It's easy to mix up the practice of using solfege to learn to read music with the tonic-sol-fa notation system that Uncle Jacque is asking about. Kodaly's hand signals were one way of translating the notes to solfege, shape notes are another. The tonic sol-fa uses solfege, but does not use the staff.

I've tried to figure it out and have to agree that the best idea is to find music you know to act as your guide.

The system was very popular in both Scotland & Wales. I've seen some Welsh/American hymnals on microfilm from the late 19th century that use it. I know the college that has the originals of the hymnals has a grant to digitize them, but so far I haven't seen them up. I've also seen Handel's Messiah in complete tonic sol-fa, even the piano reduction! A friend of mine picked up another oratorio, either Elijah or Creation in tonic sol-fa as well.

A couple of years ago someone from India was asking via the internet for a tonic sol-fa Hallelujah Chorus. When I questioned if that was what he really wanted, he told me there were Scottish missionaries who taught tonic sol-fa years ago, so that's the music they could read.

The book that really explains it all is: Musical theory / By John Curwen. London : Tonic sol-fa agency, 1879. You could borrow it from us through Interlibrary loan.