Simplified spelling in periodicals

              Simplified Spelling Board
Circular No. 20, June 8, 1908
SIMPLIFIED SPELLING IN PERIODICALS
By WILLIAM HAYES WARD, D.D., Editor of The Independent
READ AT THE SECOND ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SIMPLIFIED SPELLING BOARD,
APRIL. 8, 1908
The most important work, I believe, which the Simplified Spelling Board can do is to teach the people that reform in spelling is not a sacrilege, that there is no tabu on it. We want to break the crust of conservatism, to get people in the habit of seeing certain desirable changes, and so learning that further desirable changes are possible. It is important, that is, measurably important, that every change recommended should be in the line of permanent improvement, so that it will not have to be changed again later; but it is more important to make some dozens or hundreds of improvements in the way of simplification at once, and accustom the eye of the people to them, and thus shatter the crust of their prejudice. We should not wait till we can draw up a final scheme and counsel of perfection, and then wait till it is settled on, before we make any changes at all. We should not hesitate to make now any change that is obviously good, even if it is not obviously final. It is not an awful thing if, after we have taught the people that they can change a spelling without overturning the English universe of letters, they should be askt later to change a better for a best. Is not that the way of all progress?
For the ideal is far, far before us, and not yet our business, but business for technical scholars of fonetics. I am one of those that believe that our English-speaking people will yet come to see that a scientific alfabet is the end which must be reacht, and I believe will be reacht within this century. Men have got to think of it, and aim for it, as they have to think of air-ships. It must be done, for it is right; it is one of the great tasks which will employ the most careful technicians of vocal structure. But that is not the business of this Board. Our business is to do what is needed in a preliminary way, in selecting as wisely as we can the words that most obtrusivly need simplification, and then be the John the Baptist to the gospel of fonetics, which will increase after we have decreast. We must, of course, have rules and ideals, but our business is primarily to popularize the truth that our orthography is not lovely but hateful, not orthography but scoliography, and to do it by getting the present age accustomed to desirable changes.