New National Fourth Reader | Page 2

49.--THE RHINOCEROS
50.--PRESENCE OF MIND
51.--HALBERT AND HIS DOG
53.--THE CATERPILLAR AND BUTTERFLY
54.--WILD HORSES OF SOUTH AMERICA
55.--AN EMPEROR'S KINDNESS
57.--STORY OF THE SIOUX WAR (I)

58.--STORY OF THE SIOUX WAR (II)
59.--VOLCANOES
61.--ANECDOTE OF WASHINGTON (I)
62.--ANECDOTE OF WASHINGTON (II)
63.--THE OSTRICH
65.--AN INCIDENT OF THE REVOLUTION
66.--TROPICAL FRUITS
67.--STORY OF DETROIT
69.--MAKING MAPLE SUGAR (I) Charles Dudley Warner.
70.--MAKING MAPLE SUGAR (II) Charles Dudley Warner.
72.--NATURAL WONDERS OF AMERICA (I)
73.--NATURAL WONDERS OF AMERICA (II)
74.--AFRICAN ANTS Du Chaillu.
76.--EGYPT AND ITS RUINS (I)
77.--EGYPT AND ITS RUINS (II)

LESSONS IN VERSE.
4.--TO-MORROW _Mrs. M.R. Johnson_.
8.--RESCUED Celia Thaxter.
12.--MARJORIE'S ALMANAC _T.B. Aldrich_.
16.--A LEGEND OF THE NORTHLAND Phoebe Cary.
20.--A HAPPY PAIR Florence Percy.
24.--ILL-NATURED BRIER _Mrs. Anna Bache_.
29.--LOOKING FOR THE FAIRIES Julia Bacon.

32.--BIRDS IN SUMMER Mary Howitt.
36.--THE MILLER OF THE DEE Charles Mackay.
40.--THE WIND IN A FROLIC William Howitt.
44.--COMMON GIFTS
48.--WHAT THE CHIMNEY SANG Bret Harte.
52.--THE LIGHT-HOUSE
56.--UNITED AT LAST
60.--THE BROOK Alfred Tennyson.
64.--TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW Charles Mackay.
68.--THE FISHERMAN _John G. Whittier_.
71.--OLD IRONSIDES Oliver Wendell Holmes.
75.--THE LEAP OF ROUSHAN BEG _Henry W. Longfellow_.
DEFINITIONS
GEOGRAPHICAL AND PROPER NAMES

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
The publishers desire to thank Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., the
Century Co., Roberts Brothers, and Charles Scribner's Sons, for
permission to use and adapt some of their valuable copyright matter.

SUGGESTIONS
To Teachers
The following suggestions are submitted for the benefit of young
teachers.
In order that pupils may learn how to define words at the heads of the
lessons, let the teacher read the sentences containing such words and
have pupils copy them upon slate or paper.
Then indicate what words are to be defined, and insist upon the proper
syllabication, accent, marking of letters, etc.
In this way the pupil learns the meaning of the word as it is used, and
not an abstract definition that may be meaningless.
Have pupils study their reading lessons carefully before coming to
recitation.
The position of pupils while reading should be erect, easy, and
graceful.
Give special attention to the subject of articulation, and insist upon a

clear and distinct enunciation.
In order to develop a clear tone of voice, let pupils practice, in concert,
upon some of the open vowel sounds, using such words as _arm, all,
old_.
In this exercise, the force of utterance should be gentle at first, and the
words repeated a number of times; then the force should be increased
by degrees, until "calling tones" are used.
Encourage a natural use of the voice, with such modulations as may be
proper for a correct rendering of the thoughts which are read.
It should, be remembered that the development of a good tone of voice
is the result of careful and constant practice.
Concert reading is recommended as a useful exercise, inasmuch as any
feeling of restraint or timidity disappears while reading with others.
Question individual pupils upon the manner in which lessons should be
read. In this way they will learn to think for themselves.
Do not interrupt a pupil while reading until a thought or sentence is
completed, since such a course tends to make reading mechanical and
deprive it of expression.
Errors in time, force of utterance, emphasis, and inflection should be
carefully corrected, and then the passage read over again.
The "Directions for Reading" throughout the book are intended to be
suggestive rather than exhaustive, and can be added to as occasion
requires.
The "Language Lessons" in this book, should not be neglected. They
contain only such matter as is necessary to meet the requirements of
pupils.
Words and expressions not readily understood, must be made
intelligible to pupils. This has been done in part by definitions, and in
part by interpreting some of the difficult phrases.
After the habit of acquiring the usual meaning has been formed, the
original meaning of those words which are made up of stems modified
by prefixes or affixes should be shown.
The real meaning of such words can be understood far better by a study
of their formation, than by abstract definitions. It will be found, also,
that pupils readily become interested in this kind of work.
As the capabilities of classes of the same grade will differ, it may
sometimes occur that a greater amount of language work can be done

effectively than is laid down in this book. When this happens, more
time can be devoted to such special kinds of work as the needs of the
classes suggest.
Constant drill upon the analysis of lessons, varied at times by the
analysis of short stories taken from other sources and read to the class,
will develop the reasoning faculties of pupils and render the writing of
original compositions a comparatively easy exercise.
Encourage the habit of self-reliance on the part