Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-06-19
IN THE OLD :NEW" FIRST READER.

IN THE OLD :NEW" FIRST READER.
Glass in first reader" 1t was in
the "deestrick school," back in Han
over or Podunk more years ago than
you care to confess. Then the class
struggled up into a wavy line on the
floor to toe crack and conduct the
lesson. Maybe you remember San
ders' New First Reader and the pic
Brothers Grave" Before a slab
against a foreground Of "evergreens"
and a tall feminine figure represent
ing to childish eyes the surviving
family of the dear departed: and
this was part of the verse set forth
In the reading lesson of those 7-yea--
olds:
What is that little grassy mound
where pretty roses bloom" Query
by the boy in the cap and the long
pants). The mother replies. Your
brother lies beneath that ground.
tits little Oscars tomb" Then it
goes on:
Alas did little Oscar die?
How dismal 1t must be
To bid this lovely world good oy,l
1t seems quite sad TO me-
McGuffey's Electric Spelling Book
offered work Of art in the Flower
Girl" In the old wood cut she Is ;:r-
rayed in a hat of the shape ana ap-
proximats size of an umbrella, a long
wasted dress that comes below the
knees and below which Il pair of
pantaiettes volume down over slip
pers hitched fast to instep and ankle
by crisis crossed strings:
Emma did as her mother told her.
flowers came up she took grea. care
of them. Now she has just as many
as she wants. See how happy she
looks. 1t is best to go to work with
patience and the right way and then
everything will come out right"
Going back to Peter Parley's First
Book of History. the youthful STU
dent and potential president saw a
conveyance somewhat like a cross
between Conestoga wagon and a
stage coach, crowded with pas
sengers seated In the body and
standing upon the roof, drawn by a
pair of horses in fun gallop urged on
by the lash of the driver. It was
explained to his curious mind that:
Now in order to carry on all this
business more easily. the people are
building what Is called a railroad.
A part of this railroad is already
done. and if you choose to take a
ride upon it you can do so. You will
mount a car something like aatstage
and then you will be drawn along by
two horses at the rate Of twelve
miles an hour"
In McGuffey's Eclectic Spelling
Book also appeared the delightful
picture of three loving children
Learning to Read" The brother sat
between the two girls, all with arms
entwined. beside flowing river. A
hoop. much esteemed as a plaything
lay beside the group and in the dis
lance the schoolhouse looms high.
Below we read:
"This boy and his sisters love each
very well. Some want to play even
in school"
''Once a little boy, IN school. too
lazy to study, stole a pin. He next
stole pair of shoes and then a roll
Of cloth, and so on, until he was put
into Jail for great crime and hung.
And all this came from his being
idle and his stealing a pin"
The old schoolbooks were strong
on moral precept. OF course the
youngsters of that by gone day read
the precepts and modelled them
selves upon them. Those dear little
boys never fought nor did the sweet
little girls in the pantalettes turn up
noses at each other. The little boys
all grew up honest which makes it
hard to understand how so many of
them got rich on army contracts and
how the Credit Mobilier came about.
Perhaps the fate Of little Oscar
was restraining influence. When
one comes to consider it it does seem
quite sad" to bid this lovely world
good bye" and there is plain sug-
gestion of the dismal about being
buried even under a grassy mound
where pretty roses bloom. Maybe
that's what made us all so good.