PREFACE.

This speller is designed to give pupils the power to pronounce and spell words independently and correctly. It is intended to train them in habits of noting with accuracy the component parts of a word and, without reference to the dictionary, to form an opinion of its correct pronunciation.

A knowledge of the meaning of a word does not enable one to pronounce or spell it correctly. The correct pronunciation of a word is an aid to its spelling, but only a thorough acquaintance with the elements that compose a written word gives us the power to exactly reproduce it. To determine the pronunciation or spelling of a word, one must notice not only the letters of which it is composed, but also the relationships of the letters. We give the child a word in the form in which he ordinarily sees it. We ask him to apply to each letter the principles which he has learned and, after reasoning out its sound value, to record with a diacritical mark the result of his own investigation. It seems plain that in so doing the component parts of that word must be indelibly impressed upon the child's mind, and that he múst form habits of close scrutiny-of not only seeing things accurately, but of seeing them in their relationships to other things. The result is that in a word which he has marked, every letter and its exact position in the word are fixed in his mind, and it is thus that correct spelling as well as accurate pronunciation is secured.

The old phonic method afforded but little aid, because pupils were not trained to see the relationships of the letters in a word and to record the resultant sound values. Hence, there was no impression of silent letters or equivalent sounds left upon the memory, and such words as knife, eight, etc., were frequently misspelled. With the Pollard Method, before the child is asked to spell the word knife, he is required not merely to note that e and k are silent, but to actually make a written record of that fact by marking them silent; and in the word eight, he marks h, g and i silent, and makes an additional record of the fact that in this particular word e has the sound of a long.

Our use of diacritical marks is essentially to enable the pupil to make such a written record. Can it be questioned that, by first rea

soning out what it is necessary to do and then actually performing the operation with his hand, a keener impression of the characters in the word is made upon the pupil's mind than can be made in any other manner? This seems to the writer to be the only practical use for diacritical marks outside of a dictionary. If printed in a book, with the words syllabicated and accented, they are merely confusing, as the words look unnatural and experience proves that the marks have little meaning to a child unless he himself has been taught to use them.

We familiarize the pupil with the forms of the prefixes and suffixes, with their meanings and with the effect which their addition to a word has upon its spelling. It must be apparent to every one that in so doing we assist him in recognizing in the polysyllabic stranger a familiar short word with one or more modifying prefixes or suffixes.

This book should be an excellent preparation for the study of etymology, as, when a word is given to the child for spelling or pronunciation, he naturally looks to see of what it is composed. It also prepares him for an intelligent use of the dictionary. He has been trained in the laws of sound and has a well defined opinion of the pronunciation of most words. When he goes to the dictionary for a word and finds that it is pronounced as he thought it was, his opinion is confirmed and he knows that word. If, on the other hand, he finds he is wrong, he has a point of comparison. The fact conflicts with his opinion and the correct pronunciation of the word makes an impression upon his mind. For example, he knows that in nearly all words ending in or, as color, rigor, etc., or is glide obscure. If he looks up stupor and finds that o is short in the termination, he will remember it, because the word is not pronounced as he thought it should be. The dictionary should be of the greatest value in every school-room. Nearly every educator urges its use, yet for pupils taught reading and spelling by methods commonly used the dictionary is of little value as an aid to either pronunciation or spelling. The child has no opinion of the exact pronunciation of a word. As he finds it in the dictionary, it appears to him as an arbitrary and isolated fact. He knows nothing about the sound of or. He may look up stupor to-day and color to-morrow, and the next day he cannot give the correct pronunciation of either word.

We believe it is the uniform verdict of teachers of the Pollard Method that our plan of instruction greatly assists pupils in their language work. It certainly gives them a much larger working vocabulary than they can acquire in any other way, and should go far

to abolish the complaint so general in our high schools, academies and universities that, although they read good books and hear fine speakers, pupils, in their own conversation, and especially in their written exercises, are limited to their home vocabulary. For the purpose of correcting this difficulty, more work in English and more composition are being added to courses of study, but improved results are not apparent, and for a simple reason. The pupils see a word in print; they know its meaning; they get the thought, but they do not know the word well enough to use it. Many times they have such a hazy idea of a word that they are not even able to find it in the dictionary. This is the direct result of "skimming to get the thought."

Although some prominent superintendents have belittled the importance of spelling, we think there is no necessity for advancing any argument for better work in this branch of study. The inability to spell correctly is always considered an indication of a lack of culture, yet nearly all teachers and superintendents and, we think, all school patrons, complain that good spelling is a rare exception. No matter what any one may say for former methods of teaching spelling, nor how psychological or pedagogical they may seem, their results condemn them. In contrast to this the logical results of careful instruction in the Pollard Method are correct spelling, accurate pronunciation, increased help from the dictionary, and the use of a vocabulary which it will be difficult for the pupil to acquire in any other manner.

The author cordially believes in "the correlation of studies," but does not understand this to mean that each book should be a potpourri. The average school speller seems to devote too much space to other branches and too little to accomplishing the specific thing for which it was written. It is hoped that this is a speller which will teach spelling.

The grateful acknowledgments of the author are due to Supt. O. W. Weyer, of Keokuk, Iowa, for valuable suggestions, and to the many teachers whose practical experience in the school-room has assisted the author in adapting this book to the needs and capacities of children.

The selections from Lowell and Bryant are used by permission of and special arrangement with Houghton, Mifflin & Co., publishers of Lowell's works, and D. Appleton & Co., publishers of Bryant's works.

The "Instruction" at the head of each lesson is intended to formulate for your use the principle which that lesson teaches. Do not require pupils to commit the Instruction, which merely states a fact of the language. Teach children the fact, not the statement of it. In your own way, explain and illustrate the principle embodied in the instruction. When this is fully understood and the pupils have applied it to the accompanying word classifications, then lead them to formulate their knowledge into a statement as nearly as may be in the language of the Instruction.

Write upon the blackboard as many words of the lesson assigned as are necessary to illustrate the principle which the lesson develops. Explain this principle so carefully as to make it thoroughly understood by each member of the class, after which write the remaining words of the lesson upon the board and call upon pupils in turn to diacritically mark them and give their reasons for so doing.

If convenient, arrange a curtain to conceal these marked words, or cover them with a large sheet of paper, and send pupils to their seats to copy from their spellers and diacritically mark all the words of the lesson; after which remove the curtain, that they may compare their papers with the marked words on the blackboard and correct their own mistakes.

For the next spelling exercise, have the class write these same words from your dictation. Be careful to pronounce each word accurately and distinctly. Each day have several members of the class pronounce the words written from your dictation. Require pupils to stand erect, hold their papers properly, and pronounce the words rapidly. Insist upon clear articulation and accurate pronunciation. Every sounded letter should be distinctly heard in the pronunciation of a word. The rapid pronunciation of the words of the lessons will assist materially in perfecting the pupils' articulation, if the teacher insists upon each sound being accurately and distinctly given.

Examine carefully the lists of words written from your dictation. If a mistake is found, first be sure that the pupil making the error understands the principle involved, and then require him to copy and mark the word repeatedly.

The independent marking of words will be more helpful to a pupil than any other part of his spelling exercise, since, to determine the sounds of the letters in order to mark them correctly, he must notice their exact positions. A second marking of the words of a lesson

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will be found very profitable. If time be allowed, you are urged to have pupils diacritically mark the words written from your dictation.

Keep a list of words which are frequently misspelled, and give a few of them from time to time as a part of the regular spelling lessons. If oral spelling is desired, select from this list the words which are in common use.

In marking and sounding words, the pupil follows the same order of notation as in monosyllables, always beginning at the right of the word and moving toward the left.

Reserve space on the blackboarů for separate tables of prefixes, suffixes, and terminations, and write them in this space as they occur in the daily lessons, allowing them to remain upon the board.

Since the pronunciation of prefixes and suffixes, apart from the words containing them, would sometimes give incorrect sounds to their vowels, refer to these by their letter names, as the prefix r-e, or the suffix e-r, or i-b-l-e.

Ask frequently for the prefix, suffix, or termination of the words in each new lesson. As the words increase in length, cultivate a habit of tracing primitives, and illustrate the force or meaning of the prefixes and suffixes used; as, in baker, show that the verb bake, with the suffix er, makes the noun, meaning one who bakes; in unjust, we find just, with the prefix un, meaning not just; in unconquerable are the verb conquer and the adjectives conquerable (able to be conquered) and unconquerable (not able to be conquered).

When pupils are doubtful about the right spelling of a derivative word, lead them to think of the primitive form of the word and to recall the letters composing it. Then call attention to the laws which govern the formation of that class of derivatives. Thus, in beggar they should see beg. As this word ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, the final consonant is doubled before a suffix beginning with a vowel.

The dictation exercises in Part I will be found very valuable reviews in spelling. They are intended, as well, to suggest to the teacher the frequent composition and dictation of similar sentences to be used with the different lessons. Vary these exercises occasionally by calling upon pupils to dictate the sentences selected for the class to write, and listen attentively, that you may correct any errors in pronunciation. The selections from celebrated authors, in Part II, are of special value for their literary merit and may be used for memory gems,