304 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE.—1913. 
the writing of the word is probably the best method of learning—it 
introduces every essential element, visual, auditory, and motor; by 
producing the visual elements in succession it aids the exact analysis 
of the speech-whole, it helps the synthesis of the visual elements in 
accordance with the articulatory units, and therefore the fusion of the 
written and spoken symbols. 
The experiments on which these conclusions are based will be 
described at the meeting. 
2. An Invesligation into Spelling at the Fielden Demonstration School. 
By Miss Iba Supparps (in collaboration with other members of 
the staff, Miss MrrcneLu and Miss Marrutas). 
Parr I.—The Problem. 
(a) Spelling is the reproduction from memory of certain arrange- 
inents of symbols to which convention has attached definite meaning 
for the common purpose of written intercourse. The good speller 
normally achieves success through constant practice in reading and 
writing, whereby correct mental images, visual, auditory, and motor, 
are obtained largely on the margin of attention. Practice in the correct 
writing of words implies: 
(1) Imitation, by means of which certain memory images develop 
. and the required habit is gradually formed ; 
(2) Reproduction by means of these memory images—notably motor 
images. 
The scholar reaches the end in view when the written symbol is 
produced automatitally in the conventional spelling. 
(b) It is only necessary to be able to spell such words as we need 
to write. The smaller the vocabulary the smaller the chances of bad 
spelling. Many schools, especially some elementary schools, pro- 
duce a great number of people who never spell badly because they use 
so few words. The sacrifice of ideas to formalism necessarily restricts 
growth of vocabulary, and scholars passing through such schools spell 
correctly because of the limited number of words they have the oppor- 
tunity of spelling incorrectly; but these are badly educated people. 
Modern culture implies a wide experience in reading and writing; 
hence it follows that scholars must be allowed scope for reading and 
writing freely. 
(c) But here is the crucial point—the greater the opportunities for 
enlargement of experience the more pronounced the spelling difficulty 
becomes. Of the child’s three vocabularies, (1) speaking, (2) reading, 
(3) writing, the growth of (1) and (2) far outstrips (8), and in the 
attempt at a wider and more complete expression the habit of bad 
spelling is formed. It is this differentiation of rate in the acquirement 
of the three vocabularies which is at bottom the cause of bad spelling. 
(d) To meet this difficulty some schools place undue emphasis on 
spelling. The scholars spend time and effort on spelling lists and 
rules as a separate branch of study. Any such attempt at basing 
spelling on conscious processes fails in that it fixes attention on the 
