Catalogue description Ministry of Education: Papers relating to 'Basic English'

By subject headings to relate to the sequence of events described above.

According to its author, Mr. C. K. Ogden, Basic English, was "a system of 850 English words selected for international educational and scientific purposes after ten years' work on simplification". One of the principal objects was to simplify the teaching and learning of English and so further its use as an international auxiliary language. The vocabulary was first published in 1930, and the organ through which the author worked was called the Orthological Institute.

In 1939 a Sub-Committee of the Economic Advisory Council was set up to examine, among other things, the use of Basic English, but the outbreak of war prevented it from starting work.

The first announcement of official interest was made by Winston Churchill in a speech at Harvard in September 1943, and in December 1943 a cabinet committee recommended that the spread of Basic English should be encouraged and assisted as far as possible for its specific usefulness as an auxiliary medium of international communication. The Prime Minister announced in the House of Commons on the 9th June, 1944 the steps the government proposed to take; departmental responsibility was placed on the Foreign Office, through the British Council, and an interdepartmental committee was set up to work out practical methods to give effect to the policy announced by the prime minister.

At first, is was considered desirable to set up a Basic English Trust, but after the general election of 1945, when the question of Basic English was reviewed, it was decided not to proceed with this proposal. Negotiations with Mr. C. K. Ogden continued until 1946, and ultimately, a settlement was reached under which he accepted a payment of £23,000 in discharge of his claim for severe loss and damage to his affairs, and he agreed, if so requested, and subject to existing commitments, to assign to the crown his copyright in the Basic English Standardised Word List and System.

Following a cabinet conclusion on the 24th June, 1946 that the government should continue to promote the use of Basic English by official means, and Mr. Ogden should be required to assign the copyright to the crown, it was decided it would be preferable for this work to be undertaken by a private organisation financed as far as necessary by the government, and that provision for the financial assistance should be made on the Ministry of Education Vote.

Thus, on the 17th April 1947, the Basic English Foundation was formed with Mr. Ogden as Chairman of the executive committee, "to provide such services for the development of Basic English as its funds may allow". A difficult period of negotiation followed, and, in April, 1948, Mr. Ogden resigned from the trustees. Eventually, in June, 1948, the copyright was assigned to the Trustees of the Basic English Foundation, subject to reversion to the Crown if the foundation ceased to function or need it. The foundation continued to receive grant-in-aid until 1952/53.

On the 31st March, 1953, Mr. Ogden withdrew the facilities he had hitherto made available to the trustees through the Orthological Institute and the Basic English Publishing Company. The trustees said that the foundation could not carry on since its effective financial resources would be exhausted in about six months, though it would continue for some years to enjoy a publication income from royalties.

In 1955 Mr. Ogden was released from his covenant to pay the publication income to the trustees, the same being assigned to himself to develop Basic English. There was no means of winding up the foundation and it was suggested that the very small income which would accrue from the monies in possession of the trustees should be invested with the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds.