Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles A. Stillings
President Roosevelt tells Public Printer Stillings to direct that all government publications use the simplified spellings of three hundred words provided by the Simplified Spelling Board. Roosevelt explains his advocacy for simplified spelling, stating that he believes that it is important for the government to advance ahead of popular sentiment, rather than lag behind. If the changes meet with popular approval, they will naturally become permanent. Roosevelt maintains that the simplified spelling movement is a continuation of former simplifications and alterations of English spelling, and believes that it will make certain spellings “a little less foolish and fantastic.”
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1906-08-27