TO THE TEACHER.

THE object of this little book is to furnish a series of easy supplementary reading lessons for the youngest children at school. As soon as the pupils are able readily to recognize five or six of the most commonly used words, these stories may be given to them to read. The words may be taught from the blackboard, from reading charts, or by any other method which the teacher finds to be best and most practicable. They should be chosen with reference both to their ready comprehension by the children and to the order of their occurrence in the reading lessons. As the children progress in the ability to read, variety and interest will demand that the vocabulary should increase with greater rapidity; and soon, instead of presenting only three or four new words at a time, the teacher need feel no fear but that twice as many, and even more, will be readily learned.

The stories contained in this book have been written or selected with the intent to enlist the interest and sympathy of the child. The endeavor has been made to

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* & MC.A.