My sister and I were at my father's today in Wisconsin, going through some old family letters, pictures, and other things. We found, from 1890 and 1891 my great grandmother's teaching certificate (from the state of Wisconsin) for teaching second and third grades. In order to receive the second grade certificate, these were the subjects she needed to pass (in 1890):

Penmanship
Orthoepy
Orthography
Grammar
Arithmetic
Geography
U.S. History
U.S. Constitution
Wisconsin Constitution
Physiology
Physical Geography
Algebra

In 1891, here are the tests she needed to pass for certification for third grade:

Reading
Writing
Spelling Pronunciation
Arithmetic
Geography
Grammar
U.S. History
U.S. Constitution
Wisconsin Constitution
Physiology
Theory of Teaching
Ability to Teach

Many things strike me, particularly the level of courses needed for teaching second and third grade. However, for Wordcraft, I found two things interesting. First of all, orthoepy and orthography we've talked about, but I am still a little fuzzy. Wikipedia ( here) says that the OED and Webster's only define orthoepy as "pronunciation." However, it says, the Greek word, orthoepeia, generally had the sense of "correct diction." At that time, they must have taught pronunciation to second graders. Then orthography ( Link) means a writing system? Or is it simply spelling?

Secondly, I was struck that in 1890 they used the words orthoepy and orthography, while in 1891 they used spelling and pronunciation.

I was also fascinated that teachers for second and third graders (7 & 8 years old) had to know physiology and the constitution. By the way, my great grandmother's age on 1891 document was 20.

Orthoepy is just "correct" pronunciation, or perhaps, elocution. I collect prescriptive grammars from the 18th and 19th centuries (oh, hell, from the 20th also), and I have one book that promises to deliver proper orthoepy to the end user.

So what is the difference between "diction," "elocution" and "pronunciation."

what is the difference between "diction," "elocution" and "pronunciation."

You could check the dictionaries: diction, elocution, pronunciation, and enunciation. For me, pronunciation is the preferred, neutral term. Orthoepy implies that there is a standard pronunciation and that it is correct and proper. Dicition and elocution also used to have more to do with speaking in public; something alas that most of us are not trained for anymore.

For an even better word, check out chironomy. It is an outmoded study: the art of gesture in the service to public speaking. I have an old handbook (enchiridion, manual) on the subject. I discovered the word reading up on the (fixed set of) gestures used by actors in plays such as Hamlet, which is a fascinating topic of itself..

Those are great words (chironomy and enchiridion)...thanks! I can just imagine at work presenting an enchiridion for our members. It's a bit like another "e" word I know.

BTW, I did look up diction, elocution and pronunciation. I agree that the former 2 have more to do with public speaking, though it is hard to think that would be an emphasis in a second grade curriculum.