Differed from Webster.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 91

Differed from Webster.

A .short time ago some members of the "Education Committee visited a counca

school in a provincial town. It was "examination day," and the chairman of the committee, a large and pompous old gtentleman, was present. A reading class was called, and a bright little ifellow rose, and in a monotone drawied through a paragraph about a massacre in the time of Nero. "Ah! urn!" interrupted 1 the chairman. "Will you please let that little boy read that verse again?" The paragraph was given agiain precisely as before. "Ah, urn!" exclaimed the wise man, smiling like a pleased chimpanzee; "why do you pronounce that word 'massa-ker'?" The youngster hung his head and made no reply. "it should be pronounced ' massa-cree,' " contimied the chairman, benignly. There was a painful silence for a moment ; then the teacher meekly said: "Excuse me, Mr Jones, but the fault is mine, I think, if that word is mispronounced. I have told the class to pronounce it ' massa-ker.' " "Why, sir, may I inquire?" •'I believe that Webster, who compiled the threat dictionary, favours that pronunciation." "Impossible, sir!" "Well, that is a matter easily settled. Here is a copy of Webster's Unabridged. Suppose we refer to it." The Education Committee 'chairman seized the dictionary and hurriedly turned' to the word. For a moment his face was a 6tudy. Then he removed his glasses, wiped them on a red silk handkerchief, and. replacing them, said most solemnly: "j am perfectly astounded, sir, that Mr Wel^ter should have made such a mistake as that."