The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1877-05-10
The Dictionary as an Instructor.

We notice As Il matter well worth mention
ing, that at the recent great publishers trade
sale in New York, the books that Were most in
demand and brought the best prices were
Webster'S Dictionaries from the famous Quar-
to to the neat and handy pocket edition. This
fact is good indication of the almos; universal
popularity of these books, and of the grow
ing public demand for them. 1t indicates also a
fact of far greater importance and that is the
interest the people are taking in the study of
their own language. This is encouraging, a
there is no branch of education that is now and
has been so much neglected as the common
branches of spelling and defining. 1t is. often
astonishing and grevious to see how grossly
ignorant are children aud youth, ana even
men and woman, of the photography, pro-
nuncation and meaning ofordiuary words and
phrases. They cannot express their thoughts
for the want oil words, and often they express
thoughts very different from what they intend,
because they do not understand the words they
employ. And very frequently, from the same
cause, they take no idea, or wrong ideas from
what they read or hear.
The remedy for these evils is the proper
training in the study of words, by the use Of
the Dictionary, and this training should begin
as soon rs the child can distinguish between
one word and another, and continue Indefinite
". The apparatus for this study should. of
course be the most complete and thorough
to be had, and this is abundantly supplied in
WebSter's Dictionaries, which are Justly recog-
nized, where our language is spoken, as the
standard authority in English. Parents and
teachers can in no other way so effec;ualiy or
so cheaply promote the educational interests
of their children, when Of suitable age. as by
is,f hair n OH :
School Dictionaries. for daily use in conLec-
placing on the family center table, or the
teachers desk as the authoritative guide and
standard, a copy Of the Unabridged.
The unabridged contains 30O0 illustrations,
over ll4,000 words in its yocabularies, and
10000 words and meanings not in any other
Dictionary; the abridged editions comprise
The Primary" which has the largest sale,
and which has some capital rules for spelling
''The Common school is similar, but larger.
with tables of synonyms, &c. The High
school," still fuller, with many useful tables;
1.-The Academic and ''Couniing-house > fnr
advanced schools and for general home and
business use. The latter has some specially
valuable commercial and financial tables.
The little Pocket edition. with is bright
gilt edges and morocco binding,t l. ninva'uan,e
pocket companion. II contains 5000 words,
rules for spelling, many authorizations. words
and phrases. proverbs, etc. ordinarily met
with in the Greek, Latin and Modern langiag-
IS. Whether IL Is convenient or not 10 have
copies Of any of the other books 81 the series,
we certainly recommend that all should pos
sess copy ~ the Pocket. which, when not
otherwise obtainabe NAV BE- bal by mail. by
sl.0o 10 the publisher. MEs,Es:
IvIsoN. BIAKEYas. TAYLOR K Co. lis and
40 Grand Street. New York.