The Writer's Desk Book / Being a Reference Volume upon Questions of Punctuation, Capitalization, Spelling, Division of Words, Indention, Spacing, Italics, Abbreviations, Accents, Numerals, Faulty Diction, Letter Writing, Postal Regulations, Etc.

by William Dana Orcutt

1. Adjectives compounded with an inseparable prefix with proper names; e.g., transatlantic, unamerican.

2. The words apostle, pope, bishop, canon, rector, chaplain, minister, etc., when separated from names or used descriptively: e.g., the apostle Paul; but in direct address they should be capitalized: e.g., “O Apostle Paul.”

INSTITUTIONAL TERMS

Capitalize:

1. Thanksgiving Day, Lord’s Day, New Year’s Day, the Fourth (referring to the {27} Fourth of July), Children’s Day, Easter, Founder’s Day, etc.

2. The word College or University only when part of the title: e.g., Amherst College, Harvard University.

3. Political alliances and terms which have acquired similar significance: e.g., the Dreibund, the Insurgents.

4. Titles of treaties, laws, and acts: e.g., the Treaty of Portsmouth, the Declaration of Independence, the Edict of Nantes.

5. Names of political parties: e.g., Republican, Democrat, etc.; but use lower case for republican form of government, a true democrat, etc., where reference is not made to members of political parties.

6. Names and epithets of races, tribes, and peoples: e.g., Hottentots, Celestials, etc.; but use lower case for negro, colored people, the blacks, the whites, poor whites, etc.