Are Spelling Bees a U.S. phenomenon? They turned 100 this year, or so an article says. We can't know anymore which articles are news and fact and white are click bait headlines. So I thought this was something to check out. I find that the anniversary refers to the annual United States National Spelling Bee.
I don't remember this in public school. But then, I don't have vivd public or high school memories. But wouldn't I remember attending a spelling bee? I don't even remember the expression spelling bee. We had the Science Fair for maths, engineering and science. There was the Kiwanis Festival Competition for music and the arts. There were debating competitions. So it is likely spelling bees were more of a minor activity in Canada.
The U.S. Spelling bee is the Scripps National Spelling Bee and participants came from U.S. and other countries. It is very complicated now, with many rules, rounds, quarterfinals, semifinals, and so on.
Back in the early days the first place prize was either $500 0r $1000 - that's a lot in 1925. And today? First place gets $50,000. I wonder if that even covers the costs involved.
There's a Spelling Bee of Canada now. It says that over 70,000 children have participated in the competition. There are 26 regions competing. The Canadian winner gets around $10,000.
We older people raise an eyebrow, don't we? The elevation of a spelling contest as a national entertainment when so many people can't spell simple words with correct grammar.
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