THE JONES FIRST READER BY L. H. JONES, A.M. PRESIDENT OF THE MICHIGAN STATE NORMAL COLLEGE, FORMERLY BOSTON, U.S.A. GINN & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS The Athenæum Press PREFACE THIS is the first book of a series of Readers intended to cover the reading work of the eight grades of the elementary schools. It is not intended that the series shall furnish all the reading matter needed in these grades, but rather a basal line of thought and a vocabulary sufficient for the interpretation of all reading matter used in these grades from whatever sources taken. Each book of the series is adapted to its place and part in such a plan. This book begins its work well within the child's present interests, but in some one or more of its lessons pushes each of these interests beyond the point which the child could reach without assistance. The subject-matter of this book has been carefully chosen from all fields of knowledge desirable for children of the age for which it is intended. Nature study has been given a prominent place, especially in the earlier pages. Animals have been presented through their most pleasing and characteristic attributes; and the children 1 4 through a real interest in them and their needs. Throughout the book care has been taken to present the elements of ethics as applied concretely to conduct. The greatest service that a series of Readers can render to pupils is to supply each with proper standards of life and conduct. This book, as the first of the series, touches many matters pertaining to life and conduct, showing moral forces at work producing their legitimate effects. The lessons drawn from nature study give preference to the poetical rather than to the scientific interpretation of nature. The poetical interpretation, however, is always based on and developed from a correct relationship of facts, so that the child will have no mistaken notions to correct in his later scientific studies. This book is adapted for use through each or all of the modern methods of teaching beginners to read. The sentence method, the word method, and the phonic method-if such simple processes of teaching may may be used properly be dignified by the term method to advantage, separately or in happy combination. The modern teacher knows well how to use good reading matter so as to develop the power to read well and at the same time to cultivate the love for good literature. STATE NORMAL COLLEGE, YPSILANTI, June 1, 1903. |