HIGH SCHOOL READER: EMBRACING A COMPREHENSIVE COURSE OF INSTRUCTION IN THE PRINCIPLES OF RHETORICAL READING; WITH ▲ CHOICE COLLECTION OF EXERCISES IN READING, FOR THE USE OF THE HIGHER CLASSES IN SCHOOLS OF EVERY GRADE BY CHARLES W. SANDERS, A.M., AUTHOR OF "▲ SERIES OF SCHOOL READERS," "YOUNG LADIES' READER, NEW YORK: IVISON, PHINNEY & COMPANY, CHICAGO: S. C. GRIGGS & COMPANY, 1863. Office of the Controllers of Public Schools, PHILADELPHIA, June 19, 1859. Ar a meeting of the Controllers of Public Schools, First District of Pennsylvania, held at the Controllers' Chamber on Tuesday, May 11, 1858, the following Resolution was adopted: Resolved-That SANDERS' READERS be introduced, to be used in the Public Schools of this District. From the Minutes, ROBERT J. HEMPHILL, MARYARD COLLEGE LIBRARY GIFT OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION 15hy 29 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1856, by CHARLES W. SANDERS, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. STEREOTYPED BY 89&84 Beekman Street. PREFACE. Tar ooks composing the series of which the present volume is the closing number, have always found singular favor in the schools, because of their peculiar adaptation to the purposes of teaching. This feature is more or less obvious on every page, though often discernible in particulars which experienced eyes alone could be expected to see and appreciate. They are no fortuitous collections of reading matter, designed to attract attention by the mere force of novelty. Novelty they have, indeed, as much,--perhaps, more than will be found in any other works of similar design. But novelty is not their only, nor even their chief commendation. They are prepared with careful and minute reference to many educational wants and uses. Addressing themselves, in the outset, to early childhood, they naturally deal in easy words and easy sentences, simple subjects and pictorial illustrations: the lessons being everywhere accompanied with appropriate exercises in spelling, pronunciation and definition, together with numerous collateral hints, cautions and instructions, all contributing to the one result, that of securing a steady, systematic progress. Advancing still, by easy gradations, and aiming at complete development, they gradually widen the circle of precept and practice, till it comes, at last, to embrace almost all possible styles and subjects, as also all rules and principles, involved in a full and thorough course of Elocutionary training. Hence it results, that each previous book, in the series, is a sort of pioneer to that which comes next in order, though each performs its appropriate part, and is complete in itself. If, however, the whole purpose of these books were answered in producing good readers, or, rather, in supplying the means of producing good readers, though they would undoubtedly, in that case, be entitled to the praise of distinguished usefulness, still would they be far from reaching the measure of excellence contemplated in their preparation. They do, indeed, aim at making accomplished readers. But with this, their leading design, they couple other objects of the highest moment. They show the respect which is due to youth, by not only training the voice and giving graceful utterance to the tongue, but by carefully excluding from that which must often be read, as an exercise in school, whatever might justly be thought offensive to good taste, good manners, or good morals. Thus they stand, from first to last, in pointed contrast with that mixed, and, therefore, often mischievous, kind of reading, which, |