Excerpt from Sprague Classic Reader, Vol. 4: Book Four, Part Two In the sprague classic readers, the author unmistakably designs to interest the pupils strongly, and to teach them helpful lessons, by means of selections having genuine literary merit. To do this, the thought-content of the selections must lie within the circle of the child's living, vital interests, not too trivial, nor yet too abstruse or philosophical. They must be more difficult than what has already been achieved, and yet be within easy grasp; and in every instance, they must help the pupil to a better understanding of the world of men and things about him, and of his own right relations thereto. A study of this book will demonstrate its fitness to accomplish the delicate and difficult task indicated. From its reading, the child will gain a clearer insight into his social environment, which is the most important thing in education. The thought that good-will and kindly co-operation are worth while is constantly suggested, and this suggestion must, gradually, become manifest in the child's own behavior. His ethical and social nature will, also, be aroused and nourished by the concrete examples of correct ethical and social action so attractively presented to him. He is not required to learn meaningless words and phrases for arbitrary memory training, the varied information given being related to something of vital concern to himself in the experiences of his daily life. Nor are ethical lessons obtruded upon the child. The selections hold his attention by their own interest, and the lessons are absorbed, through the subtle law of suggestion working their way silently, but effectively, into the body of his emotions and impulses. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.