PREFACE CHARLES DUDLEY WARNER once saidi. child to read, and not teach it what to reai a dangerous weapon into its hands." There can be no doubt as to the truth of thus statement. High schools now very generally have uses reading and literature; but the great majority of pupis never reach the high school, and those who love formed a taste for reading before that per a taste for reading that is decidedly bad, ani in. sionally for that which is really excellent.at . particular the work of the high schooi termes that of reformation, instead of formation. a f work that need not have been necessary. This procedure utterly ignores the needs, so far as the study of literature is concerned. of ninety per cent of the pupils, and begins the work too late with the others. To some extent desultory work is being done in many primary and grammar schools, through the use of supplementary readers; but this cannot be very effective in forming a taste for good reading. necessary to provide a sufficient books still used S TS ut its "I PITY the boy or the girl who must grow up without having made intimate acquaintance with 'Mother Goose' and the wonderful stories of 'Jack the Giant Killer,' and 'Bluebeard,' and 'Cinderella,' and those other strange tales as old as the race itself, and yet new to every succeeding generation. They are all a part of the inheritance of the English-speaking people, and belong, as a kind of birthright, to every intelligent child."- Robert Collyer. This little pig went to market; One, two, Buckle my shoe; Pick up sticks; Seven, eight, A good fat hen; Who will delve? 13 |