Sargent's Standard Readers, Charts, &c.

Sargent's Standard Series of Readers is now the leading Series used in the Eastern States, and in most of the principal cities of the Union, and comprise five carefully graded Readers, a Primer, and two Spelling Books.

These Readers have met with unprecedented success; more than five millions of copies having already passed into schools. Their points of superiority are:-1. The appropriate character of the reading matter, and the great care evident in the preparation. 2. The drilling exercise, and the simple system of reference, by which accuracy in pronunciation is secured. 3. The Explanatory index, by which difficult words are explained, and a taste for etymology is inculcated 4. Superiority in the careful graduation of the several Readers to different capacities; ease and simplicity being studied, and the labors of the teacher much lessened. 5. Superiority in the mechanical execution, paper, binding, &c., and, in the smaller books, in the wood-cuts. 6. In the Speller a scientific classification of words, with Dictation Exercises, combining all the modern improvements. The present publisher devotes his whole time exclusively to the manufacture and sale of these works. He has paid especial attention to the printing and binding, which have been greatly improved under his charge. The sales are constantly increasing.

The testimonials as to the superiority of Sargent's Readers are so numerous, and from such high quarters, that we must refer Committees and Teachers to the pamphlet containing them, which may be had gratis, and postpaid, on application to the publisher.

Copies of the Readers will be furnished gratis to School Committees and Teachers, who are desirous of examining the same, with a view to introduction into schools, on application to the publisher. Or they will be sent by mail, prepaid, when the amount of postage is sent in stamps. The postage rates are, on the Fifth Reader, 24 cents; the Fourth, 18 cents; the Third, 15 cents; the Second, 12 cents; and on the First, 9 cents; Standard Speller, 12 cents; Standard Primer, 6 cents; Smaller Standard Speller, 6 cents.

The New Lithographed edition of Sargent's Standard School Charts (to accompany Sargent's Standard Readers) is now ready. The Charts are six in number, and each Chart is 22 by 28 inches in dimensions. The Charts may be had either on six single sheets, as they come from the stone, or mounted on three large cards with a Chart on each side. In sheets, these Charts may be nailed or pasted on a wall, and renewed at small expense, when defaced. The six lithographed Charts in sheets, will be sent, by mail, postpaid, for 72 cents. Mounted on Cards, they will be furnished at $1.50 for the set, or 50 cents a card. An explanatory pamphlet goes with them. Address

SARGENT'S ORIGINAL DIALOGUES:

A Collection for School and Family Reading and Representation.

By EPES SARGENT, Author of the Standard Speakers, the Standard Readers, Spellers, &c. The few original Dialogues that Mr. Sargent has published having attained a rare popularity and been in extensive demand for School Exhibitions, &c., Mr. S. has yielded to the solicitations of many of our most eminent teachers in all parts of the country, and consented to prepare the new collection which we here announce. It forms a handsome large duodecimo of 336 pages, with a fine portrait of the author, engraved on steel, and with wood-cuts representing appropriate attitudes in dialogue delivery. Price, $1.00. The usual discount to the Trade.

IF On receipt of one dollar, a copy will be sent, postage prepaid, to any teacher or pupil.
Every school-boy and school-girl ought to own a copy.

From the National Intelligencer: "The dialogues are eminently adapted to representation; vivid, full of action, with characters well discriminated, and language never bordering on coarseness." From the New York Home Journal: The best collection of dialogues in the language. It ought to be introduced into every school in the country where elocution is taught."

From the Gardiner (Me.) Home Journal: "Will be a favorite in every academy, high school, grammar school, or county school-everywhere where boys are boys." It is decidedly the best collection of dialogues for youthful representation that we have ever examined."

From the Chicago Democrat: "A book worth having. It is written in excellent style, and calculated to delight all intelligent boys and girls."

From the Boston Post: These dialogues seem to be immensely popular with the boys. The book reached a third edition before it had been out ten days."

From the Manchester (N. H.) Mirror: "Many a weary search have we had in our school days for just such a book as this."

Sargent's dialogues are not only such as the young will read and recite with the keenest interest, but they are of a character to delight an audience, and to bring out the elocutionary talents of the speakers.

JOHN L. SHOREY, 13 Washington Street, Boston, Mass.

The R. J. Schoolmaster.

༣.

FEBRUARY, 1862.

VOLUME EIGHT.

For the Schoolmaster.

Notes on Spelling.

NUMBER TWO,

at the end of a year, the learner is to go on to read in common print, the change is made gradI was much pleased, a few days ago, at hear-friends of this system, that if a child is taught ually, yet rapidly, so that it is asserted by the ing a boy, a little over five years old, read and to spell phonetically first, and then by the comspell with fluency in common English prose mon way, he will not only be a better speller printed in phonetic characters. Scarcely a year than common, at the end of a given time, but ago, having never learned the common alphabet, will be better prepared to make a good reader. he had commenced to spell and soon after to read The advantages of this system would be reapaccording to the phonetic method; having now ed by the million, the disadvantages would be attained considerable proficiency therein, he was felt by but few; for, while all find it hard to passing on to spell in the common English print. spell, but few know anything of the roots of What a pity! said I. For the irksome task of the language, and then it is doubtful whether spelling, by the common method never commore roots would be obscured or be brought out pleted, would, in this way, be nearly finished at by the process. Its advantages are practical, the end of the first year. This boy's ear is now certain; its disadvantages uncertain and visionquick and accurate; how dull and deadened it ary; for a great expenditure of time and of lamay be two years hence. The connection be- bor is saved, as well as a great tax on the memory, to be lavished on other objects, and with greater profit to the pupil. Still the community refuses to adopt phonetics, and we must go on teaching the common alphabet the best way we can.

tween the vocal sounds and the characters now

seems to him close and clear; then it will be obscure and perplexing.

In the phonetic alphabet, there being a character for each sound in the language, forty-three letters are found. The child who is to learn to Call, then, the little ones, who have just enspell, is told to look at the mouth of the teacher tered the school and are to learn the alphabet, and to notice the sound he makes; the pupil to you, speaking a pleasant word to each and notes the sound and imitates it as well as he encouraging the timid ones. Chat with them to can. The character representing the sound is awaken a desire in them to learn their letters; now printed for him, and the sound is repeated do not forget this; it is important. Now show by the teacher, then by the scholar. The learn- them a large letter, A; let all look at it carefully. er is then taught to print the character himself, to Would they like to know its name and will recognize it in a book, and to find it on a block, they try to remember it? It is A. Who can among others. Then the successive sounds and tell its name? What do you think it is? And characters are taught in the same manner. The you, and you? That is very well. Now all next step is to combine two or more sounds say, A. But let me print this letter on the board. by rapidly uttering, one after another, several See: one straight line thus; another so, and a sounds, making thereby monosyllabic words. third across. Who can print the letter A on His onward course in spelling is now easy. If, the board? Well, John, you may try, and you,

too, James.

Very well done. What is the former syllable; and so on through the word. name of the letter? That will do for this time. It is not easy after having spelled a word in Having, in a similar manner, taught them B this way to mispronounce it. For the learner and C, place the three letters thus far learned, knows how to pronounce each syllable and has printed on blocks or on paper, on the table, and the proper order of their succession; these points let them try to pick out B, C, A. This will with the accent determine the pronunciation of stimulate them. Go on in this way, till the the word. Often when an error is made in prowhole alphabet is learned, alternately using the nouncing a word, it arises from uncertainty with printed alphabet, printing yourself and asking regard to the succession of the syllables. When the name of the letter, giving the name for them you give out a word, if the scholar through into print, holding up separate letters picked at attention does not understand you, pass the random from a pile and asking the name, or re- word to the next. If he misspells the word, questing them to pick out D, or M, or O, from without allowing him a second chance, pass the a confused mass of letters. word to the next. To allow a boy to try more The next step is to teach the spelling and the than once in spelling a word, encourages poor pronunciation of monosyllables. And now the preparation of lessons, guessing and inaccuracy. difficulties connected with our alphabet begin, Some teachers put out a word to a pupil, and, and the child finds it is really a hard thing to whether it be spelled correctly or not, another learn to spell. Could a lad of eighteen be given word is at once put out to the second pupil, the two tasks; the one to learn Andrews and Stod-teacher keeping the run of the mistakes. Any dard's Latin Grammar from cover to cover; the scholar, now, is at liberty, after having spelled other to learn, for the first time, how to spell kis own word, to correct any mistake or misforty thousand of the more purely literary words takes he may have noticed. Some allow any of our language; would he accept the easier task, he would make choice of the grammar.

scholar who notices a mistake to raise his hand and to correct it at once. Be sure to have the pupil who misses a word, re-spell it after it has been spelled correctly. It is well for each member of the class to keep an account of the words that he has missed, and at the commencement them, either orally, or by writing them on the of the exercise, on the following day, re-spell

blackboard.

Let us see what some of these difficulties are. 1. The same letter represents different sounds; example, the different sounds of a. 2. The same sound is represented by different letters and combinations of letters; example, a, ai, ay, ey. 3. Many letters are silent; example, gnomen; sign; phthisis, &c. It would cause less confusion in spelling were there no similarity bePronounce each syllable after spelling it, as it tween the names of the letters and the sounds should be pronounced in the whole word. Do which they represent. The occasional presence not, after having spelled the second syllable of and frequent absence of this similarity is the mor-ti-fy, pronounce with the long, ti. Do origin of the confusion. The learner gets con- not, in spelling garden, say, d-e-n, den; nor in fused, puzzled and inattentive. He is tired of the final syllable of menace, say, a-c-e, ace; spelling, dislikes school, vexes his teachers, and nor in judgment, munt. is lucky if, when ten years old, he is not utterly disgusted with books and studying.

If you pass a word to the next when it is spelled incorrectly, do not make the syllable in which the mistake was made unduly emphatic. If eminent is spelled with an e for the second syllable, do not, on passing it, say em-i-nent;

Suppose that your pupils have taken their places in the class to spell orally. The teacher, having prepared himself beforehand, (and scarcely any one can pronounce correctly the words in a nor, sta-tion-er-y, on passing it to the next. This would be indirect prompting. single column in a spelling book, without previous study) gives out a word for some one to Do not stop a scholar in the middle of a word, spell. The scholar first pronounces the word; just as he has misspelled a syllable, to pass the by this you know that he understands what word word to the next. Thus in spelling metallurgy; you gave out, and he gets its true pronunciation. if the spelling is, met-al-ur-, do not at once say, Any error, however slight, in respect to the "the next," but wait till the scholar has finished pronunciation should be corrected by the class spelling the word, and then say, "the next." or by the teacher. Now he spells the first syl- Do not, also, smile, as a syllable is wrongly lable and pronounces it; the second and pro- spelled to do so is indirect prompting. nounces it by itself and then combined with the

Do not, in giving out words to spell, always

commence with the same member of the class,

Or the teacher on another day might call the as with the head or the middle scholar. Some attention of his class to the more common and require their pupils to be always ready to an- important words that have various spellings, swer the question, asked at any time during pointing out the spelling that the dictionary the spelling exercise, "What was the last word adopted by him as authority prefers. The folthat was spelled?' To answer this question, at-lowing is such a list: Gray, Ribbon, Bonnet, tention must be given to the exercise at all times. Wagon, Fagot, Mosquito, Marshal, Reindeer, I see no objection to scholars taking places Oxide.

when spelling orally, but rather approve of it. Shall words be spelled orally, or by writing, When two words in the same lesson are pro- or by both methods combined? I think the nounced alike, but spelled differently, as air and last mentioned way the best. When a person heir, the teacher should define the one first put can spell a word correctly orally, there is no out. If of two words in the language pronounc- reason why he should not write it correctly, ed alike, but spelled differently, only one is in provided he is not so unused to writing as the lesson for the day, the teacher is not called to have all his attention given to shaping the on to define it; the pupil must know what words letters, and so make mistakes in regard to the are in the lesson, and what not.

a

orthography of the word. If this is a correct The rules in spelling, showing how to form view of the matter, all that is necessary to enthe plural of nouns ending in y preceded by sure proper orthography in good oral spellers, is consonant, and of nouns ending in o preceded some practice daily in writing out the more by a consonant, the derivatives formed by the difficult words in the lesson. And then in half addition of a syllable beginning with a conso- an hour, many more words can be spelled in an nant, of words ending in a single consonant oral than in a written exercise. But some one preceded by a single vowel and accented on the may say that there is really more spelling when last syllable, together with its attendant rule, of a class of twenty each writes the same twenand the rule for the forming of derivatives in ty words, than when, in the same class, each ous and able from words ending in ce and ge, spells orally five words; that the ratio is as are so important that all should learn them. 400: 100. This surely cannot be the case, when, There are a few other rules also which it is well as I have mentioned above, the teacher adopts to know. means to ensure the attention of the whole class

I think it is well for teachers to make out lists of words to be spelled by their advanced classes, by writing them; now common geographical names, now proper names of celebrated men, especially of literary men. I have lately given out the following, and find classes interested in these words, which they ought al

to each word spelled; then the ratio would be as 400 2,000.

I would then recommend to have the pupils spell orally until they are able to spell correctly the more common words in English literature, which, in yearly schools, can be accomplished, and ought to be, by the tenth birth so to be able to spell: Macaulay, DeQuincey, day; and at each exercise, even from beginning Disraeli, Brougham, Campbell, Thomson, Carto learn the alphabet, let there be some time lyle, Aytoun, B. Jonson, S. Johnson; Narragiven to printing or to writing the more diffigansett, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Winnipisecult parts of the lesson, on the blackboard, the ogie, Schenectady, Schuylkill, Pittsburg, Pennslate, or on paper. After that time, I proceed sylvania, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alleghany, Atas follows: Let the scholars be provided with chafalaya, Nicaragua, Caribbean, Mediterranean, blank books, the pages just large enough to reApennines. It is well also to ask the scholars ceive the number of words put out at one lesto bring in lists of hard words, restricting them, son, say twenty. The scholars, at their seats, if they are to take geographical names, to the write the words as they are given out, attending more common ones, or if literary terms, to those to the spelling, chirography, syllabication, acthat strictly are such, and to the most common cent, and other particulars, such as dotting the scientific terms, and not allowing them full ranges and crossing the t's. The exercise being finin the great mass of technical terms crowded into our bulky dictionaries. The following list may be brought in: Allegeable, Separate, Judgment, Stationary, Confectionery, Kaleidoscope, Daguerreotype, Potatoes, Seize, Sieve, Gauge, Guard, Infringement, Innuendo.

ished, the books are handed in to the teacher, who corrects them by putting a cross opposite

each misspelled word, a horizontal line opposite each mistake in syllabication, an apostrophe when the wrong syllable is accented, and a com