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THIRD BOOK

FOR

READING AND SPELLING,

WITH

SIMPLE RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS

FOR

AVOIDING COMMON ERRORS,

AND

1

A VOCABULARY OF WORDS USED IN THE LESSONS, THAT ARE

TO BE DEFINED.

BY SAMUEL WORCESTER,

AUTHOR OF A PRIMER, SECOND BOOK, INTRODUCTION TO THIRD BOOK FOR READING
AND SPELLING, AND FOURTH BOOK FOR READING.

ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTH EDITION.

BOSTON:

JENKS, PALMER & CO.
1849.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1843, by

SAMUEL WORCESTER,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

IMPROVED SERIES OF READING BOOKS. WORCESTER'S PRIMER, or First Book, 72 pages, 18mo.

WORCESTER'S SECOND BOOK, for Reading and Spelling, 168 pages, 12mo. WORCESTER'S INTRODUCTION TO THIRD BOOK, with Rules and Instructions 264 pages, 18mo.

WORCESTER'S THIRD BOOK, for Reading and Spelling, with Rules and Instruc tions for avoiding common errors, 288 pages, 12mo.

WORCESTER'S FOURTH BOOK, for Reading, with Rules and Instructions, 486 pages, 12mo.

The above Series of Reading Books, by the Rev. Samuel Worcester, was the first to introduce Rules and Instructions for avoiding errors in reading, in connection with Lessons for practice. The plan has met with the approval of the friends of Educa tion, as the demand for the works has evinced.

The books have recently (1846) been Enlarged and Improved by the insertion of Exer cises in Enunciation, Articulation, Pronunciation, &c., arranged upon the inductive or gradual plan, prepared by Mr. William Russell, author of Russell's Elocutionist, and adapted to the wants and capacities of pupi's using the several books.

The series now contains a complete systematic analysis of the principles of distinct, correct and graceful reading. It is thorough in its plan and full in its explanations; the principles clear and easy for the teacher to impart and the pupil to comprehend, -and thus School Reading is made a Study rather than a mere routine.

Throughout the Series such questions are asked and directions given and urged home to the comprehension of the pupil, as will induce habits of reading correctly, and point out errors and incorrect practices, thus giving the scholar an opportunity of acquiring as full a knowledge of the principles and practice of good reading from the series, as can be acquired during the usual period of school instruction.

The moral tone of the selections is unquestioned. The Scriptures are the standard. The style of the pieces is elevated and pure, and the affections are appealed to in the Lessons, which being in part descriptive of rural and other natural scenery and objects, information of a varied, useful and pleasing kind is communicated, while pieces of a warlike tendency have been excluded.

The books are printed on good paper, substantially bound, and are furnished at as low rates as any of the less meritorious works. They are in extensive use in nearly all parts of the United States. The enlarged and improved editions may be used wher. ever the previous editions are, as no alteration has been made in the reading lessons.

Recommendations of the above series.

George B. Emerson, Esq., an eminent teacher of Boston, connected with Dr. Potter, as author of the "School and Schoolmaster," remarks in a letter to the Publishers: "Ever since I became acquainted with Mr. Worcester's books, they have seemed to me better adapted, than any other series that has come to my knowledge, to the capacities and wants both of learners and teachers of Elementary Schools. They are not, like most other readers, mere compilations; to a great extent they are original.

"The remarks to teachers, the notices of errors to be avoided, and the questions to aid the understanding of the learner, are all of great value; but what is of far greater, is the elevated moral tone which pervades these lessons, fitting them not only to exercise the mind and communicate the art of reading, but to do much for that better and usually neglected part of education, the forination of the moral character, and the education of the moral affections."

And, in regard to the Introduction to the Third Book, just published, Mr. Emerson adds, "I welcome this as an addition to an invaluable series."

In a letter received by the publishers, Mr.Wm. Russell, Teacher of Elocution, remarks, "I consider them the best adapted of any to youthful readers. They are more simple in matter and style, and more interesting to children, than any other that I have tried, and finely suited, in particular, to maternal instruction at home.

"They are, further, excellently adapted to the improvement of young readers in articulation and pronunciation, as many prevailing errors are carefully indicated in them. The sentiments embodied in these books are such as parents would wish to have inculcated during the early part of life."

[From Ebenezer Bailey, Author of the "Young Ladies' Class Book," and "First Lessons in Algebra."]

"I have used Worcester's series of Reading Books in my school ever since they were published, and regard them as among the most valuable works of the kind.”

GIFT OF

GEORGE ARTHUR PLIMPTON
JANUARY 25, 1924

PREFACE.

A PRIMER and a SECOND BOOK FOR READING AND SPELLING, by the author of this THIRD BOOK, have been favorably received by the public. As no other work has appeared,* suited to follow the SECOND BOOK, no apology will be thought necessary for this attempt to supply the well-known deficiency.

Twenty years ago we had several reading books in our schools, which contained a few rules, placed at the beginning or end. The lessons for reading contained no references to these rules, and they were never so combined with the lessons as to be of any practical utility. Later compilations contain no rules or instructions in Reading. In almost every art and science, it is fornd useful to combine written instruction with oral, and no good reason appears for dispensing with either, in teaching children how to read:

Reading is the art of converting written language into speech. In teaching this art, our first instructions are necessarily oral; but after the scholar is able to read intelligibly, he may be as much assisted by written instructions, as in studying Grammar or Arithmetic. This is found to be true with those who are far enough advanced to study treatises on Rhetorical Reading; and those who have studied these works, well know that they consist, in a great degree, of instructions for avoiding certain common errors, which can as well be pointed · out to children as to adults. They are also aware, that these errors would have been more easily corrected, if they had received suitable notice at an earlier age.

Good teachers endeavor to correct these faults at the proper time, that is, when they are first committed; but their instructions, though repeated hundreds of times, need the aid of writing, that they may be presented in a permanent form to the eye of the scholar, and then receive the teacher's illustrations and sanction. It is thus that we teach other things, and we may thus teach Reading.

Only those rules and instructions should be presented to children, which children can understand; and those which are given in this oook, are such as good teachers give orally. They are presented in such order, and are so adapted to the lessons, and combined with them, that they are given as a teacher would give them, where they are needed. A series of rules and instructions, standing by themselves, and not referred to in the reading lessons, would be worse than useless; but it is believed that no scholar, who is old enough to read these lessons, can study any one of them faithfully, and receive the same share of assistance from his teacher that he does in other les

Since the above was written the author has prepared the Introduction to the Third Book, at the suggestion of several intelligent teachers, which is thought a valuable addition to the series.

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