[Simplified Spelling Board, New York.] Twenty-five printed circulars, numbered 1-21, 23-25 (including two versions of 16), promoting English spelling reform.

Author: 
Simplified Spelling Board, New York [Thomas R. Lounsbury; Mark Twain; Calvin Thomas; Brander Matthews; Henry Holt; Burt G. Wilder; William Hayes Ward, Editor of The Independent; William H. Maxwell]
Publication details: 
The twenty-five items printed by the Simplified Spelling Board, 1 Madison Avenue, New York, between 30 April 1907 and 30 September 1911.
£950.00
SKU: 15183

The Simplified Spelling Board was founded in 1906, funded by Andrew Carnegie, and counted Mark Twain and President Theodore Roosevelt, and the English lexicographers James A. H. Murray, Walter W. Skeat and Joseph Wright among its members. The present collection of the Board's Circulars consists of 25 uniform items, all unbound and stapled. The collection is in fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with occasional wear. Stamps, shelfmarks and labels of the Board of Education Reference Library, London. The collection consists of a run of Nos.1-25 of the Board's Circulars, lacking No.22 and with two versions (1907 and 1911) of No.16. Nos. 1-21 attached to one another through punch holes by green string. ONE: 'A First Step'. 4pp. TWO: 'List of Common Words spelled in two or more ways'. 12pp. THREE: 'The Amelioration of our Spelling' by Calvin Thomas, LL.D. 8pp. FOUR: 'The Spelling of Yesterday and the Spelling of To-morrow' by Brander Matthews, D.C.L. 8pp. FIVE: 'List of common Words spelled in two or more Ways. The Three Hundred Words, with the Authorities'. 8pp. SIX: 'A Statement about Simplified Spelling'. 4pp. SEVEN: 'Simplified Spelling in the Schools'. 8pp. EIGHT: 'Simplified Spelling and the Universities'. 8pp. NINE: 'Mark Twain on Simplified Spelling'. 4pp. TEN: 'Simplified Spelling in Writing and Printing. A Publisher's Point of View. By Henry Holt, LL.D.' 11pp. ELEVEN: 'The Medical Profession and Simplified Spelling'. By Burt G. Wilder, S.B., M.D. 4pp. TWELVE: 'Annual Meeting of the Simplified Spelling Board - April 3, 4, 5, 1907'. 12pp. THIRTEEN: 'A Letter to the Signers'. 4pp. FOURTEEN: 'The Simplification of English Spelling'. 8pp. FIFTEEN: 'Three Hundred Words spelled in two or more Ways'. 16pp. SIXTEEN: 'The Simplified Spelling Board'. Two copies, both dated 28 November 1907, but the second from 1911. The first copy (3pp.) with list of members dated 'November, 1907'; the second with different, undated list of members, and with list of publications 1-25 dated September 1911, the first copy having an undated list of publications 1-16. SEVENTEEN: 'The Advisory Council of the Simplified Spelling Board'. 8pp. EIGHTEEN: 'Simplified Spellings. A Second List'. NINETEEN: 'The Problems before us' by Thomas R. Lounsbury, LL.D., L.H.D., President of the Simplified Spelling Board. 16pp. TWENTY: 'Simplified Spelling in Periodicals' by William Hayes Ward, D.D., Editor of The Independent. 4pp. TWENTY-ONE: 'The Spelling of the Poets' by Brander Matthews, D.C.L. 7pp. TWENTY-THREE: 'Alfabetic List of Simplifications in Spelling recommended by the Simplified Spelling Board up to January 25, 1909'. 32pp. TWENTY-FOUR: 'Simplified Spelling: A Letter to Teachers' by Calvin Thomas, 'For the Executiv [sic] Committee | Simplified Spelling Board'. 12pp. TWENTY-FIVE: 'The Need of Reform of Spelling in the Public Schools' by William H. Maxwell, LL.D., City Superintendent of Schools, New York. 8pp. Scarce material. A few major libraries appear to have a 26 number run.