Sculpture of Hebe, one arm raisedA. Canova (1757-1822).Hebe.
A. Canova (1757-1822).
Hebe.
As you know, the home of the gods and goddesses was a mountain in Greece called Olympus. It is the loftiest mountain of that country, and its top is often encircled by clouds. Here were the marble palaces of the gods. On this mountain, they would meet in council to decide upon the fate of mortals, or they would come together for a merry feast.
Fair Hebe, the goddess of youth, was their cupbearer. It was her duty to pour out the delicious nectar. She was so graceful and light-footed that she seemed to float rather than to walk. The rosy light of youth and health shone from her bright eyes and glowing cheeks.
But, alas! one day she stumbled, and some of the nectar fell upon the marble floor. The gods demand perfect service, and dislike awkwardness, so poor Hebe was in disgrace. Although she was the daughter of Jupiter and Juno, she could no longer serve the gods, and Jupiter sought another cupbearer.
This god can assume any shape he chooses, and as an eagle he flew over the lands until he saw Ganymede, the son of a Trojan king. Jupiter was so pleased with him that he carried him to high Olympus for cupbearer in place of Hebe.
Merry, rollicking, frolicking MayInto the woods came skipping one day;She teased the brook till he laughed outright,And gurgled and scolded with all his might;She chirped to the birds and bade them singA chorus of welcome to Lady Spring;And the bees and butterflies she setTo waking the flowers that were sleeping yet.She shook the trees till the buds looked outTo see what the trouble was all about,And nothing in Nature escaped that dayThe touch of the life-giving, bright, young May.—Macdonald.
Merry, rollicking, frolicking MayInto the woods came skipping one day;She teased the brook till he laughed outright,And gurgled and scolded with all his might;She chirped to the birds and bade them singA chorus of welcome to Lady Spring;And the bees and butterflies she setTo waking the flowers that were sleeping yet.She shook the trees till the buds looked outTo see what the trouble was all about,And nothing in Nature escaped that dayThe touch of the life-giving, bright, young May.—Macdonald.
Merry, rollicking, frolicking MayInto the woods came skipping one day;She teased the brook till he laughed outright,And gurgled and scolded with all his might;She chirped to the birds and bade them singA chorus of welcome to Lady Spring;And the bees and butterflies she setTo waking the flowers that were sleeping yet.She shook the trees till the buds looked outTo see what the trouble was all about,And nothing in Nature escaped that dayThe touch of the life-giving, bright, young May.
A beautiful little building in Rome is called the Temple of Vesta. Hundreds of years have passed since the Romans built this shrine. Many buildings and temples erected since have been destroyed, but this little temple still stands to show the thought and the artistic taste of the old Romans.
Vesta is the goddess of the hearth. Fire is the emblem of friendship and hospitality, and in the temple of Vesta the fire was kept burning night and day. The Romans believed that if this fire went out, greattrouble would come upon the people. So maidens were chosen to guard the fire and honor the goddess.
Little girls, six years old, were taken from the best families in Rome, for it was considered a great honor to be chosen. For ten years they were taught the duties of a vestal virgin. Then for ten years they served the goddess at her altar fires, and after that they became the teachers of the young children.
When a great general had won a victory over the enemies of Rome, and all the people gathered to celebrate the return of the soldiers from the battlefield, the vestal virgins had an honored place in the procession. At the great games held in the Coliseum, the vestals sat next to the emperor; for they guarded the fire of home—the dearest place on earth.
Sweet and low, sweet and low,Wind of the western sea,Low, low, breathe and blow,Wind of the western sea!Over the rolling waters go,Come from the dying moon, and blow,Blow him again to me;While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps.Sleep and rest, sleep and rest,Father will come to thee soon;Rest, rest, on mother’s breast,Father will come to thee soon;Father will come to his babe in the nest,Silver sails all out of the westUnder the silver moon:Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep.—Alfred Tennyson.
Sweet and low, sweet and low,Wind of the western sea,Low, low, breathe and blow,Wind of the western sea!Over the rolling waters go,Come from the dying moon, and blow,Blow him again to me;While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps.Sleep and rest, sleep and rest,Father will come to thee soon;Rest, rest, on mother’s breast,Father will come to thee soon;Father will come to his babe in the nest,Silver sails all out of the westUnder the silver moon:Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep.—Alfred Tennyson.
Sweet and low, sweet and low,Wind of the western sea,Low, low, breathe and blow,Wind of the western sea!Over the rolling waters go,Come from the dying moon, and blow,Blow him again to me;While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps.
Sleep and rest, sleep and rest,Father will come to thee soon;Rest, rest, on mother’s breast,Father will come to thee soon;Father will come to his babe in the nest,Silver sails all out of the westUnder the silver moon:Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep.
A woman holds a sleeping infantSaubès (modern).Mother and Child.
Saubès (modern).
Mother and Child.
One beautiful summer day a fairy saw a butterfly with golden wings. He tried to catch the lovely insect, and it led him a merry chase from flower to flower. At last the fairy found himself in a strange wood, and he did not know the way home. The sun had set, the wind had gone away, and no one could direct him.
Wearied with his search, he determined to rest until the moon rose, when the fairies would come forth to dance upon the mossy banks. He looked about him for a resting place, and asked a stately lily to let him sleep on her broad leaves; but the petals were closed, and she would not receive him. Many flowers refused him shelter. At last, worn out and almost hopeless, he came to a rose. This lovely flower spread wide her soft, fragrant petals as a downy couch for the tired fairy.
After a quiet nap he awoke, rested and grateful, and asked the rose what return he could make for her kindness. The rose bowed her pretty head, and replied, “Make me more beautiful.”
The fairy looked at the rose blushing in the silvery moonlight, and wondered how she could be more lovely. Soon he noticed the dainty green moss at his feet, and drew a delicate veil of it over the rose.
A cherubic Cupid asleep on the bank of a streamL. Perrault (modern).Cupid Asleep.
L. Perrault (modern).
Cupid Asleep.
The angel of the flowers, one day,Beneath a rose tree sleeping lay,—That spirit to whose charge ’tis givenTo bathe young buds in dews of heaven;Awaking from his light repose,The angel whispered to the rose:“O fondest object of my care,Still fairest found, where all are fair;For the sweet shade thou giv’st to me,Ask what thou wilt, ’tis granted thee.”“Then,” said the rose, with deepened glow,“On me another grace bestow.”The spirit paused, in silent thought,—What grace was there that flower had not?’Twas but a moment,—o’er the roseA veil of moss the angel throws;And, robed in nature’s simplest weed,Could there a flower that rose exceed?—Krummacher.
The angel of the flowers, one day,Beneath a rose tree sleeping lay,—That spirit to whose charge ’tis givenTo bathe young buds in dews of heaven;Awaking from his light repose,The angel whispered to the rose:“O fondest object of my care,Still fairest found, where all are fair;For the sweet shade thou giv’st to me,Ask what thou wilt, ’tis granted thee.”“Then,” said the rose, with deepened glow,“On me another grace bestow.”The spirit paused, in silent thought,—What grace was there that flower had not?’Twas but a moment,—o’er the roseA veil of moss the angel throws;And, robed in nature’s simplest weed,Could there a flower that rose exceed?—Krummacher.
The angel of the flowers, one day,Beneath a rose tree sleeping lay,—That spirit to whose charge ’tis givenTo bathe young buds in dews of heaven;Awaking from his light repose,The angel whispered to the rose:“O fondest object of my care,Still fairest found, where all are fair;For the sweet shade thou giv’st to me,Ask what thou wilt, ’tis granted thee.”“Then,” said the rose, with deepened glow,“On me another grace bestow.”The spirit paused, in silent thought,—What grace was there that flower had not?’Twas but a moment,—o’er the roseA veil of moss the angel throws;And, robed in nature’s simplest weed,Could there a flower that rose exceed?
The Greeks said that Orpheus was a handsome youth, who loved music and song. He was the son of Apollo and the muse Calliope.
Apollo, who is god of music, loved his son, and gave him a lyre with golden strings. When he played upon this musical lyre, and sang words of harmony and love, all the voices of nature became silent to listen. The ocean waves ceased their strife, the noisy winds said “Hush,” and the flowers turned their pretty heads to listen to his strains.
Orpheus loved his wife Eurydice dearly, and when she died, he would not be comforted. One day, lonely and sad, he took his lyre and wandered to the mountains.
Soon he struck his strings, and the words he sang were so mournful that the trees leaned down their branches to comfort him, the rocks on the mountain side moved to follow him, the flowers bent their tender heads and their eyes filled with tears of sympathy, while the rippling brooks sighed in pity. All nature seemed sad, and the glorious sun drew a heavy cloud about him.
Orpheus sings his lament in the countrysideJ. B. C. Corot.Orpheus.
J. B. C. Corot.
Orpheus.
Now the gods who dwell on high Olympus heard his lamentations, and begged Jupiter to relieve his sorrow. Therefore, the king of gods sent Mercury to tellOrpheus to search for his loved Eurydice in Hades. Such was the power of his music that Cerberus with the three great heads, the fierce watchdog of Hades, licked his feet, and let him pass. All the souls of the wicked who were suffering punishment for their sins, when they heard his heavenly music, forgot their torments, and ceased from suffering.
Finally Eurydice appeared. Imagine the joy of that meeting! Pluto, won by the melody of Orpheus, said that Eurydice might return to earth with her husband, if Orpheus would lead the way, and not look back until after she had crossed the threshold.
But, alas! Just as the lovely Eurydice stood in the doorway, the anxious Orpheus looked back. His great love and longing overcame his prudence. A last loving glance, and they were separated, until gentle Death took Orpheus by the hand and led him to her.
This charming myth shows us how music wins all hearts, and, with those wonderful harmonies which tell us that God, who is the maker of all harmony, is guiding us all, helps us to endure pain and loneliness.
A little girl sits outdoors. Painting also known as The Age of Innocence.Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792).Child.
Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792).
Child.
Great, wide, wonderful, beautiful world,With the wonderful water about you curled,And the wonderful grass upon your breast—World, you are beautifully dressed!The wonderful air is over me,And the wonderful wind is shaking the tree;It walks on the water and whirls the mills,And talks to itself on the tops of the hills.You friendly earth; how far do you goWith the wheat fields that nod and the rivers that flow,With cities and gardens, and cliffs and isles,And people upon you for thousands of miles?Ah, you are so great, and I am so small,I tremble to think of you, world, at all;And yet, when I said my prayer to-day,A whisper within me seemed to say:“You are more than the earth, though you’re such a dot;You can love and think, and the world cannot.”—Lilliput Lectures.
Great, wide, wonderful, beautiful world,With the wonderful water about you curled,And the wonderful grass upon your breast—World, you are beautifully dressed!The wonderful air is over me,And the wonderful wind is shaking the tree;It walks on the water and whirls the mills,And talks to itself on the tops of the hills.You friendly earth; how far do you goWith the wheat fields that nod and the rivers that flow,With cities and gardens, and cliffs and isles,And people upon you for thousands of miles?Ah, you are so great, and I am so small,I tremble to think of you, world, at all;And yet, when I said my prayer to-day,A whisper within me seemed to say:“You are more than the earth, though you’re such a dot;You can love and think, and the world cannot.”—Lilliput Lectures.
Great, wide, wonderful, beautiful world,With the wonderful water about you curled,And the wonderful grass upon your breast—World, you are beautifully dressed!
The wonderful air is over me,And the wonderful wind is shaking the tree;It walks on the water and whirls the mills,And talks to itself on the tops of the hills.
You friendly earth; how far do you goWith the wheat fields that nod and the rivers that flow,With cities and gardens, and cliffs and isles,And people upon you for thousands of miles?
Ah, you are so great, and I am so small,I tremble to think of you, world, at all;And yet, when I said my prayer to-day,A whisper within me seemed to say:
“You are more than the earth, though you’re such a dot;You can love and think, and the world cannot.”
Arion was a famous musician who lived at the court of Periander, King of Corinth. He wished to compete for the prize in the musical contest, celebrated in Sicily in honor of Apollo. But Periander, who loved the musician, dreaded to have him go so far away. Arion entreated him, saying,—“I wish to make the people better and happier by the gift which the gods have given me. It is my duty to Apollo to sing in his honor.”
So Arion went to Sicily, and his music was so excellent and so sweet that he won the great prize. The gold and the laurel wreath were put on board the ship, and he embarked for home. Wind and wave were favorable, the sky was clear. He gave thanks to Apollo for his good fortune, and promised to offer sacrifices in the temple.
The wicked sailors, however, knew that Arion had a large amount of gold and jewels in his chests. They gathered around him and told him that he must die.
“Do you want my gold?” he asked. “That you may have and welcome, but spare my life.”
But the sailors did not dare let him go to Periander, knowing that the king loved him and would have them punished for the robbery. They said they would kill him in the ship, or he might plunge into the sea.
Arion was brave and chose to give his life to the waves. He dressed as if going to a festival, with his handsomest garments, his jewels, and a crown of golden laurel leaves. Taking his lyre, he played so exquisitely that even the cruel sailors were moved to pity, but the thought of his gold hardened their hearts.
As he plunged beneath the waves, a dolphin, charmed by his music, offered its broad back for him to ride upon.
The sailors thought him drowned and continued on their way. Meanwhile Arion journeyed on, singing and playing as he went. The dolphin bore him safely to the shore. He reached Corinth, and told his friend Periander of the treachery of the sailors.
When the ship arrived, the sailors landed and were conducted to the palace. “Where is Arion?” asked Periander. “Has he not returned?” The sailors replied that he was safe in Tarentum.
At this moment Arion appeared, tall and handsome, wearing elegant robes and shining jewels. Amazed to see one whom they believed dead, the sailors fell on their knees and cried,—“We murdered him, and he has become a god! O earth, open and receive us!”
“Yes,” replied the king, “the gods delight to honor the poet, and they have saved the life of one whose music charms all hearts but yours. Arion does not desire your death. Go, avaricious souls, and never know the joy that beauty and music can bring.”
No price is set on the lavish summer;June may be had by the poorest comer.And what is so rare as a day in June?Then, if ever, come perfect days;Then Heaven tries the earth if it be in tune,And over it softly her warm ear lays:Whether we look, or whether we listen,We hear life murmur, or see it glisten;Every clod feels a stir of might,An instinct within it that reaches and towers,And, groping blindly above it for light,Climbs to a soul in grass and flowers;The flush of life may well be seenThrilling back over hills and valleys;The cowslip startles in meadows green,The buttercup catches the sun in its chalice,And there’s never a leaf nor a blade too meanTo be some happy creature’s palace;The little bird sits at his door in the sun,Atilt like a blossom among the leaves,And lets his illumined being o’errunWith the deluge of summer it receives;His mate feels the eggs beneath her wings,And the heart in her dumb breast flutters and sings;He sings to the wide world, and she to her nest,—In the nice ear of nature which song is the best?—James Russell Lowell.
No price is set on the lavish summer;June may be had by the poorest comer.And what is so rare as a day in June?Then, if ever, come perfect days;Then Heaven tries the earth if it be in tune,And over it softly her warm ear lays:Whether we look, or whether we listen,We hear life murmur, or see it glisten;Every clod feels a stir of might,An instinct within it that reaches and towers,And, groping blindly above it for light,Climbs to a soul in grass and flowers;The flush of life may well be seenThrilling back over hills and valleys;The cowslip startles in meadows green,The buttercup catches the sun in its chalice,And there’s never a leaf nor a blade too meanTo be some happy creature’s palace;The little bird sits at his door in the sun,Atilt like a blossom among the leaves,And lets his illumined being o’errunWith the deluge of summer it receives;His mate feels the eggs beneath her wings,And the heart in her dumb breast flutters and sings;He sings to the wide world, and she to her nest,—In the nice ear of nature which song is the best?—James Russell Lowell.
No price is set on the lavish summer;June may be had by the poorest comer.And what is so rare as a day in June?Then, if ever, come perfect days;Then Heaven tries the earth if it be in tune,And over it softly her warm ear lays:Whether we look, or whether we listen,We hear life murmur, or see it glisten;Every clod feels a stir of might,An instinct within it that reaches and towers,And, groping blindly above it for light,Climbs to a soul in grass and flowers;The flush of life may well be seenThrilling back over hills and valleys;The cowslip startles in meadows green,The buttercup catches the sun in its chalice,And there’s never a leaf nor a blade too meanTo be some happy creature’s palace;The little bird sits at his door in the sun,Atilt like a blossom among the leaves,And lets his illumined being o’errunWith the deluge of summer it receives;His mate feels the eggs beneath her wings,And the heart in her dumb breast flutters and sings;He sings to the wide world, and she to her nest,—In the nice ear of nature which song is the best?
SUPPLEMENTARY READINGFAMOUS STORIES AND LITERATURE¶ This grading, which is simply suggestive, represents the earliest years in which these books can be read to advantage.Year7Arnold’s Sohrab and Rustum$0.202Baldwin’s Fifty Famous Stories Retold.354Golden Fleece.508Nine Choice Poems.253Old Greek Stories.453Old Stories of the East.452Robinson Crusoe for Children.353Thirty More Famous Stories Retold.503Bradish’s Old Norse Stories.454Clarke’s Arabian Nights.606Story of Troy.606Story of Ulysses.606Story of Aeneas.454Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe (Stephens).504Dickens’s Child’s Oliver Twist and David Copperfield (Severance).405Story of Little Nell (Gordon).506Tale of Two Cities (Kirk).506Twelve Christmas Stories (Gordon).507Franklin’s Autobiography.357Guerber’s Myths of Greece and Rome1.507Myths of Northern Lands1.507Legends of the Middle Ages1.504Hall’s Homeric Stories.408Irving’s Sketch Book. Selections.208Tales of a Traveler.503Johnson’s Waste Not, Want Not Stories.503Kupfer’s Lives and Stories Worth Remembering.458Lambs’ Tales from Shakespeare. Comedies (Rolfe).508Tales from Shakespeare. Tragedies (Rolfe).508Macaulay’s Lays of Ancient Rome (Rolfe).568Scott’s Ivanhoe.506Kenilworth (Norris).508Lady of the Lake (Gateway).406Quentin Durward (Norris).506Talisman (Dewey).508Shakespeare’s Julius Cæsar.208Merchant of Venice.208As You Like It.201Smythe’s Reynard the Fox.30AMERICAN BOOK COMPANYBROOKS’S READERSBy STRATTON D. BROOKS, Superintendent of Schools, Boston, Mass.FIVE BOOK SERIESFirst Year$0.25Second Year.35Third Year.40Fourth and Fifth Years.50Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Years.60EIGHT BOOK SERIESFirst Year$0.25Second Year.35Third Year.40Fourth Year.40Fifth Year.40Sixth Year.40Seventh Year.40Eighth Year.40THESE readers form a good all-round basal series, suitable for use in any school; but they will appeal to teachers particularly, because of their very easy gradation. Both in thought and expression, the books are so carefully graded that each selection is but slightly more difficult than the preceding one, and there is no real gap anywhere.¶ Although a wide variety of reading matter is provided, good literature, embodying child interests, has been considered of fundamental importance. Lessons of a similar nature are grouped together, and topics relating to kindred subjects recur somewhat regularly. All are designed to quicken the child’s observation, and increase his appreciation.¶ By the use of this series, the child will be taught to read in such a manner as will appeal to his interests, and at the same time he will be made acquainted with the masterpieces of many famous writers. He will gain a knowledge of many subjects, and acquire pure and attractive ideals of life and conduct. His imagination will be cultivated by pleasing tales of fancy, and he will also be taught a love of country, and given glimpses into the life of other lands.¶ The books are very attractive in mechanical appearance, and contain a large number of original illustrations, besides reproductions of many celebrated paintings.AMERICAN BOOK COMPANYHUNT’S PROGRESSIVE COURSE IN SPELLINGComplete$0.20Part One.For Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grades.15Part Two.For Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grades.15THE purpose of this book is to assist the pupil in using words correctly in any one of three relations, viz.: in speech, in oral reading, and in written composition. Its exercises recognize the laws of association, and provide a systematic drill in orthography, orthoepy, word-building, word-analysis, and other phases of word-study.¶ The vocabulary of the book is made up of words used by the pupil in his other studies, and in his every-day experience. The work is clearly laid out and graded; reviews are amply provided, both by duplication and by dictation work.¶ PART ONE contains a vocabulary of some 4,000 word-forms in common use, selected and graded with great care. The arrangement is such that there is afforded a variety of exercises, each containing an average of 20 words. The phonetic, the topical, the grammatical, and the antithetic and synonymic methods have received special treatment. Dictation exercises, including memory gems, illustrative sentences, and reviews, are also given.¶ PART TWO includes a vocabulary of about 5,000 word-forms, the exercises being devoted to topical lessons, phonetic drills, pronouncing drill, grammatical forms, synonyms and antonyms, applications of rules of spelling, drill on homophones, word-building and word-analysis, words the derivation of which is indicated, and derivatives from Latin and Greek roots. Great emphasis is laid on prefixes and suffixes, the origin of words, and pronunciation.AMERICAN BOOK COMPANYSPENCERS’ PRACTICAL WRITINGBy PLATT R. SPENCER’S SONSBooks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8Per dozen, $0.60SPENCERS’ PRACTICAL WRITING has been devised because of the distinct and wide-spread reaction from the use of vertical writing in schools. It is thoroughly up-to-date, embodying all the advantages of the old and of the new. Each word can be written by one continuous movement of the pen.¶ The books teach a plain, practical hand, moderate in slant, and free from ornamental curves, shades, and meaningless lines. The stem letters are long enough to be clear and unmistakable. The capitals are about two spaces in height.¶ The copies begin with words and gradually develop into sentences. The letters, both large and small, are taught systematically. In the first two books the writing is somewhat larger than is customary because it is more easily learned by young children. These books also contain many illustrations in outline. The ruling is very simple.¶ Instruction is afforded showing how the pupil should sit at the desk, and hold the pen and paper. A series of drill movement exercises, thirty-three in number, with directions for their use, accompanies each book.SPENCERIAN PRACTICAL WRITING SPELLERPer dozen, $0.48THIS simple, inexpensive device provides abundant drill in writing words. At the same time it trains pupils to form their copies in accordance with the most modern and popular system of penmanship, and saves much valuable time for both teacher and pupil.AMERICAN BOOK COMPANYMILNE’S PROGRESSIVE ARITHMETICSBy WILLIAM J. MILNE, Ph.D., LL.D., President of New York State Normal College, Albany, N. Y.THREE BOOK SERIESFirst Book$0.35Second Book.40Third Book.45TWO BOOK SERIESFirst Book$0.35Complete Book.65IN these series the best modern methods of instruction have been combined with those older features which gave the author’s previous arithmetics such marvelous popularity.¶ Built upon a definite pedagogical plan, these books teach the processes of arithmetic in such a way as to develop the reasoning faculties, and to train the power of rapid, accurate, and skillful manipulation of numbers. The inductive method is applied, leading the pupils to discover truths for themselves; but it is supplemented by model solutions and careful explanations of each step.¶ Each new topic is first carefully developed, and then enforced by sufficient practice to fix it thoroughly in the mind. The problems, which have been framed with the greatest care, relate to a wide range of subjects drawn from modern life and industries. Reviews in various forms are a marked feature. Usefulness is the keynote.¶ In the First and Second Books the amount of work that may be accomplished in a half year is taken as the unit of classification, and the various subjects are treated topically, each being preceded by a brief résumé of the concepts already acquired. In the Third Book the purely topical method is used in order to give the pupil a coherent knowledge of each subject. The Complete Book covers the work usually given to pupils during the last four years of school.AMERICAN BOOK COMPANYSTEPS IN ENGLISHBy A. C. McLEAN, A.M., Principal of Luckey School, Pittsburg; THOMAS C. BLAISDELL, A.M., Professor of English, Fifth Avenue Normal High School, Pittsburg; and JOHN MORROW, Superintendent of Schools, Allegheny, Pa.Book One.For third, fourth, and fifth years$0.40Book Two.For sixth, seventh, and eighth years.60THIS series presents a new method of teaching language which is in marked contrast with the antiquated systems in vogue a generation ago. The books meet modern conditions in every respect, and teach the child how to express his thoughts in language rather than furnish an undue amount of grammar and rules.¶ From the start the attempt has been made to base the work on subjects in which the child is genuinely interested. Lessons in writing language are employed simultaneously with those in conversation, while picture-study, the study of literary selections, and letter-writing are presented at frequent intervals. The lessons are of a proper length, well arranged, and well graded. The books mark out the daily work for the teacher in a clearly defined manner by telling him what to do, and when to do it. Many unique mechanical devices,e. g., a labor-saving method of correcting papers, a graphic system of diagramming, etc., form a valuable feature of the work.¶ These books are unlike any other series now on the market. They do not shoot over the heads of the pupils, nor do they show a marked effort in writing down to the supposed level of young minds. They do not contain too much technical grammar, nor are they filled with what is sentimental and meaningless. No exaggerated attention is given to analyzing by diagramming, and to exceptions to ordinary rules, which have proved so unsatisfactory.AMERICAN BOOK COMPANYNEW SERIES OF THE NATURAL GEOGRAPHIESREDWAY AND HINMANTWO BOOK OR FOUR BOOK EDITIONIntroductory Geography$0.60In two parts, each.40School Geography1.25In two parts, each.75IN the new series of these sterling geographies emphasis is laid on industrial, commercial, and political geography, with just enough physiography to bring out the causal relations.¶ The text is clear, simple, interesting, and explicit. The pictures are distinguished for their aptness and perfect illustrative character. Two sets of maps are provided, one for reference, and the other for study, the latter having corresponding maps drawn to the same scale.¶ The INTRODUCTORY GEOGRAPHY develops the subject in accordance with the child’s comprehension, each lesson paving the way for the next. In the treatment of the United States the physiographic, historical, political, industrial, and commercial conditions are taken up in their respective order, the chief industries and the localities devoted largely to each receiving more than usual consideration. The country is regarded as being divided into five industrial sections.¶ In the SCHOOL GEOGRAPHY a special feature is the presentation of the basal principles of physical and general geography in simple, untechnical language, arranged in numbered paragraphs. In subsequent pages constant reference is made to these principles, but in each case accompanied by the paragraph number. This greatly simplifies the work, and makes it possible to take up the formal study of these introductory lessons after the remainder of the book has been completed. With a view to enriching the course, numerous specific references are given to selected geographical reading.AMERICAN BOOK COMPANYAPPLIED PHYSIOLOGIESBy FRANK OVERTON, A.M., M.D., late House Surgeon to the City Hospital, New York CityPrimary Physiology$0.30Intermediate Physiology$0.50Advanced Physiology$0.80OVERTON’S APPLIED PHYSIOLOGIES form a series of text-books for primary, grammar, and high schools, which departs radically from the old-time methods pursued in the teaching of physiology. These books combine the latest results of study and research in biological, medical, and chemical science with the best methods of teaching.¶ The fundamental principle throughout this series is the study of the cells where the essential functions of the body are carried on. Consequently, the study of anatomy and physiology is here made the study of the cells from the most elementary structure in organic life to their highest and most complex form in the human body.¶ This treatment of the cell principle, and its development in its relation to life, the employment of laboratory methods, the numerous original and effective illustrations, the clearness of the author’s style, the wealth of new physiological facts, and the logical arrangement and gradation of the subject-matter, give these books a strength and individuality peculiarly their own.¶ The effects of alcohol and other stimulants and narcotics are treated in each book sensibly, and with sufficient fullness. But while this important form of intemperance is singled out, it is borne in mind that the breaking of any of nature’s laws is also a form of intemperance, and that the whole study of applied physiology is to encourage a more healthful and a more self-denying mode of life.¶ In the preparation of this series the needs of the various school grades have been fully considered. Each book is well suited to the pupils for whom it is designed.AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
SUPPLEMENTARY READING
FAMOUS STORIES AND LITERATURE
¶ This grading, which is simply suggestive, represents the earliest years in which these books can be read to advantage.
Year7Arnold’s Sohrab and Rustum$0.202Baldwin’s Fifty Famous Stories Retold.354Golden Fleece.508Nine Choice Poems.253Old Greek Stories.453Old Stories of the East.452Robinson Crusoe for Children.353Thirty More Famous Stories Retold.503Bradish’s Old Norse Stories.454Clarke’s Arabian Nights.606Story of Troy.606Story of Ulysses.606Story of Aeneas.454Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe (Stephens).504Dickens’s Child’s Oliver Twist and David Copperfield (Severance).405Story of Little Nell (Gordon).506Tale of Two Cities (Kirk).506Twelve Christmas Stories (Gordon).507Franklin’s Autobiography.357Guerber’s Myths of Greece and Rome1.507Myths of Northern Lands1.507Legends of the Middle Ages1.504Hall’s Homeric Stories.408Irving’s Sketch Book. Selections.208Tales of a Traveler.503Johnson’s Waste Not, Want Not Stories.503Kupfer’s Lives and Stories Worth Remembering.458Lambs’ Tales from Shakespeare. Comedies (Rolfe).508Tales from Shakespeare. Tragedies (Rolfe).508Macaulay’s Lays of Ancient Rome (Rolfe).568Scott’s Ivanhoe.506Kenilworth (Norris).508Lady of the Lake (Gateway).406Quentin Durward (Norris).506Talisman (Dewey).508Shakespeare’s Julius Cæsar.208Merchant of Venice.208As You Like It.201Smythe’s Reynard the Fox.30
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
BROOKS’S READERS
By STRATTON D. BROOKS, Superintendent of Schools, Boston, Mass.
FIVE BOOK SERIESFirst Year$0.25Second Year.35Third Year.40Fourth and Fifth Years.50Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Years.60EIGHT BOOK SERIESFirst Year$0.25Second Year.35Third Year.40Fourth Year.40Fifth Year.40Sixth Year.40Seventh Year.40Eighth Year.40
THESE readers form a good all-round basal series, suitable for use in any school; but they will appeal to teachers particularly, because of their very easy gradation. Both in thought and expression, the books are so carefully graded that each selection is but slightly more difficult than the preceding one, and there is no real gap anywhere.
¶ Although a wide variety of reading matter is provided, good literature, embodying child interests, has been considered of fundamental importance. Lessons of a similar nature are grouped together, and topics relating to kindred subjects recur somewhat regularly. All are designed to quicken the child’s observation, and increase his appreciation.
¶ By the use of this series, the child will be taught to read in such a manner as will appeal to his interests, and at the same time he will be made acquainted with the masterpieces of many famous writers. He will gain a knowledge of many subjects, and acquire pure and attractive ideals of life and conduct. His imagination will be cultivated by pleasing tales of fancy, and he will also be taught a love of country, and given glimpses into the life of other lands.
¶ The books are very attractive in mechanical appearance, and contain a large number of original illustrations, besides reproductions of many celebrated paintings.
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
HUNT’S PROGRESSIVE COURSE IN SPELLING
Complete$0.20Part One.For Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grades.15Part Two.For Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grades.15
THE purpose of this book is to assist the pupil in using words correctly in any one of three relations, viz.: in speech, in oral reading, and in written composition. Its exercises recognize the laws of association, and provide a systematic drill in orthography, orthoepy, word-building, word-analysis, and other phases of word-study.
¶ The vocabulary of the book is made up of words used by the pupil in his other studies, and in his every-day experience. The work is clearly laid out and graded; reviews are amply provided, both by duplication and by dictation work.
¶ PART ONE contains a vocabulary of some 4,000 word-forms in common use, selected and graded with great care. The arrangement is such that there is afforded a variety of exercises, each containing an average of 20 words. The phonetic, the topical, the grammatical, and the antithetic and synonymic methods have received special treatment. Dictation exercises, including memory gems, illustrative sentences, and reviews, are also given.
¶ PART TWO includes a vocabulary of about 5,000 word-forms, the exercises being devoted to topical lessons, phonetic drills, pronouncing drill, grammatical forms, synonyms and antonyms, applications of rules of spelling, drill on homophones, word-building and word-analysis, words the derivation of which is indicated, and derivatives from Latin and Greek roots. Great emphasis is laid on prefixes and suffixes, the origin of words, and pronunciation.
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
SPENCERS’ PRACTICAL WRITING
By PLATT R. SPENCER’S SONS
Books 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8Per dozen, $0.60
SPENCERS’ PRACTICAL WRITING has been devised because of the distinct and wide-spread reaction from the use of vertical writing in schools. It is thoroughly up-to-date, embodying all the advantages of the old and of the new. Each word can be written by one continuous movement of the pen.
¶ The books teach a plain, practical hand, moderate in slant, and free from ornamental curves, shades, and meaningless lines. The stem letters are long enough to be clear and unmistakable. The capitals are about two spaces in height.
¶ The copies begin with words and gradually develop into sentences. The letters, both large and small, are taught systematically. In the first two books the writing is somewhat larger than is customary because it is more easily learned by young children. These books also contain many illustrations in outline. The ruling is very simple.
¶ Instruction is afforded showing how the pupil should sit at the desk, and hold the pen and paper. A series of drill movement exercises, thirty-three in number, with directions for their use, accompanies each book.
SPENCERIAN PRACTICAL WRITING SPELLER
Per dozen, $0.48
THIS simple, inexpensive device provides abundant drill in writing words. At the same time it trains pupils to form their copies in accordance with the most modern and popular system of penmanship, and saves much valuable time for both teacher and pupil.
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
MILNE’S PROGRESSIVE ARITHMETICS
By WILLIAM J. MILNE, Ph.D., LL.D., President of New York State Normal College, Albany, N. Y.
THREE BOOK SERIESFirst Book$0.35Second Book.40Third Book.45TWO BOOK SERIESFirst Book$0.35Complete Book.65
IN these series the best modern methods of instruction have been combined with those older features which gave the author’s previous arithmetics such marvelous popularity.
¶ Built upon a definite pedagogical plan, these books teach the processes of arithmetic in such a way as to develop the reasoning faculties, and to train the power of rapid, accurate, and skillful manipulation of numbers. The inductive method is applied, leading the pupils to discover truths for themselves; but it is supplemented by model solutions and careful explanations of each step.
¶ Each new topic is first carefully developed, and then enforced by sufficient practice to fix it thoroughly in the mind. The problems, which have been framed with the greatest care, relate to a wide range of subjects drawn from modern life and industries. Reviews in various forms are a marked feature. Usefulness is the keynote.
¶ In the First and Second Books the amount of work that may be accomplished in a half year is taken as the unit of classification, and the various subjects are treated topically, each being preceded by a brief résumé of the concepts already acquired. In the Third Book the purely topical method is used in order to give the pupil a coherent knowledge of each subject. The Complete Book covers the work usually given to pupils during the last four years of school.
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
STEPS IN ENGLISH
By A. C. McLEAN, A.M., Principal of Luckey School, Pittsburg; THOMAS C. BLAISDELL, A.M., Professor of English, Fifth Avenue Normal High School, Pittsburg; and JOHN MORROW, Superintendent of Schools, Allegheny, Pa.
Book One.For third, fourth, and fifth years$0.40Book Two.For sixth, seventh, and eighth years.60
THIS series presents a new method of teaching language which is in marked contrast with the antiquated systems in vogue a generation ago. The books meet modern conditions in every respect, and teach the child how to express his thoughts in language rather than furnish an undue amount of grammar and rules.
¶ From the start the attempt has been made to base the work on subjects in which the child is genuinely interested. Lessons in writing language are employed simultaneously with those in conversation, while picture-study, the study of literary selections, and letter-writing are presented at frequent intervals. The lessons are of a proper length, well arranged, and well graded. The books mark out the daily work for the teacher in a clearly defined manner by telling him what to do, and when to do it. Many unique mechanical devices,e. g., a labor-saving method of correcting papers, a graphic system of diagramming, etc., form a valuable feature of the work.
¶ These books are unlike any other series now on the market. They do not shoot over the heads of the pupils, nor do they show a marked effort in writing down to the supposed level of young minds. They do not contain too much technical grammar, nor are they filled with what is sentimental and meaningless. No exaggerated attention is given to analyzing by diagramming, and to exceptions to ordinary rules, which have proved so unsatisfactory.
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
NEW SERIES OF THE NATURAL GEOGRAPHIES
REDWAY AND HINMAN
TWO BOOK OR FOUR BOOK EDITIONIntroductory Geography$0.60In two parts, each.40School Geography1.25In two parts, each.75
IN the new series of these sterling geographies emphasis is laid on industrial, commercial, and political geography, with just enough physiography to bring out the causal relations.
¶ The text is clear, simple, interesting, and explicit. The pictures are distinguished for their aptness and perfect illustrative character. Two sets of maps are provided, one for reference, and the other for study, the latter having corresponding maps drawn to the same scale.
¶ The INTRODUCTORY GEOGRAPHY develops the subject in accordance with the child’s comprehension, each lesson paving the way for the next. In the treatment of the United States the physiographic, historical, political, industrial, and commercial conditions are taken up in their respective order, the chief industries and the localities devoted largely to each receiving more than usual consideration. The country is regarded as being divided into five industrial sections.
¶ In the SCHOOL GEOGRAPHY a special feature is the presentation of the basal principles of physical and general geography in simple, untechnical language, arranged in numbered paragraphs. In subsequent pages constant reference is made to these principles, but in each case accompanied by the paragraph number. This greatly simplifies the work, and makes it possible to take up the formal study of these introductory lessons after the remainder of the book has been completed. With a view to enriching the course, numerous specific references are given to selected geographical reading.
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
APPLIED PHYSIOLOGIES
By FRANK OVERTON, A.M., M.D., late House Surgeon to the City Hospital, New York City
Primary Physiology$0.30Intermediate Physiology$0.50Advanced Physiology$0.80
OVERTON’S APPLIED PHYSIOLOGIES form a series of text-books for primary, grammar, and high schools, which departs radically from the old-time methods pursued in the teaching of physiology. These books combine the latest results of study and research in biological, medical, and chemical science with the best methods of teaching.
¶ The fundamental principle throughout this series is the study of the cells where the essential functions of the body are carried on. Consequently, the study of anatomy and physiology is here made the study of the cells from the most elementary structure in organic life to their highest and most complex form in the human body.
¶ This treatment of the cell principle, and its development in its relation to life, the employment of laboratory methods, the numerous original and effective illustrations, the clearness of the author’s style, the wealth of new physiological facts, and the logical arrangement and gradation of the subject-matter, give these books a strength and individuality peculiarly their own.
¶ The effects of alcohol and other stimulants and narcotics are treated in each book sensibly, and with sufficient fullness. But while this important form of intemperance is singled out, it is borne in mind that the breaking of any of nature’s laws is also a form of intemperance, and that the whole study of applied physiology is to encourage a more healthful and a more self-denying mode of life.
¶ In the preparation of this series the needs of the various school grades have been fully considered. Each book is well suited to the pupils for whom it is designed.
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
Transcriber's NoteMinor punctuation errors have been repaired.Archaic and variable spelling is preserved as printed.Page73—repeated 'the' deleted—... and to strew the path of Apollo, ...Illustrations have been moved where necessary so that they are not in the middle of a paragraph.
Transcriber's Note
Minor punctuation errors have been repaired.
Archaic and variable spelling is preserved as printed.
Page73—repeated 'the' deleted—... and to strew the path of Apollo, ...
Illustrations have been moved where necessary so that they are not in the middle of a paragraph.