State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-09-06
CIRCULAR.

TEACHERS, Trustees Of Schools, Academies
and .Jupep,les Libraries, Legislators, yMer-
chants and Young Persons Of both Seres
throughout the United STATES or elsewhere
ToRnEY's AMERICAN SCHOOL IL
BRARY, Embracing SYSTEMATIC course
ul Literary, intellectual, Moral and Phv-
steal instruction, designed both Tor class rea-
ding and private study
The subscriber having recently compet-
ed the compilation and publication OF a
progressive series of elementary class hooks
for the use of schools, academies and laml-
lies, now respectfully proposes them Tor
public examination and such share oil pat
Ionage as their merits may be judged emit
tied to.
The series consists Of seven books as
follows:
No I. The Primary Spelling Book, thirty
six pages, IL mo.
No. 9. Familiar Spelling Book, 100 pages
l2 mo.
No. 8. A Pleasing Companion for little
girls and Boys, 144 pages, mo.
No. 4. A Mental Museum for the Rising
Generation, consisting OF tales, fables, &c,
vol. ], 1871 pages, IL mo.
No. 5. A Mental Musum, &c. comprising
conversations on natural history, and the
Universe, reflections on Providence, &C.,
VOL 2, $50 pages, IL mo.
No. 6. A Mental Museum, &C., including
miscellaneous articles, entertaining, moral
and political, vol. 3, ZIG pages, IL mo.
No. Z. The Moral Instructor and Guide
10 Virtue, containing original essays on
knowledge, Temperance and economy, and
abstracts OF the best systems OF morals, an
cient and modern, 500 pages, IL mo.
The first, third and seventh numbers are
published by Grigg and Elliott, No. North
Fourth street, Philadelphia, and the whole
set may be obtained by addressing orders
10 the author at Newburgh. They have
been adopted in many academies and Schools
in various parts oil the United States, in pre-
ference TO the ioreig compilations previous
ly used.
The compiler OF the American School
Library, is not so presumptuous as to pro
pose his books sufficient substitutes Tor all
other compilations Tor similar purposes.
On the contrary, he would earnestly rec
ommend Il at so great a variety Of class
books should be furnished for schools, that
each class might commence every quarter
with new book. 1t is great mistake in
parents to suppose there is economy or any
other advantage in combining their children
TO the use OF only two or three sorts OF
school books during their education. A
new good book, every lew months, stmu-
lates the ambition OF the scholar, and
facilitates his improvement, not only in the
art OF reading but in the progressive &C
quirement OF useful information.
1t has been the special cndeavor Of the
compiler Of the books now offered TO the
public, besides adapting the lessons progress
Sivcly TO the age aud capacities oil the learner
to combine entertainment with useful in
struction; and while guiding the plant
juvenile mind in the ways OF knowledge,
wisdom, virtue, piety, economy, industry,
temperance, peace and happiness, to exhibit
clearly, and iorcibly the inducements and
rational motives for pursuing such ways
Dry moral precepts, without illustrations
are seldom regarded with attention by chill
dren.-He has also carefully, endeavoret
that nothing should be found in his compi-
ations, partial Tor, or against either OF TIT
sects OF religion, but at the same time in.
culcating such fundamental, practical ant
indisputable maXims and principles as al
concur in. The introduction OF sectariaI
books in scminaries oil learning would hav,
pernicious tendency TO destroy the unioI
and harmony in society go essential TO thu
advancement OF education. He has insertet
n considerable number Of lessons designe'
TO impress the minds OF the rising genera
tion with Just abhorrance OF the prevail
ing custom of using intoxicating liquors
which is probably the most destructive ant
extensive moral and physical evil that raw
ages ouI republic at the present time.
The advantages which, in the compiler
view, are peculiar to his spelling books, ar
first, that the elementary sounds are 81
plaaTu n nj IictinctlU arrapUn1 nd 60 nlaip
~ explained, by means OF simple new
invented key, that any child who can distin
guish numerical Figures and pronounc
fourteen OF the most common monoyslla
bleS, may be taught, in few hours, how
TO pronounce the accented vowel sounds il
Ill the words of the regular spelling tables
whether the sounds are represented by sin
gle, various or dipthongal vowels, wlthou
farther attention from the teacher; sccon,
that words which are seldom or never use
either in books or conversation, are chief
excluded, rs well as several other cXtrane
Gus matters Gotten to be seen in common
spelling books) either useless or uninlelligi
BILE, and perplexing to small Children; third
that the reading lessons comprise, exclu
sively, subjects familiar and interesting 4
Young learners, whiemost Of the spelling
books are clogged with abstract metaphy
steal pieces, totally incomprehensble to chill
dren, ard OF course, tedious, disagreeabl
and discouraging.
In selecting materials for the 81 and Al
books, the compiler has taken particular CAL
that the subjects, as well as the languag,
should correspond TO the capacities and Zee
ings Of children from 6 TO 8 years old b
which means they will, at the same tint
make rapid progress in the art OF readin
with ease and nrnnriefv hncnma innrnu.,