NEW NATIONAL FIRST READER

BY

CHARLES J. BARNES

HARLAN H. BALLARD

S. PROCTOR THAYER

NEW YORK--CINCINNATI--CHICAGO AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY

1888, by A.S. BARNES & CO.

The authors of this book believe,--

1st.--That the Word Method is the most natural and practicable, because words are representatives of objects, actions, etc., while letters, or sounds, in the abstract, convey no meaning to the pupil, and are devoid of interest.

2d.--That words of ordinary length are as easily learned as short ones, provided they are familiar to the pupil. No teacher will doubt the statement that a pupil will learn the word "mamma'" as easily as "says" or "eyes."

3d.--That frequent "Reviews" are essential to the rapid and thorough advancement of pupils. By this means the words imperfectly learned are again brought to their attention and thoroughly memorized. That these "Reviews" ought to take up the new words in a different order and arrangement, in order to test the ability of the pupil to recognize them in any situation. That as soon as the vocabulary is large enough they should be written in the form of a new exercise, as on pp. 36, 44, 52, 60, and 68 of this book.

4th.--That thorough and systematic drill in Spelling is absolutely necessary. That the "Reading Reviews" should be so constructed as to contain all the new words used in the lessons they were intended to review, and no others, so that they can be used for "Written or Dictation Spelling." That the pronunciation of the words in the "Spelling Reviews" should be indicated by the diacritical marks of Webster, so that they can be used for either "Oral Spelling" or "Phonic Drill."

5th.--That the "Script" from which the pupil gets his first and most lasting impressions should be of large size and accurate form, and not of the nondescript character usually found in books of this class. That it should be free from superfluous line and flourish, and yet have grace and beauty. That it should be adapted for both copying and reading.

6th.--That the lessons should be largely "conversational in style," to cultivate flexibility of voice and to break up the dreary monotone so frequently heard among children.

7th.--That the lessons of a book of this grade should not average more than seven "new words." That all such words should appear at the commencement of lessons, and be familiar to the pupil. That this method secures careful gradation, and is in marked contrast with the old custom of having from fifteen to twenty-five.

8th.--That "Outline Drawings" of the objects first presented to pupils should be made in the presence of the class, as it stimulates them to draw, and thus makes easy and profitable the copying of the "Script Exercises."

9th.--That the schoolbook of to-day must be beautifully and copiously illustrated. That there must be variety as well as excellence, both in drawing and engraving. That well-known and famous artists must be secured, such as Harper, Fredericks, Church, Lippincott, Eytinge, White, Beard, Weldon, Thulstrup, Cary, Moser, Weaver, and Share; and such engravers as Karst, Wigand, French, Held, Davis, Hellawell, etc.

10th.--That the exercises must be instructive as well as interesting, and that no artificial system of vowel classification ought to interfere with the free and natural use of words.

11th.--That a book of this kind should be suited to the wants of graded and ungraded schools, there evidently being nothing in the one not readily adaptable to the other.

12th.--That every book of this class should contain a collection of brief extracts from standard literature to be committed to memory.

13th.--That this book is constructed on the above principles.

ALPHABETS.

LESSON I.

It is a dog.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON II.

NEW WORDS.

See the boy and the dog.

The boy and the dog run.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON III.

NEW WORDS.

This is a big rat.

Can the dog get the rat?

The dog can get the rat.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON IV.

NEW WORDS.

See the hen and the nest.

The hen is on the nest.

The nest is in a box.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON V.

NEW WORDS.

The big cat is at the nest.

Will the cat get an egg?

See the hen run at the cat!

Run, hen, run!

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON VI.

READING REVIEW.^[[A]]

I.

See the boy and the dog.

Is it a big dog?

II.

The dog can get the big rat.

Is this hen on the nest?

III.

Is the nest in a box?

The big cat is at the nest.

IV.

Will the cat get an egg?

The hen will run at the cat.

SPELLING REVIEW.

LESSON VII.

SCRIPT EXERCISE

OBJECT EXERCISE.

LESSON VIII.

NEW WORDS.

This is a boy and his dog.

Can the boy and his dog run fast?

Yes. See them run.

The boy can not run as fast as the dog. Run, boy, run!

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON IX.

NEW WORDS

Do you see this little bird?

Yes, I see the little bird.

Do you see this little nest?

Yes, and I see the eggs in it.

The eggs in the nest are white.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON X

NEW WORDS.

Do you see the little girl and her cat? See them play.

This little girl is Ann.

Ann likes her cat.

This cat was in a nest.

A hen ran at her.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON XI.

NEW WORDS.

The boy has a big top.

Spin! Spin! Spin!

See how he makes it spin!

Can you spin a top?

Yes, I can spin a top.

A boy likes a big top.

LESSON XII.

READING REVIEW.

I.

The boy and his dog can run fast. Do you see them run? Can the dog run as fast as the boy? Yes, he can.

II.

I do not see the little bird. I see the eggs in the nest. Are the eggs white? Yes, the eggs are white.

III.

Was the girl Ann? Yes. Her cat likes play. Was the cat at the nest? Yes, and the hen ran at her.

IV.

The boy has a top. See how fast he makes it spin! Can you spin a top? Yes, I can spin a top.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON XIII.

SPELLING REVIEW.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON XIV.

NEW WORDS.

LESSON XV.

NEW WORDS.

Ann has a new doll.

Her mamma' gave it to her.

Ann likes the doll, and will get it a new hat.

Are you a good girl?

Do you like a doll?

LESSON XVI.

NEW WORDS.

Ann, will you take a ride with me?

O yes! I will. May I take my doll too?

Yes, you may take the doll.

Ann will put on her hat, and take her doll to ride.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON XVII.

NEW WORDS.

How fast we ride! I like to ride, and my doll likes it too.

Ann, do you see those five little birds on that tree?

O yes! I see them. Are they not very pretty birds?

Yes. They are snowbirds.

LESSON XVIII.

READING REVIEW.

I.

I see one dog and two cats. Do you see the three birds in the tree, and the four rats on the floor?

II.

Yes, and I see the new doll my good mamma' gave to Ann. I like the doll. It is a very pretty one. May I take it to ride?

III.

O yes! and I will put on my hat and take a ride too. Do you see me with my doll?

IV.

Do we not ride fast? See those five snowbirds in that tree. Are they not pretty birds?

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON XIX.

SPELLING REVIEW.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON XX.

NEW WORDS.

Here, Rover, here! That is my hat! Do not run off with it!

You are a bad dog to run off with my hat. I will not have you with me. You are not a good dog.

You bad dog! Why did you go off with my hat?

LESSON XXI.

NEW WORDS.

This is my little kitty.

How soft and white its fur is!

Is it not pretty? The cat is on the box. She saw a big rat and ran to catch it.

The kitty was too small to catch the rat.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON XXII.

NEW WORDS.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON XXIII.

NEW WORDS.

The boys and girls are out at play.

Look out, boy! Do not get hurt!

Will you give me a ride, little boy?

O yes! you may ride on my new sled.

Now, Rover, we will have a race.

Run fast, Rover! If you do not run fast, I will catch you!

LESSON XXIV.

READING REVIEW.

I.

Ann likes her small kitty. Its fur is soft and white. It saw the cat catch the big rat.

II.

Ann likes Rover too. She saw Rover run off with the hat. Here, Rover, here! You are a bad dog! Why did you run off with the hat?

III.

Ho, ho! Look at the boys and girls. See them go down the hill, over the snow. Now they go back, up the hill.

IV.

They are out at play. They will not get hurt. How merry they are! Ann, I will give you a ride on my sled. We will have a race with Rover and see how fast we can run.

LESSON XXV

SPELLING REVIEW.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON XXVI.

NEW WORDS.

LESSON XXVII.

NEW WORDS.

Now, Roy, you beat the drum, and we will march. I have my new hat and gun. Now go on. Rub-a-dub, rub-a-dub! Here we go! March, march, march! Do you like to march, Roy?

Yes. What fun it is to beat a drum, and march with a gun!

LESSON XXVIII.

NEW WORDS.