NEW NATIONAL FIRST READER

BY

CHARLES J. BARNES

HARLAN H. BALLARD

S. PROCTOR THAYER

NEW YORK--CINCINNATI--CHICAGO AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY

1888, by A.S. BARNES & CO.

The authors of this book believe,--

1st.--That the Word Method is the most natural and practicable, because words are representatives of objects, actions, etc., while letters, or sounds, in the abstract, convey no meaning to the pupil, and are devoid of interest.

2d.--That words of ordinary length are as easily learned as short ones, provided they are familiar to the pupil. No teacher will doubt the statement that a pupil will learn the word "mamma'" as easily as "says" or "eyes."

3d.--That frequent "Reviews" are essential to the rapid and thorough advancement of pupils. By this means the words imperfectly learned are again brought to their attention and thoroughly memorized. That these "Reviews" ought to take up the new words in a different order and arrangement, in order to test the ability of the pupil to recognize them in any situation. That as soon as the vocabulary is large enough they should be written in the form of a new exercise, as on pp. 36, 44, 52, 60, and 68 of this book.

4th.--That thorough and systematic drill in Spelling is absolutely necessary. That the "Reading Reviews" should be so constructed as to contain all the new words used in the lessons they were intended to review, and no others, so that they can be used for "Written or Dictation Spelling." That the pronunciation of the words in the "Spelling Reviews" should be indicated by the diacritical marks of Webster, so that they can be used for either "Oral Spelling" or "Phonic Drill."

5th.--That the "Script" from which the pupil gets his first and most lasting impressions should be of large size and accurate form, and not of the nondescript character usually found in books of this class. That it should be free from superfluous line and flourish, and yet have grace and beauty. That it should be adapted for both copying and reading.

6th.--That the lessons should be largely "conversational in style," to cultivate flexibility of voice and to break up the dreary monotone so frequently heard among children.

7th.--That the lessons of a book of this grade should not average more than seven "new words." That all such words should appear at the commencement of lessons, and be familiar to the pupil. That this method secures careful gradation, and is in marked contrast with the old custom of having from fifteen to twenty-five.

8th.--That "Outline Drawings" of the objects first presented to pupils should be made in the presence of the class, as it stimulates them to draw, and thus makes easy and profitable the copying of the "Script Exercises."

9th.--That the schoolbook of to-day must be beautifully and copiously illustrated. That there must be variety as well as excellence, both in drawing and engraving. That well-known and famous artists must be secured, such as Harper, Fredericks, Church, Lippincott, Eytinge, White, Beard, Weldon, Thulstrup, Cary, Moser, Weaver, and Share; and such engravers as Karst, Wigand, French, Held, Davis, Hellawell, etc.

10th.--That the exercises must be instructive as well as interesting, and that no artificial system of vowel classification ought to interfere with the free and natural use of words.

11th.--That a book of this kind should be suited to the wants of graded and ungraded schools, there evidently being nothing in the one not readily adaptable to the other.

12th.--That every book of this class should contain a collection of brief extracts from standard literature to be committed to memory.

13th.--That this book is constructed on the above principles.

ALPHABETS.

LESSON I.

dog it is a dog

It is a dog.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON II.

NEW WORDS.

boy the and run see

See the boy and the dog.

The boy and the dog run.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON III.

NEW WORDS.

rat big can get this

This is a big rat.

Can the dog get the rat?

The dog can get the rat.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON IV.

NEW WORDS.

hen nest box on in

See the hen and the nest.

The hen is on the nest.

The nest is in a box.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON V.

NEW WORDS.

cat egg will an at

The big cat is at the nest.

Will the cat get an egg?

See the hen run at the cat!

Run, hen, run!

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON VI.

READING REVIEW.[[A]]

I.

See the boy and the dog.

Is it a big dog?

II.

The dog can get the big rat.

Is this hen on the nest?

III.

Is the nest in a box?

The big cat is at the nest.

IV.

Will the cat get an egg?

The hen will run at the cat.

SPELLING REVIEW.

ĭt ăt bĭḡ ŧhē sēe⃥ răt
ĭs̝ ăn dŏḡ ănd c̵ăn hĕn
ĭn ŏn boy rŭn ḡĕt bŏx
c̵ăt ĕḡg⃥ wĭll⃥ ŧhĭs nĕst

LESSON VII.

SCRIPT EXERCISE

OBJECT EXERCISE.

See the and the
The ran at the
The ran at the
Can the get the
The is in the
The is in the

LESSON VIII.

NEW WORDS.

his fast yes not as them

This is a boy and his dog.

Can the boy and his dog run fast?

Yes. See them run.

The boy can not run as fast as the dog. Run, boy, run!

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON IX.

NEW WORDS

white little bird eggs you are do I

Do you see this little bird?

Yes, I see the little bird.

Do you see this little nest?

Yes, and I see the eggs in it.

The eggs in the nest are white.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON X

NEW WORDS.

Ann play her ran girl was likes

Do you see the little girl and her cat? See them play.

This little girl is Ann.

Ann likes her cat.

This cat was in a nest.

A hen ran at her.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON XI.

NEW WORDS.

top has spin how he makes

The boy has a big top.

Spin! Spin! Spin!

See how he makes it spin!

Can you spin a top?

Yes, I can spin a top.

A boy likes a big top.

LESSON XII.

READING REVIEW.

I.

The boy and his dog can run fast. Do you see them run? Can the dog run as fast as the boy? Yes, he can.

II.

I do not see the little bird. I see the eggs in the nest. Are the eggs white? Yes, the eggs are white.

III.

Was the girl Ann? Yes. Her cat likes play. Was the cat at the nest? Yes, and the hen ran at her.

IV.

The boy has a top. See how fast he makes it spin! Can you spin a top? Yes, I can spin a top.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON XIII.

SPELLING REVIEW.

Ī hăs̝ răn ŧhĕm
ăs̝ hĭs̝ ĕḡg⃥s̝ fȧst
do̤ yĕs bĩrd whīte⃥
hē nŏt ḡĩrl plāy⃥
y⃥o⃥ū äre⃥ spĭn līke⃥s
wạs̝ Ănn⃥ how māke⃥s
(wŏz) hẽr tŏp lĭt'tle⃥

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON XIV.

NEW WORDS.

tree birds floor cats rats
one two three four
One, one, one,
Little dog, run.
Two, two, two,
Cats see you.
Three, three, three,
Birds in a tree.
Four, four, four,
Rats on the floor.

LESSON XV.

NEW WORDS.

good to hat like
gave doll new mam ma'

Ann has a new doll.

Her mamma' gave it to her.

Ann likes the doll, and will get it a new hat.

Are you a good girl?

Do you like a doll?

LESSON XVI.

NEW WORDS.

O may ride too my
me put take with

Ann, will you take a ride with me?

O yes! I will. May I take my doll too?

Yes, you may take the doll.

Ann will put on her hat, and take her doll to ride.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON XVII.

NEW WORDS.

we five ver'y snow
that they those pret'ty

How fast we ride! I like to ride, and my doll likes it too.

Ann, do you see those five little birds on that tree?

O yes! I see them. Are they not very pretty birds?

Yes. They are snowbirds.

LESSON XVIII.

READING REVIEW.

I.

I see one dog and two cats. Do you see the three birds in the tree, and the four rats on the floor?

II.

Yes, and I see the new doll my good mamma' gave to Ann. I like the doll. It is a very pretty one. May I take it to ride?

III.

O yes! and I will put on my hat and take a ride too. Do you see me with my doll?

IV.

Do we not ride fast? See those five snowbirds in that tree. Are they not pretty birds?

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON XIX.

SPELLING REVIEW.

Ō one fōu⃥r ḡāve⃥
to̤ (wŭn) snōw⃥ fīve⃥
mē tw⃥o̤ dŏll⃥ ŧhōs̝e⃥
mȳ (to͞o) līke⃥ ŧhăt
(mī) new tāke⃥ ŧhe̱y⃥
wē (nū) rīde⃥ vĕr'y̆
to͞o pụt wĭŧh bĩrds̝
hăt māy⃥ flōo⃥r pret'ty̆
trēe⃥ răts (flōr) (prĭt'ty̆)
c̵ăts thrēe⃥ ḡo͝od mȧm mä'

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON XX.

NEW WORDS.

go off did bad
why here have Rov'er

Here, Rover, here! That is my hat! Do not run off with it!

You are a bad dog to run off with my hat. I will not have you with me. You are not a good dog.

You bad dog! Why did you go off with my hat?

LESSON XXI.

NEW WORDS.

kit'ty saw soft catch
fur its she small

This is my little kitty.

How soft and white its fur is!

Is it not pretty? The cat is on the box. She saw a big rat and ran to catch it.

The kitty was too small to catch the rat.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON XXII.

NEW WORDS.

up ho down boys mer'ry back
hill o'ver
Ho, ho!
How we go
Down the hill,
Over the snow.
Ho, ho! Back we go,
Up the hill, over the snow.
Down the hill, and over the snow,
We merry boys, how fast we go!

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON XXIII.

NEW WORDS.

if race girls out
look sled hurt now give

The boys and girls are out at play.

Look out, boy! Do not get hurt!

Will you give me a ride, little boy?

O yes! you may ride on my new sled.

Now, Rover, we will have a race.

Run fast, Rover! If you do not run fast, I will catch you!

LESSON XXIV.

READING REVIEW.

I.

Ann likes her small kitty. Its fur is soft and white. It saw the cat catch the big rat.

II.

Ann likes Rover too. She saw Rover run off with the hat. Here, Rover, here! You are a bad dog! Why did you run off with the hat?

III.

Ho, ho! Look at the boys and girls. See them go down the hill, over the snow. Now they go back, up the hill.

IV.

They are out at play. They will not get hurt. How merry they are! Ann, I will give you a ride on my sled. We will have a race with Rover and see how fast we can run.

LESSON XXV

SPELLING REVIEW.

ĭf ĭts băc⃥k slĕd
hō fûr ō'vẽr ḡĩrls̝
ḡō shē sŏft hûrt
ŭp out boys̝ hăve⃥
ŏff⃥ now lo͝ok c̵ăt⃥ch
dĭd whȳ ḡĭve⃥ sma̤ll⃥
băd hĭll⃥ rāçe⃥ kĭt'ty̆
sa̤w⃥ down (rās) Rōv'ẽr
hēre⃥ mĕr'ry̆

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

LESSON XXVI.

NEW WORDS.

from come be a way' there of
what soon
Bad boy! bad boy! Come down from that tree. Do not take the eggs from the nest. What a bad boy, to take the eggs of a bird! Go away, bad boy; do not take the eggs, and soon there will be three pretty birds in the nest.

LESSON XXVII.

NEW WORDS.

Roy drum march rub'-a-dub
fun gun beat

Now, Roy, you beat the drum, and we will march. I have my new hat and gun. Now go on. Rub-a-dub, rub-a-dub! Here we go! March, march, march! Do you like to march, Roy?

Yes. What fun it is to beat a drum, and march with a gun!

LESSON XXVIII.

NEW WORDS.

Ned no us let
hand ap'ple your some
Here, Ned, catch this apple in your hand. No, I will catch it in my hat. Now I have it. What a big apple it is! Let us take some to mamma'. O yes! she likes them. I will get her some. We will take them to her in my hat. O here is a very big apple! We will give her this one too.