composition, letter-writing, etc. Direct word-list study should have only a
secondary and supplemental place. It is needed, first, for making people
conscious of the letter elements of words which are seen as wholes in their
reading, and for bringing them to look closely into the relations of these letter
elements; second, for developing a preliminary understanding of the spelling of
words used; and third, for drill upon words commonly misspelled. While a
necessary portion of the entire process, it probably should not require so much
time as is now given to it and the time saved should be devoted to the major task
of teaching spelling watchfulness in connection with writing letters and
compositions.
The great majority of the population of Cleveland will spell only as they write
letters, receipts, and simple memoranda. They do not need to spell a wide
vocabulary with complete accuracy. On the other hand, there are classes of
people to whom a high degree of spelling accuracy covering a fairly wide
vocabulary is an indispensable vocational necessity: clerks, copyists,
stenographers, correspondents, compositors, proof-readers, etc. These people
need an intensive specialized training in spelling that is not needed by the mass
of the population. Such specialized vocational training should be taken care of
by the Cleveland schools, but it should not be forced upon all simply because the
few need it. The attempt to bring all to the high level needed by the few, and the
failure to reach this level, is responsible for the justifiable criticism of the
schools that those few who need to spell unusually well are imperfectly trained.
The spelling practice should continue through the high school. It is only
necessary for teachers to refuse to accept written work that contains any
misspelled word to force upon students the habit of watchfulness over every
word written. The High School of Commerce is to be commended for making
spelling a required portion of the training. The course needs to be more closely
knit with composition and business letter-writing.