Whether students are excited to begin a new year or are lamenting the end of summer (or maybe a combination of both), September is synonymous with going back to school! At the State Library, we’re marking the start of a new school year by sharing three historical textbooks in our Collection Spotlight case. On display are
A Short Introduction to English Grammar (1775),
Pestallozzian Primer (1827), and
National Spelling Book and Pronouncing Tutor (1828). Technically, these books are primers, which are the early learning books that are used to teach the foundations of reading and writing.
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Clockwise from top left: Pestallozzian Primer (1827), National Spelling Book and Pronouncing Tutor (1828), A Short Introduction to English Grammar (1775) |
Massachusetts has played a strong role in the advancement of education and educational resources over the years and is the home of many educational “firsts.” More about the history of education in the Commonwealth can be found in our
2023 online exhibit. One of the “firsts” noted in that exhibit is the 1687 publishing of
The New England Primer, which was the first textbook published for children in the colonies. Though we do not have any early printings of this source in our collection, we do have later editions of
The New England Primer - it was in production and used in schools all the way into the 1900s!
One of the oldest primers in our collection is A
Short Introduction to English Grammar: With Critical Notes, which was published in 1775 in Philadelphia. It was compiled by the Right Reverend Robert Lowth the Lord Bishop of Oxford, who noted an absence in teaching textbooks for grammar and strove to correct that by producing a grammar primer. Originally published in 1762, this text is considered one of the most influential sources on English grammar. It is interesting to note that when it was originally published, it was not intended for children, but within a few years it was adapted to serve as a primer, and it was used in schools through the twentieth-century.
The title page of
Pestallozzian Primer, or, First Step in Teaching Children the Art of Reading and Thinking includes the quote, “Teach a child to think, and give him the words by which he may retain and communicate his thoughts, and you will have more than half completed his intellectual education.” This primer was published in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 1827 and the lessons follow the work of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (1746-1827), a Swiss education reformer. As stated in the preface, the lessons focus on creating a “habit of thinking and of understanding what is read.” Rather than the straight grammar and spelling lessons found in other primers, this approach encourages the student to think beyond rules. For example, when learning to read and spell the word “apple” the student is also asked questions like, “Where does the apple grow? Name the parts of the apple? How may it taste?” Notice in the picture that the thinking lessons include a notation that reads, "these lessons will very much relieve the fatigue of mere spelling and reading business." We're sure that students enjoyed the break from rote memorization!
Of the three displayed books, only the
National Spelling Book and Pronouncing Tutor was published here in Boston, or more specifically, not too far from the State House at 133 Washington Street. It was printed in 1828 and compiled by B.D. Emerson, who was the principal of the Adams Grammar School, also in Boston. According to the title page, the primer is designed for use in schools throughout the United States and follows Walker’s principles of grammar. This refers to the work of lexicographer John Walker (English, 1732 – 1807) who also taught elocution. This primer explains how to pronounce each syllable of certain words (or groups of words), and also provides spelling lessons.
For the past few years, the State Library has marked the beginning of the school year by displaying some historical education resources from our collection. Revisit our
2023 display, where we shared “Rules and Regulations to be observed by the Teachers of the Public Schools in Dorchester” (1810) and “Order of Exercises at the Dedication of the Building and Installation of the Teacher of the High School” (Dorchester, 1852), and our
2022 display, where we shared an 1835 Quincy School Committee circular with advice for teachers and parents as the school year began. Be sure to visit us from September 5 to October 1 to see this year’s display!
Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian
