Friday, September 28, 2012

THE VILLAGE READER


September is back-to-school month here in upstate New York, so this week we’re focusing on a book in the collection that was used by educators and students more than 170 years ago. This was back in the days when there were no electronic “gizmos” to rely on—when students recorded their work on slates with that white stuff called chalk,  and primary readers were called primers. Does this bring you a touch of nostalgia? If so, stop by the Bullis Room and ask to take a look at:

The Village Reader: designed for the use of schools
By the compilers of
The Easy Primer, Child’s Guide, and Intelligent Reader

This book, published by G. & C. Merriam in 1841, has 300 pages of reading instruction that includes rules for punctuation, and rules for reading aloud. The daily exercises include tales, short essays, and general instruction as well as grammar drills.

So if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by today’s high-tech world, we suggest you take a break, spend some time with The Village Reader, and for a few minutes experience what school life was like a century and a half ago.

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