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HARVARD
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

COPYRIGHT, 1904, 1908,

BY W. E. CHANCELLOR.

Set up and electrotyped. Published June, 1904.

Reprinted

August, 1904; January, March, July, August, December, 1905; July, 1906; March, 1907.

New edition, carefully revised, April, 1908.

PREFACE

This book is the second of a series, prepared by compiling lists of words actually used, during recent years, in the schools of eight different cities. These lists have been edited in consultation with experienced teachers.

The plan of these graded city spelling-books is to present useful words in lessons of literary value and interest. Most of the quotations have been approved in actual class-room experience in language teaching The large use which has already been accorded to the earlier book, though published but a year ago, shows that the coöperative plan has enabled the editor to reach the actual needs of the schoolroom.

The general plan of the series includes a review of the words taught in the preceding grade; daily advance lessons; systematic reviews at regular intervals; the use of many important words in suitable sentences; the memorizing of selections from the best literature; the syllabication of all spelling words; lessons upon abbreviations, rules of spelling, prefixes, suffixes, and homonyms; and in the higher books, word building and synonyms.

As far as practicable, each word is presented, first, in a sentence or paragraph, usually quoted in the language. of an author of high standing; then, it is syllabicated for the analysis of the literal elements; and, lastly, it is repeated several times in reviews. By this method, each word is developed in association with a context that is in itself worth reading, and is then stamped upon the visual memory by a sufficient number of repetitions to insure with ordinary pupils its accurate recollection.

Whether the drill be solely oral or both oral and

written is a matter to be determined by the authorities of the schools where the series may be used. It is probably a correct opinion that written drill increases accuracy because it associates the motor nerve elements with the activity of the mind. At the same time, to hear good spellers (as in spelling-matches) no doubt assists those who find difficulty in this exercise. Of course, we seldom need to know the true spelling of a word save when we ourselves must write it.

The reviews in the higher lessons of this series contain not only words presented for the first time in the text, but also such words from the earlier lessons as have been found by experience most difficult for the pupils to learn and to retain.

Words printed in boldface are synonymous.

The International Dictionary has been followed as the standard of authority with occasional supplementary reference to the Century Dictionary.

In all language lessons, it is important to distinguish the division of words for syllabication from that for pronunciation. The syllabication of the Latin words has been presented in general accordance with the principles of English syllabication.

For a discussion of methods and devices of teaching spelling, see Spelling: Principles and Methods, by the editor. Good tests as to whether spelling is being well taught determine whether or not the pupils are learning to observe and to remember the spelling of new and of old and difficult words. The object of the spelling lesson is not only to learn certain assigned words, but equally to develop the power of attention to all words.

"Opportunity," by E. R. Sill, and the extract from the "Commemoration Ode," by J. R. Lowell, are used by permission of and by special arrangement with Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Company, the authorized publishers of Sill's and Lowell's works

W. E. C.

FIFTH YEAR GRADE

So nigh is grandeur to our dus,

So near is God to man,

66

When Duty whispers low, "Thou must,"
The youth replies, "I can."

-RALPH WALDO EMERSON.

Ye heavens

you remain A world above man's head, to let him see How boundless might his soul's horizon be, How vast, yet of what clear transparency.

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