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SHAKESPEARE NOT SHAKSPERE NAMED AS CORRECT SPELLING

There once was a Harvard scholar who knew quite a little about a certain Bard of Avon. The pedagogue called this bard Will Shakspere, there by causing some confusion among the ranks of the Harvard actuaries.

Most people spell Shakspere Shakespeare, yet one of the world's greatest authorities on the great poet was publicly spelling it Shakespere. The dictionary allows either. Ripley has a page of spellings.

What was to be done? What could be done? Nothing. Doubt and lack of uniformity surrounded communication on the subject.

Every year more men who had studied under Kitty went out into the world without an a or an o. Then the professor retired. Now, two years later, uniformity has been achieved. This year the English Department has passed a ukase that Will Shakspere be henceforth Shakespeare.

Sic transit..?

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