THE

ELSON READERS

BOOK FOUR

(REVISION OF ELSON PRIMARY SCHOOL READER, BOOK FOUR)

591730
C

COPYRIGHT, 1920, BY

SCOTT, FORESMAN AND COMPANY

For permission to use copyrighted material, grateful
acknowledgment is made to The Outlook for "Agreed to
Disagree" by Sydney Dayre; to D. Appleton & Company
for "Planting the Tree" by Henry Abbey; to A. Flanagan
Company for "How the Chipmunk Got Its Stripes," from
Nature Myths by Flora J. Cooke; to G. P. Putnam's Sons
for "A Brave Boy's Adventure" by J. P. Kennedy, and
"Early Settlers," from Stories of a Naturalist by John J.
Audubon; to James Whitcomb Riley for "No Boy Knows"
(copyright, 1902), from A Book of Joyous Children; to
Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Company for "Some Glimpses
of Lincoln," from The True Story of Lincoln by Elbridge
S. Brooks.

interest in the facts of nature, such as the selections by Thoreau and Baynes, the naturalist-author who organized the Long Island bird club, of which Colonel Roosevelt was president. There are longer stories particularly suited to the needs of rapid silent reading for the story-plot, and shorter selections for reading aloud and for detailed study. There are dramatizations and a pleasing pageant for entertainments, and other selections suited to dramatic treatment excellent project material.

The book is strong in ethical values, and rich in ideals of home and country, helpfulness to others, coöperation, and good-citizenship-ideals of which American children gained Service and a new conception during the World War and Citizenship which the school reader should perpetuate. Not only are these ideals the theme of many of the stories and poems, but they are driven home by the fact that they are the dominant ideas of certain groups of selections that work together to produce a lasting impression.

The following definite helps are provided to aid the pupil to enjoy his reading and to gain the full benefit from it:

Definite
Helps

(a) A complete Glossary gives the meaning and pronunciation of the words, trains pupils in alphabetical arrangement, and establishes the "dictionary habit." (b) Helps to Study contain questions and suggestions that make clear the main idea, stimulate thinking, and bring out modern parallels to the situations found in the stories.

(c) A definite plan of study called "How to Enjoy Your Reading" (page 16) trains the pupil from the first to make intelligent use of the many helpful devices of the Reader.

(d) Suggestions for increasing speed in Silent Reading, and definite questions that furnish a program of procedure for developing and testing efficiency are provided for certain of the longer selections. See pages 336, 337, etc.