Spelling Bee (continued)

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

    This adds to the long posting I made last year on the origin of the
"spelling bee" and the national spelling craze of 1875.
     This is from the NEW YORK TIMES, 27 November 1874, pg. 5, col. 5:

A SPELLING BEE.
HOW THEY CONDUCT IT IN THE CITY OF CLEVELAND.
_From the Cleveland (Ohio) Herald, Nov. 24._
     On Monday evening a regular old-fashioned spelling-school was held at
the Woodland Avenue Presbyterian Church.  The first was held last week, by
way of experiment, and the affair was so exceedingly enjoyable and
satisfactory that it was determined to have another.  Notwithstanding the
extreme inclemency of the weather, there was a large attendance, embracing
all classes, old and young.  The "school" was conducted upon the same
principle--barring the sleigh-riding and "sparking"--as in "the country,"
where, as is well known, the spelling-school is one of the most cherished
Winter institutions...

     Someone will have to check the Cleveland Herald--the New York Times
might have added its own headline.  "Spelling bee" is not in the story, and
it's also not in the follow-up story on 13 December 1874, pg. 4, col. 2:

HE SINGS HIMSELF.
A CLEVELAND REPORTER TELLS HOW HE SPELLED DOWN THE ASSEMBLED WISDOM AND
LEARNING OF HIS TOWN.
_From the Cleveland (Ohio) Herald, Dec. 9._
     The third and last--at least for the present--of the series of "spelling
schools" at the Woodland Avenue Presbyterian Church, was held Wednesday
evening...