The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-11-25
FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS spy.

IHIOFWIutIOn az
may affect the public veal That whateveI
shortens the time and reduces the labor of ear
~ education, must have a very important bear.
ing upon the interests of the community. will
not, we presume, be doubted 1t is therefore
believed, that, by giving the following extracts
from review Of the Improved School Books
named below, you will Advance the cause of
education in by far the most important period
OF lille, viz, its early stage. The article is
! from the pen of gentleman of extensive ac-
quiTements, and one who, for years, has taken
a conspicuous part in the improvement of our
Common Schools
l. The Franklin Primer
! H. The Improved Reader
ILL., The General Class Book.
The above are the titles of three books, re-
( Gently published, and intended for the early
stages of education; and they constitute, in
the opinion of the writer, most important
| improvement"
( :" 1t has long been a subject of remark,
amongst those who are accustomed TO watch
the progress of education in the common
schools. that very much, both oflime and mon
ey, is utterly thrown away. This would be
bad enough If 1t were the only view to be taken
| OF the matter. but it unfortunately is not. The
bad habits. which are too often fixed in the very
outset, become perfect clog in the child's pro-
| gress; and much time is afterwards spent in
eradicating those habits-and not unfrequenty
without success"
"The whole difficulty arises from not adapt
| ing the books placed in the childs hands to
| the character of his mind"
"The three books above mentioned. :he
Primer, the Reader, and the Glass Book, are
| happily adapted TO the real purposes of early
education, and will go very far towards an en-
tire cure of the evils complained of. The
Primer is collection of spelling and reading
lessons, made up altogether of words with
which the child is familiar, and the meaning of
which is at once obvious. They are the objects
which the child sees constantly about him
They are the aoords and phrases which he
| learns and understands, ION their being in
common use 5"
1.-The leading design of the Improved Read
er is to introduce the child, by an easy and
gradual progress, to an acquaintance with the
most important words-with their necessary as
well as their visible forms-that he may easily
acquire a taste for reading The lessons in
| his second book are adapted to the expanding
| capacity of the child, and the subjects are of
such nature as not to be at all above his
! years. Several OF the chapters are devoted
entirely tn the business of explaining the sig
MITIGATION of words, and all the other chapters
have list of definitions prefxed. Thus the
child gets his stock of ideas enlarged he I'M
derstands every thing as he goes along and
has nothing placed before him which is beyond
his comprehension. His feelings are thus in
terested-his progress is pleasant-and he be-
comes satisfied, from day to day, that he is
studying to some purpose"
: 1t is obvious that these hooks constitute
a decided improvement in the way of learning,
because they draw off the attention of pupils
| from forms to things-from ,cords to ideas
This opinion is fully confirmed by the exper-
lment which has been made in the use of them
| This experiment the writer has carefully watch
ed, and it has been in the highest degree salts
factory. These books are, therefore, cheerful
ly and earnestly recommended to the attention
| OF all who are interested to improve the means
of education in by far the most important stage
of ito wit, its earliest stage Well may the
! author of them say, as he does in the motto to
one OF them, in the language of inspiration,
had rather speak five words with my under
standing, than ten thousand words IN an un-
known tongue"
The following additional testimony in regard
| to the merits of these books, is from the Christ
ian Examiner and General Review, published
at Boston, Liverpool, and London:
What has so generally been made task,
| and loathsome one, he (tfie author) has con.
verted into pleasure and pastime Every
thing is done to encourage the lcarner; and
encouragement seems to be all that is wanting
in beginning to learn, in the first steps of the
| infant pupil. He has enough of curiosity and
desire, if they are properly met by the parent
or teacher and he will advance inconIparabv
| faster in this way, than by given task, enforc-
ed against his will"