From Indiana University Sheet Music Collections :

DAT'S DE WAY TO SPELL CHICKEN
(Sidney L. Perrin and Bob Slater, 1902.)
"Sung with great success by Larkins and Patterson, the Smiling Coon and the Octoroon, in 'A Trip to the Jungles.' "

1. In the little country schoolhouse, where de little darkies go,
There is a little picanninny by de name of Ragtime Joe.
Now, when it comes to spelling, his ragtime brain works fast.
He's de only well-learned scholar dat holds down his own class.
One day de teacher call his class to spell one sort of bird.
Dat kind of bird was chickens, and they could not spell de word;
So de teacher called on Ragtime Joe to spell dat word to them.
He didn't hesitate a bit. This is how he began:

CHORUS: C, dat's de way to begin.
H, dat's de next letter in.
I, dat am de third.
C, dat's to season de word.
K, dat's a-filling in.
E, I'm near de end.
C-H-I-C-K-E-N,
Dat's de way to spell chicken.

2. Parson Johnson gave a concert in de old church-house one night.
He hired himself a lots of talent dat could sing and could recite;
And when they pulled de curtain, ev'rything went wrong, you know,
Till one darkey loudly yelled, "Let's hear from Ragtime Joe."
He sang a ragtime new coon song, but it did not take so well.
He said, "I've went afrost on dat. I guess I'll have to spell."
Then he told the audience dat he had composed a chicken song,
And when he spelled these words to them, he took de house by storm. CHORUS