1871 printing of the 1871 copyrighted text. No information on the author is given, although the author is presumably one of the publishers. The preface explains that twelve-year-olds should be able to speak and write accurately, avoid vulgarisms, and detect errors. While most methods of teaching grammar incorrectly focus on memorization, this text is interested in teaching the practical use of language. This is done through observation (or perception) of correct models, imitation of those models, and finally construction of correct sentences. Observation of correct sentences is guided with questions. The text is organized into punctuation, objects, pictorial illustrations (pictures), brief narratives, poems to be rewritten into prose, letter writing, longer narratives, and activities of classifying words. The Schultz Archive copy is roughly the complete text.
1876 printing of the 1876 copyrighted text. A revised edition of the "popular" 1871 text. Preface explains it strives to teach children to use language, and is meant for nine, ten, and eleven-year-olds. The work is divided into two parts: part one for the year when students read the Third Book in a series of readers, part two for the succeeding year. Students are meant to write in response to the book's questions, the teacher is meant to correct these answers, and students are then to revise them. Illustrations are used to teach children through observation and to teach them facts of natural history. Part one is organized into chapters covering punctuation, words classed by use, errors, descriptions, comparisons, , objects, pictures, and genres (poetry, prose, letters, receipts, advertisements). Questions and sample teacher-students conversations are used throughout. The Schultz Archive's copy is roughly the complete text.