A Fun Conversation
Last Friday, I got called to substitute teach. While having lunch in the teacher's lounge, a librarian struck up some conversation with me. I mentioned that I'm a bit of an authority on 1908 Olympic Gold Medalist Johnny Hayes. I mentioned my favorite "librarian fact," that Melvil Dewey, the Dewey Decimal System guy, was a big proponent of the simplified spelling movement of that era. So, while Dewey was born as Melville Dewey, he wanted to be Melvil Dui, but because the government felt surname changes would cause problems with public records, he died as melvil Dewey. Theodore Roosevelt was also a proponent of simplified spelling.
She left interested in this unusual characteristic of the American most associated with library science. BTW - I asked her about the difference between Dewey Decimal and the Library of Congress cataloging system.
Mention of how he liked to spell his name here. And here. There's a pretty extensive history of spelling reform here.
She left interested in this unusual characteristic of the American most associated with library science. BTW - I asked her about the difference between Dewey Decimal and the Library of Congress cataloging system.
Mention of how he liked to spell his name here. And here. There's a pretty extensive history of spelling reform here.
posted by Scooter at 10:49 PM
2 Comments:
I hope you were completely non - freaky in the way you started that conversation ;-)
U R O.K. wit dat smpl splng? Most Americans can't spell well and lately I've been missing my spell checker on my blog!
How's your walking/running coming along? Make yourself accountable, it works for me.
Post a Comment
<< Home