIT- ERATES. 1. After several centuries of varying typography and or- thography, the English language, by the common and tacit consent of educated people, has settled down to a form and usage on which the dictionaries can assume an authority as the basis of the orthography and typography by them adopted. 2. But the composite nature of our text of English has escaped the attention, or baffled the study, of our English scholars and teachers, so that this text has hitherto ap- peared a chaos of " sounds and signs corresponding,'' with- out any regularity' in the relation of the two, and furnish- ing no determinate and regular method of teaching that applies to elementarj^ pupils in reading. 3. This has luTidered the spread and propagation of the language, as a written speecli, at the very threshold, and AN ADDRESS TO THE FKIENDS OF EDUCATION, 23 stopped the progress of civilization and English thought to an incalculable degree, notwithstanding the extent and power of the English-speaking people in commerce and in arms. 4. In the succeeding exposition of the alphabet, com- monly called the " Roman alphabet," of twenty-six letters, we have seventy-five diiferent sounds corresponding to the letters collectively, ranging from one to eight sounds for each letter, or an average of neai-ly three sounds to each. (See Part V.) 5. This fact has created a "sense of chaos" in the aspect of this alphabet when presenting the true symbols of sound in the orthography and typography of the Eng- lish text. 6. There are forty-five " elementary sounds " to be served by these twenty-six letters, some of which, by the usage of the text, correspond to eight different sounds, and some, in particular places, have no sound at all. 7. But the truth is that the " Roman alphabet " fur- nishes only the hasis of the English signs of sound used in print. 8. The English text, in its orthography and typography, is a comjyosltlon^ with its own rules and usages, to which it compels the Roman alphabet to furnish material for con- struction. 9. Students of English have failed to perceive, or to follow up, this construction ; while the^^ have been indus- trious in exposing the deficiencies of the alphabetic letters by themselves, in furnishing a consistent and invariable number of signs for the sounds of spoken and \vritten Eng- glish, such as other modern languages have now. iO. This confusion is like that of the " Ptolemaic system 24 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION of astronomy," as compared with tliat of Copernicus, and for a similar reason the point of view taken of tlie same objects is not identical. 11. But if we change the investigation from the Homan alphabet to the English text, we will find comparative order, where before was thought to be '' all confusion." 12. Those Koman letters must be comjyosed and reeom- fosed^ must be hedged in and regulated by stated and inva- riable usages prevailing in the text ; and then we can find an " alphabet of signs " to decipher the sounds of the Eng- lish text, when read by " sign and sound corresponding," or on the " phonic principle." 13. The incomparable value of this "phonic principle," as applied to reading and spelling a language, has been fully acknowledged and industrially sought for the English lan- guage ; but it has been sought outside of the English text by a process of invention., and not witliin that text by a true method of discovery ! 14. It is true that there are artificial difficulties and great irregularities in the construction of the English text, when judged from the simplest application of the phonic princi- ple — that of having but one sign for each elementary sound, used regularly and without exception. 15. These irregularities in the usual form of the text of books must remain for the present until the sti'ife witli fixed habits and associations shall gi-adually overcome such irregularities, under the law of evolution in reason. 16. But so important, so effective, and so fruitful of the happiest results has this " phonic principle " been found, in whatever method it has been used in the teaching of ele- mentary reading, that scholars, teachers, and philanthro- pists are convinced that to introduce it in the least offen- AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION 25 sive and most acceptable way to the uses of primaiy teaching is now the greatest need in education. 17. To meet this obvious and felt necessity is the object of this treatise on the " True Alphabet of English " and " A New Pj'onouncing Text," with a 7ninimuin of change in the typography, and oione in the orthography of Eng- lish, designed for elementary teaching in reading. SECTION I. THE PRINCIPLES AND METHODS OF " A NEW PRONOUNCING TEXT." THE FIVE PRINCIPLES. There are five principles and methods that can be used to render an English text " phonic " and give to every let- ter and digraph a clear significance as to its sound in the word, and enable the eye to read the text hy " sign and sound corresponding," without changing the proper orthog- raphy of the language. These principles and methods are used to an imperfect degree, in all "pronouncing dictionaries" and spelling- books. First — Most of the letters and digraphs have one regular, adopted usage in the English text, as signs of certain " ele- mentary sounds " in the spoken language, such as p, b, f, d, ch, th, oi, ou, etc. This principle of a regular adopted sign and sound corresponding, makes signs regular " by adoption." Second — Many of the letters and digraphs have a special 26 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION, significance given to them, as signs of sound, by tlicir posi- tion 01- association iinifornil}' with other letters, or by their uniforni position in tlie syllabication of the word. For example : in sepai-ating tiie syllables of words, as is always done in dictionaries, a significance as to sound, is given to a vowel or a vowel digraph by placing it at the end of the syllable with the syllabic space following, Or before a conso- nant ending the syllable, or associating an e unite in the same syllable, with the preceding vowels, as fat, fat-ten, fate, fa-tal, melt, melting, mete, me-ted, bit, bit-ten, bite, bi-ting, rot, rot-ted, note, no-ted, mud, mud-d}', mule, nni-lish, etc. Here the long vowels can be distinguished from the shoi-t simply by their position in the syllables or the space that divides them; this is called the "syllabic sound " of each vowel. This method of distinction, as to sounds of letters and digraphs, may be used to give regularity of sound by '■^ j)ositiony Third — There are certain diacritic or distinguishing marks appropriated to certain letters or digraphs that have more than one sound and where neither the principles of "adoption" or "position" will apply in the particular word. These marks are put over the letter or digraph and serve to indicate the sound according to " a key " devised for the purpose, as in dead, bade, have, wad, wood, son, friend, pa^m, etc. Fourth— -Where the ]>articular sound given to a letter is comparatively rare, instead of devising a special mark in " a key," the word is respelled with the proper representa- tive letters, as in said = (sed), women = (wimen), busy = (bizy), pique = (peek), etc. Fifth — Every silent letter or digraph is italicized, unless. AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 27 like the e mute, at the end of syllables, with a single long vowel preceding, it is understood to be mute, or the whole word is italicized. The italics are designed to give the word its true sounds by omitting the silent letters from the pronunciation. Example : limJ, bialt, /c'nock, beauty, etc. THE EYE AND EAR IN A PRONOUNCING TEXT. 1. In " The New Pronouncing Text " the eye is instructed by the " marking," as well as by the rules and usages of the language, by "adoption," or b}^ "position." These deter- mine what sounds are used for the signs in any given case. Thus a, as in fate, fa-tal, has its sounds by position, and ai, ei, ey, as in fail, vein, they — all these have the same sound " by adoption ;" this may be learned by the instructed eye. So also all the regular " elementary sounds" of the lan- guage may be taught and assumed by the ear, as regularly answering each, to one or more particular letters or dia- graplis, in oral spelling or in writing. 2. The ear, when instructed in the " eleirientary sounds," may be taught to expect regularly certain letters and di- graphs by the conditions of " adoption " and " position" for each sound. Thus spelling orally may he brought within rule, in. the large majority of words; the exceptions must be taught to the eye. (See Part lY.) 3. A " pronouncing text " to the eye for reading pur- poses, therefore, requires a different analysis from that of tlie text designed for "oral, phonic spelling." The latter will guide an instructed ear to expect certain letters regu- larl}^ for each sound in the word. The exceptions must be given by a full list of such words as is given in the 28 AN ADDRKSS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. "Third Part" of this work. The use of a "key" will vindicate itself by making the exceptions comparatively few. 4. Iti " phonic reading " an instructed eye will find in the " key " the " elementary signs " corresponding to the " ele- mentary sounds;" i)ut in oi-al "phonic spelling" an in- structed ear will find in a " key " the letters and digraphs corresponding by rule, by " adoption," or by " position " to the sounds heard in the spoken English. SECTION II. A KEY TO THE NEW PRONOUNCING TEXT. Each Sign and Sound Corresjwnding Determined by Adoption, Position, or Mnrking. Sec. 1. — Vowel-signs, long — By marhing, or hy position (6). By marks — a, e, I, 6, u, y. By position — ba- be- bi- bo- l)u- by-. By position— Fate, Eve, Ice, Ode, Mute, Lye. Ohs. — The long vowel is before a space, in syllabication ; or, with an e, mute, in the same syllable. Sec. 2. — Vowel-signs, short — By marks, or by position (6). By marks — a, e, T, 6, ii, y. By position — at- et- it- ot- ut- yt-. By position — amp, est, int, ost, unk, yst. Ohs. — The short vowel is followed bv one or more conso- AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 29 nants, in sjllabicatioii, without an e, mnte, in the same syl- lable. Sec. 3. — Consonant-signs — By adovtion = (IT). B-b, D-d, F-f, Il-h, J-j, K-k, L-1, M-m, N-n, P-p, K-r, S-s, T-t, Y-v, W-w, Y-y, Z-z. Ohs. — Some of these signs of sonnd are also distinguished by position. (See Sec. 8.) Sec. 4. — Irregular vowel-signs, determined hy niarhing or hy position = (11). By marks — a, a, a, a, a, e, 6, 6, ii, fi, «. By position — (a), short and open, (before two consonants, one of which is f, n, or s), shaft, ant, cast, grant, pass, etc. By position — (a), long and open, (in the digraph, ar), far, car, star, mar, etc. By position — (a), long and broad, (before II, and after w), all, call, war, want. By position — (S), long and narrow, (before re or ir), fare, care, hair, stair, etc. By position — (e) like (a) — (before re or ii'), there, where, their, Aeir, etc. By position — (ii) long and close (after r, when the u is long, also, by position), rule, rude, ruin, ruling, etc. By position — (+1), initial, like yu — (when the u is long, also, by position), use, 11 nit, ab use, etc. Ohs. — The sounds of a, 6, 6, ii, are always distinguished by the marking — wad, lose, son, put, etc. 30 AN ADDRESS TO THE FKIENDS OF EDUCATION. Sec. 5. — Vowel digraphs — By adoj^tion or hy 7narl-s (24). Digraphs. Equivalen ts. ai = av = ei = ey = a ee = ea = e an = aw = a ue = ew =: u or == li 00 = u oa = ow (ow, always marked) = o 6b (6o, always marked) = fi or, (the o, like a) = a ar, (the a, like a) == a Digraphs, no marhed equivalents. oi = oy = oil, boy. on = ow = out, cow. wx = er = ir = or (the o, always after w) = worm =: fur = her = sir, etc. Sec. 6. — Consonant digraphs — By adojytion or hy mark- ing{l(y).^ 1. ch, as in church, cheek, etc. 2. sh, as in shun, shame, etc. 3. ph, as in phonic, ])hilosopher. 4. til, as in then, this, they, etc. 5. th, as in thin, pith, etc. 6. wh, as in who, when, etc. 7. ng, as in sing, bang, etc. 8. ck, as in kick, sack, etc. 9. qu, as in quick, quote, etc. AN ADDKESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 31 10. (zli) — an adopted sign, for respelling rare sounds of s and z — pleasure = (plezli ur), azure = (a zliur). Sec. 7. — Polygrajphs in final syllables, xmaccented — By adoj)tion and j)osition = (6). 1. tion = sion = (shun). 2. tious = cious = (slius). 3. ous = (us). 4. ure = (nr). Ohs. — Thei'e is a number of these polygraphs in final, unaccented syllables, which, except the six above given, are re-spelled in the " New Pronouncing Text." Sec. 8. — Consonants, each having two sounds — By jiosition. I. G, sounded as Jc or as s. 1. C, c, sounded as /i, k, before a, o, u, r, 1, t; and, as the last letter in syllables, unaccented : cat, cot, cut, crab, clam, sect, etc.; tonic, cubic, eccen'tric, etc. 2. C, G, sounded as S, s, before e, i, y ; or, before an e, mute, in the same syllable : cede, cite, cyst, etc.; ace, ice, duce, hence, since, etc. II. G sounded " hard " or " soft "—(as j). 1. G, (/, hard, as a "rear-palate;" before a, o, u, r, 1, and, as the last letter in syllables: gap, go, gun, gi'ant, glad, gig, gag, log, etc. 2. G, g, soft — (as J,j), before e, mute, in the same sylla- ble ; or, Avhen marked — (g)— otherwise, g, is always hard : g, (soft), rage, huge, oblige, etc. ; g (marked), gem, gin, germ, etc.; g (hard), get, give, gig, gild, etc. 32 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. III. iT, as a "dental," or " rear-palate." 1. iV, 11, as a dental-sound. At the beginning or the end of words and sj'llables: run, nine, noon, nin ny, etc. 2. N, n, a rear-palate — (as ng), before c and g, hard, or before k and q: zinc, ink, span gle, bun gle, nn cle, con qnei-, etc. Obs. — But ng, when final, in the syllable, has the g si- lent, and is a digraph = (ng). (See, Sec. 6.) ly. S, s, an " atonic," hissing sound ; or, as a subtonic, buzzing sound (like z). 1. S, s, hissing, at the beginning of all words, and after an "atonic'- in the same syllable: sips, j-ats, sticks, safes, piths, sleeps, surfs, etc. 2. /S, s, like Z(a "subtonic" dental). After a "sub-tonic" sound, or a long vowel, in the same syllable : rubs, sleds, rugs, sums, sins, pills, fui-s, etc. ; raise, nose, rise, fuse, etc. Ohs. — There are very few exceptions to this usage of both the sounds of s, mentioned above, "by position;" but this is enough for the elementary pupil. V. ^, like ks, or like gs. 1, 2^, like I's, when final, in words and syllables ; or, when followed by an " atonic sonnd : " box, vex, wax, etc.; expect, excuse, excite, etc. 2. ^, like (/B, when followed by an accented syllable, be- ginning with a vowel, or an h, mute : ex-ist', ex-act', ex-hale', ex-hanst', etc. YI. ed, a final suffix, like t, or like d. 1. ed, final, is sounded like t, when preceded by any " atonic," except t : kick6:d, buffc^d, ripp<3d, bussed, reached, etc. (the e silent). AN ADDRESS TO THE FKIENDS OF EDUCATION. 33 2. ed^ final, is sounded as d^ when preceded by any " sub- tonic " (the e silent): rubbed, rigged, sunned, felled, etc.; but, if t or d precede, ed is sounded as a separate syllable : dusted, no-ted, mud-ded, etc. VII. JT, short, and Y^ long, in final syllables. Y^ is long, in final syllables, when under accent ; and short, when not under accent : defy', deny', reply', etc.; holy, city, pity, cavalry, rivalry, etc. Ohs. — The y is also distinguished by position and adop- tion, as in Sections 1, 2. Summary of the Key. 1. Kegular vowel sounds, distinguished by position = 12 — (see Sec. 1, 2). 2. Eegular vowel sounds, distinguished by marks = 12 — (see Sec. 1, 2). 3. Irregular vowel sounds, distinguished by position —- 7 — (see "i Sec. 4) ■; ^ ^^ 4. Irregular vowel sounds, distinguished by marks = 4 — (always \ marked) J 5. Consonant sounds, distinguished by adoption ~ 17 — (one marked) = 18. 6. Consonant digraphs, distinguished by adoption = 9 — (one marked) = 10— (see Sec. 5). 7. Vowel digraphs, distinguished by adoption r= 22 — (two marked) = 24. 8. Consonants, distinguished by position = 6 — (see Sec. 8). 9. Final polygraphs — by adoption and position = 6— (see Sec. 7). Unmarked = 79 ; marked = 27. Total = 106. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON " THE SUMMARY " AND " THE KEY." 1. It will be seen by the above " summary " that, while the unmarked signs of sound are 79, the marked signs are 27 ; but, the ratio of their respective use, in the " Pro- nouncing Text," designed for the pupil, is much greater. 34 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. The marked Avords are less than six per cent, of the un- marked. Tliis fact makes the difference, in tlieir appear- ance, between the text of " pronouncing dictionaries," and this " Pronouncing Text," as suitable for a Pronouncing Primer and a Pi'onouncing Reader, for pupils in "• elemen- tary reading." (See, "Pronouncing Peader.") It is the number of the words unmarked that makes the " Pro- nouncing Text" so near an approximation to the common text of English, that the transition for the pupil is very easy. Ohs. — Webster's dictionary has forty, and Worcester's has sixty, marked letters ; and, in every word of the texts, there are marked letters, (See, " Keys, to these Pronoun- cing Dictionaries.") But there is little need of any " transition,^'' to the com- mon text, if, a jf?;*«<:'^R'rtZ and sujfjcient portion of the com- mon vocabulai'y of English, is found in the " Pronouncing Reader; " this, is actually, accomplished, for the '• Anglo- Saxon " part of the language, by the selection, the number, and the arrangement of the words of the Reader. 2. There are three kinds of words in the "Pronouncing Text " to which the Key applies — regular, irregular, and exceptional. The regular words are such as liave all the sounds deter- mined, either by the "adoptions" of the language, or by a fixed usage of " position ; " — hence, they need no marking. The ii-regular words I'equire the marking of some letters, Mdiose sounds are not determined, either by " adoption " or by " position." Of the marked vowels, some are exceptional, or occasion- al departures, from the regular sounds, — owing to pai'ticular words ; and some are permanently marked, as, " iircgular sounds." AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 35 Exceptional words — dead, bind, host, pWest, etc. : some of these must be respelled, as — been = (bin), said — (sed), rough = (I'nf), women = (wimin), etc. — (less, tlian one per cent, of the whole). Letter's pevmanently irregular — a, 6, 6, fi, g — (as, j) ow, (x), th : — these sounds are always marked and tanglit in the Primer ; — as in wad, lose, son, put, gem, foot, low, thin. Ohs. — About forty, irregular words, — very common and oft-repeated, are taught in the "Primer;" and hence, are not marked in the " Header." 3. It must be borne in mind that the syllabication of words is essential to this " Pronouncing Text ; " — as it is in '' Pronouncing Dictionaries." This separation of the syllables, indicates sounds, as clearly as the marks, — -a principle which the dictionaries do not use for this purpose ; and yet, they furnish all the au- thoritj' for syllabication. 4. Italic letters are also essential to this " Pronouncing Text;" for these indicate the silent letters which leave the letters, not silent, to indicate all the ti-ue sounds in the word. 5. In this cursoiy and brief explanation, it is impossible to give all particulars necessary to the full understanding of this system, and its application to the teaching of the illiter- ate ; — which requires a much shorter time than can be done by the common, " word method." The following facts can be verified, as the results of the author's examination into this subject, and having a very important bearing upon the whole subject. 1. Seventy-nine signs of sound — letters and digraphs — taken from the common text of English, without any change 36 AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. or marks of distinction, will furnish a true alphabet of sounds and enable a pupil to apply strictly the " phonic principle " of reading by "sounds and signs corresponding," to every word in the English text, as found in dictionaries, — except, about six per cent, of the words, which lequire marking similar to those used to indicate the proper pronunciation of words, in " Pronouncing Dictionai'ies." 2. That this " Pronouncing Key " can be taught to a pu- pil in about fifty lessons, on twenty charts, which illustrate the Ke}', for the pupil. It is the " Pronoimc'mg Priinev^'' that constitutes the " Key " for the pupil ; — taught by these charts, to a whole class, in oral lessons, given in free classes. 3. But what of the vocabulary ? — how is this to be con- vej'ed to the pupil, sufficiently, to inti'oduce him to the reading of common books and the newspapers ? Here, it must be borne in mind that it is not the whole of the vocabulary of English that is needed ; nor, any consider- able part ; but, sufficient — say, to lead the Kew Testament. 4. For this purpose, the following facts can be verified : First, that if we take any part of the New Testament and count, continuously, ten thousand words, we shall find that this passage will contain nearly all the words in the New Testament; — either, in their primitive forms, or in their dei'ivatives. Second, that of these ten thousand words, quite one-half, is contained in the repetition of about one hundred very familiar and oft-recurring words: — these may be taught in the " Primer" before taking the Peader. T/iird, that of the five thousand words remaining, about twelve hundred only, are ^^jjrimitive words;" and the rest are " derivatives,'''' — obtained by attaching about twelve suffixes and terminations, to the primitive, according to Jive AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 37 speoijio rules tliat do not alter the spelling of the primi- tives ; or, do so, in some simple and uniform way. Fourth, by making a sj^ecial vocabulary by themselves, of these twelve hundred primitive words, with their respec- tive terminations, given under the rules, we obtain about 5,000, different words which the pupil can study with great advantage, and master them, in a very short time ; — in con- nection with, and at the same time, while practising in the " Pronouncing Eeader," from which all the " primitive words," are taken. 5. Thus, the " Pronouncing Primer " illustrates this " Pronouncing Key," in about 500 words selected and tabu- lated, on twenty charts, for the purpose of instruction ; and furnishes an adequate " Key " to the " Reader." The Reader contains a " practical vocabulary," or almost all the words necessary, for the mastery of reading in common books and the New Testament in the smallest compass of words. 6. About one hundred lessons given orally, by a teacher, in an " evening school for adults " or, in a " half- time school " for " working children," has been found suffi- cient, to put this "elementary reading," within the reach of the illiterate (see Introduction). 7. This, it appears to the author, solves the difficulty of "illiteracy," among thejjooroi the "English speaking peo- ple " ; — while the common " word method " of teaching, can make but little impression upon the vast number of il- literate adults, or of the " working children of the poor," who must leave school very early in life. 8. The difference between teaching reading by a " Key," — instead, of the common " word-method," is impei-fectly expressed by the difference between four or five thousand words of the " common vocabularly," and these one hun- 3S AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. dred signs of sound tanglit by a s^'stematic " Primer of Charts" constructed to illustrate this "Pronouncing Ke}^"; because, there is a " scientijiG method,''^ in the latter, and only memory and " learning hy 7'ote,''^ in the former. The one opens the "gates of knowledge," w^YA a "X^ey"/ the other bursts them open, at last, by repeated and long- continued blows ! Note. "The National Society, For the Illiterate," will have for its object, the establishment of free classes in Elementary Heading, in all the lai-ge cities of the country, through the local interest, in the education of the poor, — both private and public. The function of this society is to inspire the " public spirit" and recommend the method. The necessary and incidental expenses, for such an enter- prise, may be partiall}^ raised, at first, by the sale of the book, which ex]>lains the method of teacJmig proposed ; — if there be a sufficient i-esponse and encouragement, to this Address, and brief explanation, sent to the Educators of the countr}'. The Book will consist of an Introduction and Four Parts — Part First. — The " Pronouncing Alphabet of Eng- lish," which gives a text that does not alter the Orthogra- phy of the Language ; and in the smallest degree, changes the common Typogi-apln\ Part Second. — The Pronouncing Primer, illustrating the " Pronouncing Al]ihabet ; " and serves as a " Key," to the Pronouncing Reader. AN ADDEESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 39 Part Third. — The Pronouncing Reader which con- tains a vocabulary of Anglo-Saxon ; — sufficient to read the Kew Testament, — in the smallest compass of words. Part Fourth. — A Vocabulary of Words, selected from the Reader, to illustrate " oral spelling," and show the composition of words. The Book, will be sold, by subscription, at one dollar. N. B. All "Copyrights'' will be the property of the "^National Society for the Illiterate;" and the proceeds will be strictly applied to its expenses, in the propagation of this cause, as stated in the IS^ote, above. THE PRONOUNCING READER. (A Specimen.) LESSON I. From the Book of Genesis. Chap. I. 1 In the be gin'ning, God ere a'ted the heav en and the e«rth. 2 And the earth was with out' form, and void ; and dark ness was up on' the face of the deep : and the Spir it of God m6vt er came to him, he said. If thou be the Son of God, com mand' that these stones be made bread. 4 But he an siveved and said, It is writ ten, Man shall not live by bread alone', but by every word that pro ceed'- eth out of the month of God. 5 Then the Devil ta keth him up into the holy city, and set teth him on a pin na cle of the tem pie, 6 And saith un to him, If thou be the Son of God, east thy self down : for it is -i^rit t^n. He shall give his an gels charge con cern'ing thee ; and in theiv hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against' a stone. 7 Jesus said un to him, It is ^«ritt(?n again', Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 Again', the Devil ta keth him up into an exceed'ing hi^/i mountain, and shoioeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glo ry of them ; 9 And saith (seth) un to him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus un to him, Get thee hence, Satan ; AN ADDRESS TO THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION. 45 for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11 Then the Devil leavetli him; and, behold'! angels came and min is tered un to him. Note. — In this specimen of the " Pronouncing Reader," there are 1200, words ; of these there are forty, marked, or irregular words ; — not count- ing ?'ej)e^jYio?is,— or, about, three, per cent. ADDENDA. The facts and proofs of the great utility of this ^'-Rew Method with the Illiterate " will be found stated in the In- troduction to the forthcoming book ; they are fully sup- ported by competent testimony. To repeat these " facts and proofs," in every city of the country', and wherever, the intelligence and interest of edu- cators and Teachers, can be enlisted in behalf of the adult Illiterate, and the "children of the poor," is the design and purpose, of The National Soc. for the Illiterate. New York,- I have thought that it would be perfectly appropriate, and interesting to you, if I sent you the accompanying " Circular to the Friends of Education." It is an Introduction to a " Treatise on the Best Method of Dealing with the Illiterate." It is a "new de- parture " in primary instruction in reading ; because, it starts with a '^ discovery of the true nature of the English Text," and the finding of an "Alphabet of signs and sounds corresponding," taken from the Test itself, and used as a "Key to Eeading." Hence, for the first time in the history of teaching, a " strict, pronouncing Text" is applied to the reading of Ehghsh — without altering the Orthography, and in a very slight degree touching the Typography of the Com- mon Text. " The importance of this "discovery," at the present time, and in the condition of our country with respect to illiteracy, is set forth in the accompanying paper. It is "A Circular to the Friends of Education," that sets forth the necessity and the present opportunity of dealing with the problem of the ever-increasing illiteracy of our country. I have not, as yet, published mj Work, the nature of which I indicate in the "Circular," nor do I consider my Work of any importance, except, as answering the question — " What shall we do vsdth the vast number of the illiterate, in this country, constantly growing upon us by immigration. and the children of those too poor to stay even at a "Free School," long enough to read weU, before the age of nine or ten ; — when they must leave school " to earn a li-ving " The means ai*e provided for this publication ; and are put entirely at the command of " The National Association for the Eliterate." But the application of this reform, in the teaching of elementary reading, is too great a work, for any private means, to accomplish ; it is co-extensive with the country ; and if it be of any importance, it is of national importance. Therefore, the necessity is felt, of forming such an Asso- ciation, and soliciting the moral support and co-operation of every citizen who recognizes the necessity of doing some- thing to grapple with the "evil of Illiteracy" throughout this countiy of free institutions. You are hereby, solicited merely, to send us your name as a member of the Society, without any conditions or obU- gations than such as are mentioned in the accompanying address. It is simply "to help on the cause" Yours respectfully, J. C. ZACHOS, Cur(i.tor of the Library of the CoojJer Union, New Ym-k. N. B. — Please notice, this is not a "reform in spelling," to which there is nothing hostile in onr Treatise ; but a reform in tearli- inr] Heading; and such simple changes in the typography of an " Elementary Primer " and a " Pronouncing Reader," as to bring both within easy reach of the "illiterate poor"; to whom the "phonic principle" of teaching by " sign and sound corresponding," may be strictly applied.