Spelling bees are perceived by many to be a relatively modern invention. People usually associate the competition with Spellbound, the 2002 film that charted the success and failure of children in one such American contest.

Yet spelling bees have been around for more than 130 years and were hugely popular in the 1870s. One of the earliest mentions of a bee is in Brooklyn in 1874.

Only a year later The Times American correspondent reported on a particularly rumbustious contest in Philadelphia:

Philadelphia, April 16, 1875 The American people have been indulging in a new pastime, which is becoming as universal as it is popular.

This is the spelling bee, a New England invention that has made rapid strides over the country. Spelling for prizes is the prevailing infatuation, and every town and village is having its bee, attended by crowds cheering the successful and laughing at those who are afflicted with a “bad spell”.

The amusement furnished by these contests is hearty and genuine and nothing could be more harmless. It is gratifying to know that the public taste, diverted into this channel, will enjoy a temporary relief from the almost perpetual political wrangling in which we indulge.

The most elaborate spelling bee in this part of the country was held at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, at least 4,000 people crowding the auditorium.

The novelty of the thing and the belief of many that they could beat the champions added to the attractions, and hundreds were left outside the overcrowded building. There were 80 competitors for the six prizes offered — 40 ladies and 40 gentlemen — the majority of them being schoolteachers, and at 8pm they marched in procession upon the stage.

Rules included that Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary would be the standard, and that any competitor misunderstanding a word may ask for one repetition. A teacher of elocution gave out the words in a loud voice, the audience watching with close attention. Difference, dialogue, corrigible, chirography, alibi, aggregate and varioloid were announced and were all spelt correctly, a lady and gentleman being alternately selected.

Then “musketeer” fell to the lot of a young lady, who spelt it “muscateer”, when a roar from the audience announced her failure and she blushingly stepped out of the class. A dozen more words were spelt correctly, when “excitation” brought down the first young man, who made a dash at it with “ecci” and got no further as the shouts of the audience drowned his voice.

“Gourmand” spoilt the fortune of another man. Then there was some correct spelling until “duellist” came along and, of course, killed his man, who was uncertain about the “l’s”. “Benison” acquired a new meaning for a lady; “chloroform” quieted a youth; “peregrination” was what the next champion performed and “tympan” was too discordant for a lady’s ears.

Then a discussion arose about the pronunciation of the elocutionist who gave out the words. It was demanded that someone else should take his place and there were hisses and cheers, dozens rising in the audience and arguing the question at once.

Order being restored the competition continued. Then a gentleman spelled “reseat” for another word that was pronounced the same way (receipt), and the committee ruling him out there was a great disturbance.

The gentleman would not go out, claiming that it was a “double-header” and that he spelled it right, and, on his appealing to the audience, the vast crowd, with an unanimous shout, decided that he should be kept in and so he remained.

Then victims again became numerous and[ mistakes includ]ing delequesce, covitous, impetous, deturgent and inscence decimated the ranks. At long intervals a victim was brought down amid general laughter, with misspellings such as synonomous, chincilla, chrisolite and colocinth.

Now were left three ladies and one gentleman but they survived but a short time, distension being too much for the man, and infinitesimal and hauser for two women.

A lady, as usual, had the last word, remaining alone on the stage, and to her (Miss Lizzie J Rook), amid loud applause, was awarded the first prize. The three ladies who got the highest prizes were all Philadelphia schoolteachers.

Hell to spell

Benison A blessing, especially a spoken one
Chinchilla A small, gregarious, hystricomorph rodent
Colocynth A cucurbitaceous climbing plant
Corrigible Capable of being corrected
Deliquesce To dissolve gradually in water absorbed from the air Infinitesimal Infinitely or immeasurably small
Musketeer A soldier armed with a musket
Peregrination A voyage, especially an extensive one
Tympan A membrane stretched over a frame or resonating cylinder, bowl etc.
Varioloid Resembling smallpox

Source: Collins English Dictionary

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