TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE

Breves and macrons are accurately represented (ă ĕ ā ē etc). Letter e with a dot above is represented by ė. Letters a and u with a diaeresis underneath are shown as a̤ and ṳ (using Unicode combining diacritical), and shown as ą and ų on handheld devices. ą and ų on handheld devices.

Obvious punctuation errors have been corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within the text and consultation of external sources.

The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.

More detail can be found at the [end of the book].

THE ALBERTA
PUBLIC SCHOOL SPELLER

Authorized by the Minister of Education for Alberta.

TORONTO
THE COPP, CLARK COMPANY, LIMITED

Copyright, Canada, 1910, by The Copp, Clark Company, Limited,
Toronto, Ontario.

[CONTENTS.]

CHIEF FEATURES.

1. Choice of Words. There has been a careful selection of those words best suited for the various grades or years in school.

2. Grouping of Words. These words have been so grouped as to favor their being taught economically, and to impress upon the pupil that spelling rests largely upon a basis of law and order. In the earlier grades the sequence of lessons gives an orderly development of phonic forms; by this arrangement spelling and phonic reading can be made mutually helpful.

3. Dictation Exercises. These are so constructed as to give in the briefest space an adequate test of the words taught. They should be supplemented by sentences constructed by the pupil, embodying the new and difficult words he is learning.

4. Reviews. There are regular reviews at short intervals. Many of the hardest words appear several times, but with some change of context. At the end of each year's work there is given in alphabetical order a list of the most difficult words used therein.

5. Seat Exercises. These exercises are intended to lead the pupil to make lists of words having a phonic element in common, to show how words are built up, and, later, to give practice in derivation.

6. Homonyms. There has been a systematic use of these throughout the book, but in the junior grades they are not given together, in order to prevent the confusion that often results from such a practice.

7. Spelling Rules. There are numerous and varied exercises to lead, inductively, to a knowledge of the most useful rules for spelling.

8. Authority. The authority usually followed for spelling and pronunciation is The Concise Imperial Dictionary. The pupil should be taught the system of diacritical marks employed therein.

THE ALBERTA

PUBLIC SCHOOL SPELLER.

[STANDARD I.]
Grades 1 and 2.

1

back
pack
black

Jack
crack
track

see
whip
give

they
bring
horse

cry
were
ducks

Seat Work.—Put h, l, s, t, r, sm, st, sl, wh, qu, with —ack

Dictation.—See Jack on a black hack. Crack the whip, Jack, and give the horse a whack. Bring back a sack of bran. Ducks cry quack. A pack of dogs ran to the hay stack. They were on the track of a black fox. Give me a tack to fix the rack. Bring back the ducks. See Jack whip the black horse. The dogs track the fox.

2

neck
check
wreck

kick
chick
quick

very
two
house

peas
there
where

yes
play
ship

Seat Work.—With —eck put b, p, d, fl, sp; and with —ick put l, p, s, t, w, br, sl, st, th, tr.

Dictation.—The wick is very thick. Pick two pecks of peas. Be quick. Where is the brick house? There is a speck of red on the chick. Is Jack sick? Yes, Dick hit him with a stick. Play no bad tricks. The ship was a wreck. See the horse kick. The hen has two chicks. There are two black dogs. Give me a thick stick.

3

rock
clock
crock

duck
cluck
stuck

boy
toy
girl

new
much
warm

key
little
baby

Seat Work.—Put l, d, m, s, bl, fl, sh, st, fr, with —ock; and l, b, s, t, pl, tr, str, with —uck.

Dictation.—Hens cluck but ducks quack. That boy has much pluck. The clock struck two. The key stuck in the lock. That little girl has a new frock. Tuck baby up warm. I got a toy ship in my sock. A crock of peas. See the flock of ducks by the rock. There is the little baby. Bring me a black frock.

Note.—Pupils should use the words in the lists and exercises in sentences of their own.

4

and
sand
grand

hang
sang
sprang

hear
near
church

one
none
done

drum
upon
write

With —and put b, h, l, s; and with —ang put r, b, g, cl, sl. Copy,—I see her. She sees us. We see you.

Hear the band play. One man bangs the drum. The two boys are in the grand stand. Hang the key near the clock. That girl sang in church. Has Jack done one sum? No, he has none yet. Write clang and slang in ink. Were you near the new church? Dick sprang upon a black horse. I hear baby cry.

5

king
bring
thing

song
wrong
strong

you
your
wasp

over
fence
mitts

tie
door
bell

Write r, fl, cl, spr, sl, st, str, sw, with —ing; put u for i in the words in —ing. Copy,—Is that you? Is that he?

Can you spring over that fence? The wasp may sting you. Were your sums wrong? Yes, all but one. There is a crack in the crock. Bring a strong string to tie it. Fling me the keys. The swing is long and strong. Wet mitts cling to your hands. Ring the door bell. She flung the peas over the door.

6 (Review)

gives
lives
were

one
once
fence

boy
toy
joy

fix
six
mix

such
much
church

Tom lives in a red brick house. Once there was a little black boy. He sang six songs for the king. Pick up your toys. Fix the fence near the church. It gives such joy to hear you sing. Do not mix sand and bran. Where were your mitts? It is wrong to whack your horse so. I see six stacks of hay. Can Jack write? Give me the ink. I have none.

7

ash
cash
crash

dish
fish
wish

water
snap
have

more
like
pony

finger
knife
words

Put l, s, h, m, r, cl, tr, thr, spl, with —ash.

See the fish splash in the water. The dish fell with a crash. How much cash have you? Do you wish a little more hash? Snap the new whip lash. My horse ran like a flash. It is wrong to thrash your pony so. The jack-knife cut a gash in my finger. Write two more words. Where is your new knife?

8

fresh
flesh
thresh

hush
rush
thrush

pork
sweet
blood

rye
nose
road

sofa
worm
Mary

Write words like hog with d, l, f, b, j, fl, fr; as, dog. Put g, m, fl, sl, br, with —ush. Copy,—It is I. It is she. It is we.

Pork is the flesh of hogs. We thresh rye and peas. Hear the sweet song of the thrush. Is there much slush on the road? See the blood gush from his nose. See Mary blush! Stop, you may crush the worm. Brush the plush sofa. Frogs live in fresh water. Do not flog your pony. See Dick write.

9

lass
mass
bass
glass

less
mess
Bess
bless

hiss
miss
kiss
bliss

loss
moss
boss
gloss

fuss
muss
buss
truss

Put p, gr, br, cl, with —ass; and t, fl, cr, acr, with —oss.

Give the horses less grass. There is a brass lock. Jack got six black bass. Pack the moss in a glass box. Do not muss your new dress. You may kiss baby once. Floss has much gloss. Is Miss Bess very cross? Toss the sack across your back. Less fuss in class! Is there much glass in that door?

10

fast
last
past

best
nest
chest

blue
birds
year

said
mice
John

coat
half
great

With —est put r, l, j, p, t, v, w; and with —rap put t, st, w, sc. Add —s to whip, duck, horse, boy, word.

Two blue birds had a nest there last year. Brush your best coat and vest. Lock fast the chest. John said that in jest. Mice are a great pest. The church is west from your house. I got two mice in a trap. Run fast, it is half-past six. He said you were at church. My new coat is blue. One is the half of two.

11

fist
twist
wrist

dust
trust
crust

wind
make
copy

our
about
books

apple
papa
mamma

Write c, l, t, fr, with —ost; and m, j, b, g, r, thr, with —ust. Copy,—Is it they? That was I. Is it she?

A gust of wind makes much dust fly. Copy a list of your best books. That apple pie has a thick crust. Mamma, see the frost on the grass. Twist a string about your wrist. I must have just one more apple. Papa trusts me with our pony. How much did your coat cost? They lost two little dogs near the church.

12 (Review)

about
swing
water
said
where
none

much
smash
pony
gives
great
wrong

clock
fence
thrash
apple
mitts
worm

crust
little
year
quick
peas
finger

once
knife
were
church
half
sweet

Put y, ag, at, ax, ing, ash, ock, eck, op, og, with fl—. With n, h, r, sh, sp, tr, bl, pl, make words in —ot.

Give Mary more sweet peas. Where was your knife? He said much about the apples. Water my pony.

13

slant
plant
chant

bent
sent
spent

storm
praise
week

four
what
shop

buy
pair
some

Put c, h, l, y, with —ard; and b, d, m, h, p, l, sp, sh with —ark. Copy and fill in,—My name is — —. I am — years old.

The storm bent the plant. It slants very much. In church we chant the praise of God. John sent for four socks. The dogs bark in your yard. What is the rent of your shop? We sent you some apples. Buy a pair of pants. He spent a week in a tent. John got much praise.

14

hint
flint
print

hunt
grunt
blunt

wolf
plums
story

next
axe
says

noise
river
candy

Write words in —ift with g, l, s, sh, sw, dr. Put a letter with —lip, —pit, —ring, —wing, —rock. Copy,—Yes, sir, I saw you.

Some men hunt a wolf. Hear the pig grunt. This axe is very blunt. Will you print our next story? Jack says that apple is hard as flint. Give him a hint to make less noise. I got a gift of candy and plums. Can we cross that swift river in a punt? Yes, but you may drift upon a rock. She says the wolf got over the river.

15

damp
scamp
tramp

bump
thump
stump

lazy
idle
five

work
cent
table

camel
beside
Henry

Change one letter in flesh, check, give, pick, crush, gloss. With —ip put l, sl, sh, sk, ch, dr, tr, str, h, wh.

Lazy tramps will not work. A camel has one or two humps. Pump some water. Make your pony jump over that stump. Buy a two-cent stamp. Henry is an idle scamp. Camp beside the river. Last week I had the mumps. We have five lamps. Baby thumps upon the table. Give me one cent for candy.

16 (Doubled Letters)

add
odd
Ann

bee
see
egg

all
ill
off

shoo
purr
buzz

any
many
three

even
happy
busy

Put h, j, sh, cl, sl, cr, sw, with —am. Change the marked letter in worm, went, done, block, neck, fling, gash, crush.

Ann is very ill. Add two and four. Hear the bee buzz. Shoo off any ducks. Many boys play odd or even. See me jump off the pony. Cats purr if they are happy. The busy bee works all the day. Buy some eggs and four black bass. The three fish swam off. Is three odd or even? How many apples in the sack? There are none. Was Henry busy last week? Were there many plums on the tree?

17

bank
drank
prank

bunk
drunk
trunk

eye
again
sleep

sailor
often
pear

iron
coal
orange

Put dr, w, p, m, l, bl, th, s, r, br, shr, with —ink; and t, bl, pl, sp, dr, cr, Fr, with —ank. Copy,—Was it she?

Frank writes in ink on a copy book. Wink your eye again. The iron trunk sank in the water. Sailors often sleep in bunks. I think that plank is strong. Thank mamma for the orange and pear. Do not drink much tea. Give Dick a chunk of coal. I trust he is busy with his sums. He says he often sees the sailor.

18 (Review)

blue
eye
lazy
crazy

work
word
cent
says

again
iron
often
soften

buy
knife
writes
wrong

many
pear
camel
orange

Papa gives me four cents to buy two pears. He says your eyes are blue. That idle tramp is not crazy. Write the new words often. Soften the crust in your tea. Iron my collar again. It was wrong to cut the table with your jack-knife. Bees are not lazy. How many oranges can one buy for five cents? Some camels are swift. Jack said he once had a little black pony. How many eyes have two camels?

19

catch
patch
snatch

Dutch
clutch
crutch

uses
please
rabbit

sew
lady
wears

Scotch
watch
Helen

Put c, d, f, p, t, with —ry; add —ing to each, as cry, crying. Make new words in —atch with b, h, l, m, sn, th.

Some hens hatch eight eggs. Please sew a patch on my silk skirt. The Scotch boy uses a crutch. Use an iron latch. That Dutch lady wears a gold watch. Scratch the match again. Rabbits live in a hutch. Catch the ball, Helen. Baby may clutch your toys.

20

ditch
witch
switch

fetch
sketch
stretch

scarf
mouth
wide

open
afraid
dirty

herd
oxen
who

Make new words with —itch and h, p, st. Add —s to lock, key, neck, king, worm, song, wrist, flag, crock, toy.

Fetch me a strong switch. Please stitch my silk scarf. Stretch your mouth wide open. Is there such a thing as a witch? I am not afraid of any. The ditch was half full of dirty water. Can you sketch that herd of oxen? Who are you? Are you afraid?

21

ball
call
all
fall
gall
hall
stall
small
tall
wall

bell
yell
dell
fell
sell
shell
spell
smell
tell
well

bill
kill
still
fill
gill
hill
mill
pill
till
will

doll
collar
dollar
folly
jolly
holly
Molly
Polly
loll
dolly

gull
cull
dull
sully
gully
hull
mull
null
lull
skull

one
two
three
four
five
six
seven
eight
nine
ten

Add —y to dirt, dust, sleep, luck, hand, puss, wind.

22

arch
march
starch

birch
perch
torch

along
chop
robin

larch
porch
quickly

does
such
pinch

For b in bench or bunch put Fr, h, l, w, p, st, tr. Make words in —ig with b, f, g, j, p, r, w, tw.

March along quickly to church. Chop off a branch of birch or larch. Does the robin perch on your porch? Ask for a small pinch of starch. Write again in French for a torch. Which do you like best, bass or perch? Does Helen drink water at lunch? That worm is an inch or two long. Three and five are eight.

23

talk
walk
chalk

kept
wept
slept

board
knees
Lucy

floor
next
hurt

aunt
uncle
flower

Add —es to box, fox, watch, church, dish, wish, glass, brush, class, ditch, patch. Copy,—Mr. John Smith; Mrs. Ellen Jones.

Write on the board with chalk. Baby crept on hands and knees. Next year she will walk and talk. Aunt Lucy wept when you were hurt. How many flowers on that stalk? I slept till half-past eight. I kept the candy uncle sent me. She swept the floor. A gully is a ditch made by water. Buy some collars.

24

stiff
skiff
cliff

cuff
puff
snuff

high
good
smoke

soft
cloth
cheeks

fur
calf
paper

Write all the words that you can make from 'carpet,' 'blacken,' 'holiday.' With —ask put c, m, t, fl.

Iron my cuffs and collars stiff. Uncle uses snuff. Puff out your cheeks. She lost her fur muff. Papa has a good skiff. See the whiff of smoke. Stuff paper or soft cloth into the hole. The calf fell from a high cliff. John makes eight or nine dollars a week.

25 (Review)

catch
please
does
crept
fetch

aunt
uncle
flower
praise
quickly

knife
knees
robin
rabbit
happy

chalk
calf
next
high
table

Helen
eight
said
week
board

Add —ing to buy, work, pull, fall, wink, sleep, bring, ask.

Please, uncle, buy me a pair of rabbits. Which is your knife? Does John write quickly? Watch the robin fetch four worms. Aunt Helen is happy. Next week I shall be eight. Please catch the calf. He crept on his knees to the high table. He said much in praise of flowers. Put chalk on the board.

26

hung
stung
swung

belt
melt
dwelt

lion
gate
swamp

front
lace
shoe

skate
shelf
silver

Put with —ung s, b, r, cl, fl, sl, spr, str; with —elt, put f, kn, p, sp. Write a or i for u in the words in —ung.

Some bees stung a great lion. Papa swung me high on the gate. They dwelt near a swamp. John hung his belt in the front hall. He knelt to lace his shoe. He slung his skates upon the shelf. Can you melt silver? Have you strung the glass balls on that string? Ring the bell at the front door, please.

27

bind
blind
grind

born
horn
thorn

come
waist
melon

grist
wrist
blow

oats
both
Canada

With —ind put f, h, k, m, r, w, bl; with —ond f, b, p. Add —ed to walk, fix, play, rock, melt, puff, wish, pelt.

Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn. A sharp thorn stuck in my wrist. Is he blind in both eyes? The grist mill grinds corn and oats. Is he fond of melon rind? Were you born in Canada? Wind a cord about your waist. Mind what papa says. Can you find my copy book? The waist of my new dress is black. Canada gets much praise for her apples.

28

paw
jaw
straw

awl
shawl
crawl

lawn
dawn
drawn

down
gown
clown

brown
drown
frown

owl
fowl
growl

Make words in —aw with l, c, h, p, r, s, t, cl, sh, dr, cr, th; and in —ow with b, c, h, m, n, r, s, sc, br.

Lucy buys a brown shawl. Worms crawl across the lawn. Dogs howl and growl. Down town I saw a new gown. Use an awl to sew my shoe. The clown may drown there. Puss has four paws with strong claws. The scow was drawn to the mill and sawn. Do not frown or look cross. I hear the fowl at dawn.

29

drew
grew
screw

few
blew
flew

die
lie
tie

cabin
under
before

tiger
boat
sister

father
mother
brother

Put d, h, J, m, n, p, ch, sl, st, with —ew; and b, st, c, th, with —rew. Add —er to work, talk, farm, bank, fish, thresh.

He threw the screws under the cabin. The Jew slew a tiger. The storm blew and the good boat flew. Yet few of her crew were lost. The calf chews straw. I have a father and mother, two brothers and three sisters. Tie your shoe before you lie down. Brew the tea. Is your father a farmer? Henry is a great talker.

30

tree
free
three

feed
weed
bleed

seed
steed
tweed

hitch
buggy
against

sure
began
among

beef
broth
soup

With —ee put b, f, s, w, th, kn. Add —ing to feed, seed, buy, try, work, hear, talk, see, add.

Hitch the steed to the buggy. Buy a tweed coat. He hurt his knee against a tree. It began to bleed. Feed the horse half a peck of oats. Make sure there are no weeds among the seeds. Fetch some beef broth or soup. The blue-bird has a nest with four wee eggs. Are you sure you write and spell well?

31 (Review)

boat
wrist
melon
tweed
quickly

soup
slew
waist
chews
growl

Lucy
shawl
dwelt
swamp
scratch

come
knelt
cabin
Canada
buggy

lion
tiger
sprang
among
against

The lion sprang upon the tiger and quickly slew him. The cabin of the boat was full of melons. Lucy wears a tweed belt about her waist. Dogs growl in the swamp. There comes our buggy. I knelt upon the shawl. He dwelt in Canada. Fetch some soup. I scratch my wrist against a tree. Chew the beef well.