Folks Have Been “Looking It Up” in Webster's for Full Century

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6667, 21 July 1928, Page 2 (Supplement)

Folks Have Been “Looking It Up” in Webster's for Full Century

On tie title. p»go of Noah Webster’a first dictionary, published in }B2B, are these words of Rambler's; “He that wishes to/be counted among the benefactors of posterity, must add, by his own toil, to the acquisitions of his ancestors.’' . -v' r

One hundred years have passed and latest editions of the great Wobstor<_s Unabridged Dictionary, coming from the presses, continue to call attention to the obligation owed bjr America, and the English-speaking peoples to -the man whose 48 years of application to his major work immeasurably enriched the language. > First published,in Now Haven, but handled in Springfield, since 1847, this lively .centenarian‘attests- the virility and expansive nature of the English speech', and its centennial is a celebration; of youthful achievement, rather than a mark of venerability. Foremost authority in the'United States on-the meaning of English words, it enters on .its new century with' enthusiasm undiminished. ■ ■

Fundamental with Nqah Webster; as one reared on a Connecticut farm and graduated from Yale when the Revolutionary War was at its height was an interest in. political affairs and a desird to do whatever lay; in his power to promote unity among ;the American ■states. ■, ■'■- -

He. postponed the practice of law after getting a law degree and began the task of laying the groundwork for a literature and language growth that should express tho individuality and purpose of a New Wdrld civilization;

7 Webster's'' first . quarto dictionary camo' off a hand press in New Haven in 1828. In their pronunciations the first Weds tor’s Dictionary and its immediate successors provoked much controversy. : In the matter of spoiling, tho first edition was marked by numerous j.peculiarities. In the field of etymology ..the unassisted achievements of Webster

First Quarto Volume Came Off Hand Press in 1828, a-mJWas the Pull Work of Noah Webster.

have been eclipsed by the combined research of philologists with a vast fund of new material at their disposal. Hut to ;his ; penetrative and exact powers of definition, lexicographers still acknowledge their great indebtedness and ’ ' - ■ 'i :

- As a Yankee farm boy founded the dictionary, two other Yankee lads fell heir to the legacy that he left, George, and Charles-Mcrriam, sons of a country printerdn. Massachusetts, who obtained the publication rights of the dictionary and set out to put the work on a profitable basis.

They.employed Webster's son-in-law. Prof. Chauncey A. Goodrich of Yale, as chief of a staff to re-edit the work. Eminent authorities in many fields Were; engaged asyadvisers and contributors. The'result was a one-volume work selling. for $6 —the edition of 1847. This brought financial profit. In 1850 a copy was put into every district school of Massachusetts. Other , stales followed. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in royalties were paid to the Webster family. - - - • Meanwhile Dr. Noah Porter, then, a professor and later, president of Yale, had become associated with the work, and a thorough revision and- amplification of the work was begun. In 1864 the book called “Webster’s Unabridged" appeared, and ab6ut the same time Dr. Porter became editor-in-chief, a post ho held until 1890, when the first edition of “Webster’s International" appeared, setting new standards which in turn have been continually improved. .

After Dr. Porter retired from the chief editorship it was taken by Dr. William T. Harris, for ’ many, years United States Commissioner of Education. As, general office editor under Dr. Porter was Loomis J. Campbell. This role was later assumed by Dr. Thomas A. Knott, the present general editor. I ■