Show In n the Beginning Beg inn i n g iy By j. j Alter AlterA A New Alphabet Alphabet- The board of regents of at the University University Uni Uni- of Deseret whose principal duty when they found oun time to attend attend attend at at- tend to regency affairs was preparing preparing preparing pre pre- paring teachers for the common schools of ot Utah incidentally promoted promoted pro pro- mated the teaching of ot many languages languages lan Ian by reason of the fact that the available instructors could speak these languages Most extraordinary extraordinary nary o of all however was their promulgation of or a new alphabet alphabel of oC the English language which was tantamount to inventing a new written language angua e for the use of the people o of Deseret Why Well Vell the best reasons are supposed to tobe tobe tobe be the explanations given by the sponsors of the new tongue an expose expose ex ex- pose pose of or which first appeared in the Deseret News January 19 1854 1654 as follows The new new alphabet alphabel The board of at regents In company with the governor Brigham Young and heads of departments have adopted a new alphabet consisting of at 38 chal characters The board have held frequent sittings this winter with the san sanguine hope of oC simplifying the English language and especially especial especial- ly y its orthography After many fruitless attempts to render the common alphabet of or the ds day subservient sub sub- servient to their purpose they found it expedient to invent an entirely en en- lirely new and or original inal set of or char char- These characters are much more simple in their structure than I the usual alphabetical characters every w superfluous mark suppose suppose- able i Is wholly excluded from them The written and printed hand are arc substantially merged into one We may derive a hint of ot the advantage advantage advantage ad ad- vantage to orthography from spelling spelling spell spell- ing the word eight which In the new alphabet requires only two letters instead of ot five to sr spell p ell it viz AT There will b be a great saving saying savl say say- ing of ot time and paper a er by the use of at the new characters and but a aery avery ery very small smaIl part port of at the time and expense cx- cx pense pc-nSe W will wUl be rc requIsite J In obtaining a knowledge knowle-dge of at the language langua e. e The orthography will be so abridged that an ordinary writer can probably probably ably write one hundred words a minute with eR ease case and consequently report the speech of a common speaker ker without much difficulty As soon as this alphabet can be beet bet t et t in type it will probably he be furnished to the schools of ot the ter ter- for their use and benefit not however with a vIew to immediately immediately immediately imme imme- supersede the use of ot the common alphabet alphabet which though it does not make the comers corners thereunto thereunto there thore- unto perfect still it is a 1 vehicle that thal has become venerable for age and much hard service In the new alphabet every letter has a fixed and find unalterable sound and every word vord Is spelt spell w with reference to tolen given l en sounds By this means strangers strang strang- ers can not only acquire a knowledge knowl edge of oC Our ur language much more readily but a practised reporter can also report a strange tongue s so that the strange language when spoken can be legible by one coner conversant con con- er versant ant with the ton tongue ue A richly instructive discourse was delivered Sabbath evening inthe inthe in inthe the school house of or the ward by bv Elder P. P P. P Pratt one of the b board ard rc regents in which the advantages advantages ad ad- vantages of oC the recently adopted alphabet alphabet alphabet al al- al- al of the board were briefly exhibited In the eleventh elc general gen eral epistle of the authorities of or orthe the church signed by Brigham Young Voting Heber Beber C. C Kimball arid Jedediah Jede- Jede dinh diah M. M Grant April 10 1854 Is this comment During the winter common schools have teen been taught in th the various wards also abo evening schools for lectures and the acquisition of or various languages Elder P. P P. P Pratt has tau taught ht the Spanish D. D B B. B huntington ton th Utah and Shoshone dialect he has also published a form or dictionary of ot a collection of ot Indian words and phrases In each Mch of 01 those thOe languages for the benefit of ot the young l learner There have bc been n regular meetings in all the wards and quorums which have been very regularly attended The regency has formed a 8 new alphabet which it is expected will prove highly beneficial in acquiring acquiring ing the English language to foreigner foreigners foreigners for for- eigners eigner as well as the youth of ot our countr country We recommend It to the fa favorable vora ble consideration of ot the people peo peo- pIe and desire that all of our t teachers teachers teach teach- chers ch- ch ers and instructors will introduce it in their schools and to their thell classes s. The orthography ot of the English language needs reforming reform reform- ing ing-a ing a word to the w wise e is b sufficient suti- suti dent The fhe first firt school chool teachers teachers' certificate certificates cate cates were issued in 1851 1854 a R notice dated November 23 indicating that applicants to teach common schools In G G. G S S. S L L. Cit City having vouches for character can apply to either ther of ot the undersigned for examination as s to com competency and receive certificates 0 O. Hyde W. W W. W Phelps A. A Carrington board of oC exam ex ex- ex- ex am in a tio n. n Governor Brigham Young said ald In his me message age to the legislature December Dc- Dc cember 11 1854 that in most of ot the wards and districts good schoolhouses school school- houses have hav been erected and schools maintained a part of the year cor but I fear that sul sufficient attention at at- t Is not paid to the Eel selection cUon and examination of teachers or th the manner of conducting school choo Although Although AI- AI Al Al- thou though h the board df it t regents have doubtless by their influence aided much and ar are still extending their influence and exertions in a general general general gen gen- eral way to advance the cause of ot education yet et at this moment there 1 is 15 not a parent school chool for the InstructIon Instruction in instruction In- In of teachers a a mathematical cal calor or high school where school where the higher branches are arc taught In all the territory neither have they a single object of ot public improvement improve improve- ment under their auspices in progress progress ress for educational purposes This is partly owing to the want of ot means to to operate with and partly to the fact that the board consisting consisting consist consist- in ing of oC men engaged in Jn such a multiplicity multiplicity mul mule of ot business have but bul l littie little lit lit- l- l tle tie time to devote to th these e duties duis Hitherto the cause of ot education has been d with ith the board by the lc legislature who probably conceived ed th they y had sufficiently discharged discharged dis dis- dis charged charted their duties by y having invested invested in in- vested the r regents g with lull full power Schools for lor teachers math mathematical mali cal schools and schools wherein the higher branches are taught should hould also be kept In successful operation in all the principal towns It is moreover an opportune time timeto to introduce the new alphabet in informing informing informing forming which the regency has performed performed performed per per- formed a difficult and lOd laborious task I recommend that It be thoroughly thoroughly thor thor- and extensively taught in all the schools combining a as It eminently does a basis of Instruction instruction tion for the attainment of ot the English En En- gUsh glish lIsh language far surpassing in simplicity and ea ease care e anything known to 10 exist Although the more immediate immediate immediate im im- im- im mediate dut duties c p pertaining to the subject of at education may devolve upon the regency still it docs does not tree free the legislature ture from |